米新国防戦略 「アジア重視」に日本も呼応を

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 8, 2012)
Japan should play role in new U.S. defense policy
米新国防戦略　「アジア重視」に日本も呼応を（1月7日付・読売社説）

U.S. President Barack Obama has unveiled a new defense strategy in line with the country's planned cuts in defense spending.
　オバマ米大統領が、国防予算の削減に伴う新国防戦略を発表した。

While reducing the overall size of ground forces, the strategy aims to expand the U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, an area to which the country attaches increasing importance.
　地上戦力の全体的な規模は縮小する一方、米国が重視するアジア太平洋地域では、今後、部隊展開を強化する方針を打ち出した。

We will have to wait and see whether these programs will be fully implemented.
その通り実行されるのかを注視したい。

Obama expressed his intention to accelerate efforts to make U.S. forces more efficient and rely more on state-of-the-art technology.
"Our military will be leaner but the world must know--the United States is going to maintain our military superiority with armed forces that are agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats," he said.
　オバマ大統領は、「米軍はスリムになっても、あらゆる有事や脅威に機敏で柔軟に対応できる軍事的優位性は維持する」と述べ、今後一層の効率化やハイテク化を進めていく考えを表明した。

Given the United States' dire fiscal situation, the strategy is appropriate.
　米国の深刻な財政事情を考えれれば、妥当な戦略である。

The United States must reduce defense spending by nearly 500 billion dollars (38 trillion yen) in the coming decade, as part of deficit-cutting measures the U.S. Congress legislated last summer along with a debt-ceiling deal.
　昨年夏、米議会が債務上限引き上げとセットで法制化した財政赤字削減策の一環で、国防予算を今後１０年間に５０００億ドル（約３８兆円）近く減らさねばならない。

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Review of 2-front strategy

It is essential to determine the order of priority to deal with various threats under a limited budget, and then choose the necessary military equipment and determine what troop reductions can be made.
　予算の制約の中で、様々な脅威に対応するため、優先順位を決めて、それに応じた部隊縮小や装備を選択するのは当然だ。

In essence, the new strategy reviewed the United States' two-front strategy, which has served as the country's fundamental defense policy since the end of the Cold War. The review made it clear that the U.S. military would focus on one large conflict, rather than maintain sufficient troops to fight two major regional conflicts at the same time.
　新戦略は、冷戦後の米国防政策の基本となってきた「二正面戦略」を基本的に見直し、同時発生した二つの地域紛争に勝つための大量の戦力維持を前提とせず、大規模紛争への対処は１か所に集中する方向性を改めて示した。

The new strategy also focused on new threats, such as terrorist activities, unconventional conflicts and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
　新戦略が重点を置くのは、テロや非正規戦、大量破壊兵器拡散など、新たな脅威への対処だ。

What was particularly noteworthy in the review was that the United States expressed a profound wariness over China and Iran by naming them. It predicted that the two nations would probably increase their "anti-access/area denial capabilities" to block the forward deployment of U.S. forces using ballistic and cruise missiles and through cyberwarfare.
　注目されるのは、中国とイランを名指しして、弾道ミサイルや巡航ミサイル、サイバー攻撃など、米軍の前方展開を阻止する「接近拒否」能力を向上させるだろう、と強い警戒を表明したことだ。

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Joint air-sea battle concept

To counter such moves, the United States is expected to step up efforts to develop a "joint air-sea battle" concept, under which long-range attacks can be carried out through joint air and maritime operations.
　米国は、その対抗策として、空と海の兵力の一体運用を通して長距離攻撃を行う「統合海空戦闘」（ジョイント・エア・シー・バトル）構想を、今後、具体化していくものと見られる。

The United States' new defense strategy also called on its allies to boost their military roles in the years ahead.
　米国の新国防戦略は、同盟国がより大きな役割を果たすことを期待している。

Japan needs to consider the strategic review in a positive light and reflect it in its future defense policy, such as by strengthening its "dynamic defense force," a concept focusing on the operational flexibility of the Self-Defense Forces.
日本も、この新戦略を前向きに受け止め、「動的防衛力」の強化など今後の防衛政策に反映させていく必要がある。

Japan's defense budget will decline for the 10th straight year in fiscal 2012, seriously affecting the training of SDF personnel and the repair of equipment.
　日本の防衛予算は来年度で１０年連続の減少となり、自衛隊の訓練や装備の修繕などに歪(ひず)みを生んでいる。

Given the tough security environment surrounding the country in recent years, the government must stop slashing defense spending and reverse the trend.
厳しい安全保障環境を踏まえれば、予算削減に歯止めをかけ、反転させることが急務だ。

Enhancing defense cooperation between the SDF and U.S. forces also is extremely important.
　自衛隊と米軍の防衛協力を拡充することも重要である。

When U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta visited Japan in October, the two countries agreed to bolster joint warning and surveillance activity, carry out more joint exercises and have the SDF and U.S. troops share bases.
　昨年１０月のパネッタ米国防長官の来日時には、日米共同の警戒監視活動や共同訓練、基地の共同使用を拡大することで合意した。

The two countries should steadily implement this agreement to maintain and enhance the deterrence of the Japan-U.S. alliance.
日米同盟の抑止力を維持・強化するため着実に実施に移したい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 7, 2012)
（2012年1月7日01時32分 読売新聞）