尖閣国有化１年 毅然たる態度を貫くしかない

The Yomiuri Shimbun September 12, 2013
Remain resolute on Senkakus in face of China’s provocations
尖閣国有化１年　毅然たる態度を貫くしかない（9月11日付・読売社説）

Japan should remain undaunt-ed by China’s persistent menacing conduct and adhere to its resolute stance in dealing with that country.
　中国の威嚇にたじろがず、日本は毅然(きぜん)とした態度を貫くべきだ。

Wednesday marks one year since the government placed the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture under state control. On 63 days during the past year, Chinese government ships have entered Japanese waters around the group of islands. Chinese aircraft also have intruded into Japan’s airspace during that time.
　政府が沖縄県・尖閣諸島を国有化して１１日で１年になる。この間、中国の公船は、尖閣諸島周辺の日本領海に計６３日侵入した。中国機の領空侵犯もあった。

On Sunday and Monday, two Chinese bombers and warships passed between Okinawa Island and Miyakojima—an island about 290 kilometers southwest of the former island. On Monday, an unmanned Chinese aircraft flew over waters off the Senkaku Islands, an incident that prompted an Air Self-Defense Force fighter to scramble. Such incidents could trigger an accidental conflict between the two countries.
　８、９両日には、中国軍の爆撃機と艦船が沖縄本島と宮古島の間を通過した。無人機が尖閣諸島沖まで飛来し、航空自衛隊機が緊急発進する事態も起きた。偶発的な衝突に発展しかねない。

One of the most important tasks facing Japan and China today is to rebuild bilateral relations. The two nations have close economic ties. They also need to promote cooperation in addressing such issues as North Korea’s nuclear weapons development and China’s environmental problems.
　日中関係の再構築は、最重要課題の一つである。日中間の経済関係の結びつきは深く、北朝鮮の核開発、環境対策などでの連携も必要だ。

If the hostile situation facing Japan and China continues, it is bound to adversely affect both nations.
険悪な状況が続くことは、双方にマイナスだろう。

However, Tokyo cannot yield to Beijing over issues related to this nation’s sovereignty. The Senkaku Islands—which China calls Diaoyu and Taiwan Tiaoyutai—inherently belong to Japan from the standpoint of both international law and historical facts. Therefore, no territorial dispute exists between Japan and China over the islands. By the same token, there is no need to leave the Senkaku issue to gather dust on the shelf, either.
　だが、主権を巡る問題で譲歩はできない。尖閣諸島は、国際法的にも歴史的にも日本固有の領土だ。日中間に領土問題は存在しないし、棚上げする必要もない。

Given this, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had good reason to reject China’s offer to hold a Japan-China summit meeting “if [Tokyo] acknowledges there is a territorial dis-pute [over the Senkakus] and agrees to shelve the problem.”
　安倍首相が、中国側の「領土問題の存在を認めて棚上げすれば首脳会談に応じる」という誘いを拒否したのは当然である。

Better policing needed

The government is currently stepping up efforts by the Japan Coast Guard to better police waters surrounding the Senkaku archipelago. It is essential that Japan continue to do all it can to defend its territorial integrity, including improving its defense capability.
　政府は、周辺海域で海上保安庁による警備体制の充実を図っている。防衛力の整備も含め、今後も万全の備えが欠かせない。

The government’s recent signing of a fisheries agreement with Taiwan can be regarded as a certain measure of success in stopping Beijing and Taipei forming cooperative ties in dealing with the Senkaku issue. This is significant because Taipei also claims sovereignty over the Senkakus.
　中国と同様に尖閣諸島の領有権を主張する台湾と、漁業協定を締結したことは、中台の連携阻止で一定の成果を上げたと言える。

The Senkaku Islands are covered by the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, which serves as the greatest deterrence to China. The Japan-U.S. relationship was unstable when the then Democratic Party of Japan-led government placed the Senkakus under state control. However, immediately after taking office as prime minister, Abe made an appropriate decision to try to bring the shaky bilateral alliance back on track.
　尖閣諸島は日米安全保障条約の適用対象であり、日米同盟こそ、中国に対する最大の抑止力だ。日米関係は、国有化当時、民主党政権下で不安定だったが、安倍首相がまず同盟の立て直しを進めたのは適切な判断である。

During talks in St. Petersburg last week, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Chinese leader Xi Jinping to resolve the Senkaku issue through diplomacy and dialogue rather than force. The U.S. president’s direct call for the top Chinese leader to exercise restraint in this respect is significant.
　オバマ米大統領は先週、ロシア・サンクトペテルブルクで習近平・中国国家主席と会談し、尖閣諸島について、「力ではなく、外交や対話による解決」を求めた。米大統領が中国トップに直接、自制を促した意味は大きい。

Japan and the United States must closely cooperate in dealing with China and refrain from making concessions to that country. By doing this, Beijing may be encouraged to change its strong-arm diplomatic tactics.
　日本が米国と緊密に協調しつつ、中国に一歩も引かない態度を堅持してこそ、中国が力ずくの外交を変える可能性が出てくる。

During a brief meeting with Abe in St. Petersburg, the Chinese president said he wanted to see progress in promoting what has been repeatedly called “strategically reciprocal relations” by the two countries’ top leaders in recent years. It was the first time the two leaders had spoken to each other.
　サンクトペテルブルクで安倍首相と初めて直接言葉を交わした習主席は、これまで日中首脳が確認してきた「戦略的互恵関係」を進めたいと語った。

What was the true motive behind the Chinese leader’s remark?
その真意はどこにあるのだろうか。

Xi’s administration has sought to stir nationalistic sentiment among the Chinese in trying to unite his people and gain popular support. This means he cannot adopt what his people may perceive as “a weak-kneed approach” in dealing with Japan. With this in mind, the Japanese government must be prepared to see China’s threatening and provocative conduct in waters around the Senkaku Islands continue for some time to come.
　習政権は、愛国主義を求心力としている。国民の目に「弱腰」と映るような対日政策は取れない。日本政府は、尖閣諸島周辺での威嚇や挑発行為が長期化することを覚悟しておかねばなるまい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 11, 2013)
（2013年9月11日01時34分 読売新聞）