陸自縮小か？

(Aug. 18, 2008) The Yomiuri Shimbun
Review fund allocation among SDF branches
防衛大綱改定　陸海空の予算配分を見直せ（8月18日付・読売社説）

To make the Self-Defense Forces a "functioning organization," it is essential to review how funding is allocated among the Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces, given that the budget share for each has been almost fixed for many years.
自衛隊を「機能する組織」にするには、長年ほぼ固定されてきた陸海空３自衛隊の予算配分の見直しが欠かせない。

The government's planned revision at the end of next year of the National Defense Program Outline, which stipulates basic guidelines for security policy, will provide a good opportunity for such a review. The government should set up an expert panel at an early date to kick-start fundamental discussions on defining the course of the SDF for the next 10 years.
政府が来年末、日本の安全保障の基本方針を定めた「防衛計画の大綱」を改定するのは、その好機である。今後１０年間の自衛隊のあり方をどうするのか。早期に有識者会議を設置し、根本的な議論を始めるべきだ。

The way the SDF's funds have been budgeted among the three branches over the last 20 years was almost fixed, with the GSDF receiving 41-45 percent of the money, the MSDF 27-29 percent and the ASDF 26-31 percent.
過去２０年間の３自衛隊の歳出予算配分を見ると、陸上自衛隊が４１～４５％、海上自衛隊が２７～２９％、航空自衛隊が２６～３１％で、ほとんど変わっていない。

During the Cold War, the SDF pushed ahead with the formation of GSDF, MSDF and ASDF units and the procurement of key weaponry mainly to counter a possible landing and invasion of Soviet troops. Within this context, four GSDF divisions were deployed in Hokkaido and tanks and artillery were regarded as important weaponry.
冷戦時代は、ソ連による着上陸侵攻にいかに対処するかを主軸に、陸海空の部隊編成や主要装備の整備を進めてきた。北海道に陸自の４個師団が配置され、戦車や火砲も重視されていた。

After the Cold War, the National Defense Program Outline was revised twice--in 1995 and 2004--to deal with a change in the nation's security situation--namely the elimination of threats posed by the Soviet Union and the emergence of new threats, such as terrorism and missiles.
冷戦後、防衛大綱は１９９５年と２００４年に見直された。ソ連の脅威の消滅という安全保障環境の変化や、テロ、ミサイルなど新たな脅威に対応するためだ。

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Shifting needs

The two revisions of the defense outline promoted the streamlining of units and reduction of weapons, but stopped short of redistributing funding among the three SDF branches. Sectionalism between the branches as well as protectionist movements among officials of each branch wanting to keep their organization intact reportedly served as obstacles to changing the budget distribution.
部隊のコンパクト化や装備の削減は進んだが、３自衛隊の予算配分の見直しには至らなかった。陸海空の縦割り意識と組織防衛の動きが障害になったとされる。

Japan's defense budget has been slightly reduced, standing now at 4.78 trillion yen per year. To use the limited budget effectively, redistribution of funds among the three branches is unavoidable.
防衛費は最近、年４兆７０００億円余で、微減傾向にある。限られた予算を有効活用するには、配分の見直しは避けられない。

It is not reasonable to allocate money among the three branches in almost the same way as during the Cold War years. For now, it is advisable to discuss reducing the GSDF budget, while increasing the MSDF and ASDF budgets.
現在の陸海空の予算配分が、冷戦時とほぼ同じというのはおかしい。当面は、陸自の予算を減らし、海自と空自を増やす方向で議論を進めるべきだろう。

Under the current defense outline, the GSDF was reduced to 155,000 troops and the numbers of tanks and artillery pieces were each reduced to 600.
現防衛大綱では、陸自の定員は１５万５０００人、戦車と火砲は各６００両・門に減らされたが、一層の削減を検討する必要がある。

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Further change required
（更なる改革が求められる）

Further reductions must be discussed, however. And a reduction in the size of the GSDF means the reorganization and streamlining of units, including integration of some of the 157 GSDF camps across the nation.
定員削減には、全国に１５７ある駐屯地の統合を含め、部隊の再編と合理化が避けられまい。

On the other hand, the GSDF's antiterrorism measures and international peacekeeping activities should be expanded and strengthened.
一方で、陸自のテロ対策や国際平和協力活動は充実させたい。

The collision earlier this year between an Aegis-equipped destroyer and a fishing boat served to underscore a chronic shortage of seagoing personnel in the MSDF. It may merit consideration to increase the size of the MSDF.
海自では、イージス艦衝突事故の際、慢性的な艦船の乗員不足が指摘された。海自全体の定員増を検討していいのではないか。

The ASDF's transport role in international missions, such as the airlifting of goods and personnel to Iraq, has increased in significance. It is an urgent task to introduce next generation transport planes as soon as possible and strengthen the C-130 transport plane unit.
空自は、イラクへの空輸など国際協力活動での輸送業務の重要性が増している。次期輸送機（ＣＸ）の早期導入やＣ１３０輸送機部隊の増強が急務である。

One major stated task in reforming the Defense Ministry is the unification of divisions responsible for procurement in internal bureaus of the ministry and each of the SDF staff offices into a single entity. If these divisions are unified, it will weed out sectionalism, making it easier to change the distribution of SDF funds, according to those pushing such ministry reforms.
防衛省改革では、内局と３自衛隊の防衛力装備部門の一元化が課題となっている。一元化すれば、縦割りを排し、予算配分見直しが容易になるという理屈だ。

If that is one of the purposes of ministry reform, it is all the more reasonable to directly tackle the redistribution of SDF funds than the organizational reform.
もし目的がそうなら、組織改革よりも、予算配分の見直しに直接取り組むのが本筋だろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 18, 2008)
（2008年8月18日01時49分 読売新聞）