首相沖縄再訪 決断先送りのツケは大きい

The Yomiuri Shimbun (May. 25, 2010)
Delaying Futenma decision has high price
首相沖縄再訪　決断先送りのツケは大きい（5月24日付・読売社説）

The government undoubtedly will pay a high price for not resolving the Futenma relocation issue by the end of last year, in line with what Japan and the United States agreed on in 2006. Many difficulties lie ahead.
　昨年末に現行案での決着を図らなかったツケはあまりに大きい、と言わざるを得ない。前途は多難である。

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama visited Okinawa Prefecture again Sunday and told Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima of the government's intention to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station to the Henoko district of Nago. The visit came after Japan and the United States reached a basic agreement to construct Futenma's replacement facilities off the coast of the marines' Camp Schwab in the district.
　鳩山首相が沖縄県を再び訪問し、米軍普天間飛行場の移設先を名護市辺野古周辺にする意向を仲井真弘多知事に伝えた。辺野古の米軍キャンプ・シュワブ沿岸部に代替施設を建設するとの日米の大筋合意を受けたものだ。

Nakaima, however, disapproved of the government plan. The governor said the government's choice was "extremely regrettable" and it would be "exceedingly difficult" to implement the plan.
　だが、知事は、辺野古移設について、「大変遺憾で、極めて厳しい」と難色を示した。

Nakaima had originally accepted the 2006 relocation plan to construct Futenma replacement facilities in Henoko. But as Hatoyama dillydallied on the matter and public calls for the base to be shifted outside the prefecture grew louder, Nakaima changed his stance and now believes relocating the Futenma base within the prefecture will be difficult.
　仲井真知事は当初、辺野古に代替施設を建設する現行案を容認していた。だが、首相が決断を先送りし、沖縄で県外移設を求める世論が高まる中、県内移設は困難との立場に転じてしまった。

Susumu Inamine, a staunch opponent of the relocation to Henoko, was elected Nago mayor in January. This threw a wrench in the central government's attempts to make a final decision on the relocation issue.
　１月の名護市長選で、移設受け入れに反対する稲嶺進氏が当選したことも状況を厳しくした。

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Buck stops with Hatoyama

Had Hatoyama adhered to the 2006 plan last year by overriding the opposition of the Social Democratic Party, the tumultuous to-ing and fro-ing that has occurred this year could have been avoided. Hatoyama bears a heavy responsibility for this politically damaging misjudgment.
　昨年末に首相が社民党の反対を押し切り、現行案での実施を決断していれば、その後の展開は全く違ったはずだ。致命的な判断ミスであり、首相の罪は重い。

During his meeting with Nakaima, Hatoyama insisted the government would lessen Okinawa's burden by dispersing U.S. military exercises to other prefectures. He pointed out the deterrent provided by the U.S. military presence in Okinawa is critical as tensions rise on the Korean Peninsula, and sought Nakaima's support for the government plan.
　鳩山首相は会談で、米軍の訓練の県外への分散移転などを通じて沖縄の負担軽減に努める考えを強調した。緊迫する朝鮮半島情勢を踏まえた米軍の抑止力の重要性も指摘し、知事の理解を求めた。

To prevent the latest relocation plan from becoming deadlocked due to opposition from the prefectural government and Okinawa residents, the central government must persuade the governor to change his mind. This will not be simple, though.
　日米合意ができても、沖縄県や地元の反対で行き詰まる事態を避けるためには、簡単ではないが、引き続き知事を説得し、翻意するよう求める必要がある。

Since its inauguration in September, the Hatoyama administration has been at sixes and sevens over the Futenma relocation because it had no "control tower" overseeing the matter. This strained the trust between the government and the prefectural and Nago municipal governments and residents. Before anything else, the administration must steadily rebuild these relationships.
　鳩山政権発足以来の８か月余、司令塔不在で普天間問題が迷走を重ねる中、政府と沖縄県や名護市との信頼関係は冷え切っている。政府はまず、この関係を地道に立て直さなければなるまい。

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Lay it on the line

The 2006 plan calls for moving the Futenma base from a crowded area of Ginowan to the sparsely populated Henoko district in the northern part of prefecture, the transfer of 8,000 marines to Guam, and the return of Futenma and five other U.S. military facilities to Japan's sovereignty. The government needs to honestly explain that implementing the 2006 deal can considerably reduce the burden that hosting the U.S. military places on Okinawa residents.
　住宅密集地にある普天間飛行場を人口の少ない県北部に移す。米海兵隊８０００人をグアムに移転し、普天間など米軍６施設を返還する。一連の日米合意の実施が相当な地元負担軽減になることを丁寧に説明することも大切だ。

The SDP's strident opposition to the Futenma transfer to Henoko also has complicated the move.
　普天間飛行場の辺野古移設にはほかにもハードルがある。社民党が強く反対していることだ。

Some members of the Democratic Party of Japan want the government's decision on the final relocation plan postponed until after the scheduled end-of-May deadline. But such inconsistency would be an inexcusable repeat of the misjudgment the government made last year regarding a final settlement deadline.
　民主党内には、社民党に配慮して、月末に予定される政府案決定の先送りを求める声もあるが、そんな無定見な対応は許されない。昨年末の二の舞いになる。

The DPJ holds more than 400 seats in both houses of the Diet. If the DPJ-led government allows itself to be pushed around by the SDP, a tiny coalition partner with only about 10 Diet seats, and fails to decide on matters that affect national security, it would run counter to the national interest.
　民主党は衆参両院で４００議席超を有する。それが、わずか１０議席余の社民党に振り回され、国の安全保障にかかわる問題が決められないようでは、国益に反する。

Resolving this issue will test Hatoyama's resolve and leadership to the limit.
鳩山首相の決断力と指導力が厳しく問われよう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 24, 2010)
（2010年5月24日01時16分 読売新聞）