毎日新聞は英語版と日本語版とが、一致していない部分が多いので、英語学習教材としては、やや難がありますが、それでも大切な情報源です。
August 15, 2015 (Mainichi Japan)
Abe refrains from showing political stripe in anniversary statement
クローズアップ２０１５：首相７０年談話 安倍カラーを抑制 安保審議が誤算
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe refrained from explicitly exhibiting his political stripe in his statement on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II due to a shaky political base as exemplified by declining approval ratings.
Abe had initially planned to play up a future-oriented message but opted instead to devote the bulk of his statement to perceptions of history in consideration of the potential effects on Diet deliberations on security bills as well as ties with junior coalition partner Komeito. But he did not mention as his own historical perceptions ''aggression,'' ''colonial rule,'' ''apology'' and other key words and phrases, which appeared in then Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama's 50th anniversary statement in 1995.
Many people had closely followed if Abe in his statement would mention four key words and phrases -- ''aggression,'' ''colonial rule,'' ''deep remorse'' and ''heartfelt apology.''
戦後７０年談話に盛り込まれるか注目されたキーワードは「侵略」「植民地支配」「痛切な反省」「心からのおわび」の四つだった。
Abe's statement did not quote a portion of the Murayama statement that says ''through its (Japan's) colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations.'' Instead, Abe said, ''Incident, aggression, war -- we shall never again resort to any form of the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes'' without elaborating on how he recognizes aggression. He also stated, ''We shall abandon colonial rule forever'' without making any reference to Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
安倍談話は、村山談話で「植民地支配と侵略によって、アジア諸国に多大の損害と苦痛を与えた」とした部分は引用しなかった。代わりに、「事変、侵略、戦争。いかなる武力の威嚇や行使も、国際紛争を解決する手段としては、もう二度と用いてはならない」と記述したが、侵略をどう認識しているかには触れなかった。「植民地支配」も「永遠に決別」と位置付けたが、韓国への「植民地支配」には踏み込まなかった。
As for ''remorse'' and ''apology,'' the prime minister declared that ''Such a position articulated by the previous Cabinets will remain unshakable into the future.'' But he did not issue an apology in his statement. He went on to say ''We must not let our children, grandchildren, and even further generations to come, who have nothing to do with that war, be predestined to apologize.'' This position appears to reflect the view of Abe and his aides and advisers, including Tomomi Inada, chairwoman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s Policy Research Council who said Aug. 11 that she senses that something is not right for Japan to keep apologizing forever.
「反省」と「おわび」についても、「歴代内閣の立場は、今後も、揺るぎないもの」とはしたものの、自ら「おわび」する形にはならなかった。将来の日本人に「謝罪を続ける宿命を背負わせてはならない」との表現もあり、「未来永劫（えいごう）、謝罪をするのは違和感を覚える」（１１日、自民党の稲田朋美政調会長）という首相や首相周辺の持論を反映させたとみられる。
The Abe statement was a product of hard work as it contained essential words and phrases and took into consideration Komeito and neighboring countries as well as the right-wing element, Abe's main support base.
キーワードを盛り込み公明党や周辺国への配慮を示しつつ、首相の支持基盤である右派にも気を配る形になっており、談話作成に苦慮したことがうかがえる。
Abe is understood to have had no intention to mention ''aggression.'' Abe said during a meeting of the House of Councillors Budget Committee in April 2013 that his Cabinet would not inherit the Murayama statement per se. However, he said later that he would inherit the Murayama statement as a whole. He also said he sees no need to write another anniversary statement, suggesting he would prepare a statement to focus on the path Japan has taken over the past 70 years since the end of World War II and Japan's future.
そもそも首相には「侵略」などの表現を盛り込む意図はなかったとみられる。首相は談話について２０１３年４月の参院予算委員会で、「（村山談話を）安倍内閣としてそのまま継承しているわけではない」と答弁。その後は「全体として引き継ぐ」と修正したものの、「もう一度書く必要はないだろう」とも語り、戦後７０年の歩みと未来志向を中心に談話を構成する方針だった。
Abe had considered issuing a statement in a quiet atmosphere after winning passage of security legislation by early August. At one point, Abe had contemplated issuing a statement without a Cabinet decision to clearly mirror his own perception of history.
安保関連法案を８月上旬までに成立させた上で国会を閉じ、静かな環境で談話を発表するという段取りを描いており、首相自身の歴史観を反映しやすくするために、閣議決定をせずに談話を発表することも一時検討していた。
But parliamentary deliberations on the security bills have protracted. Three constitutional scholars told the House of Representatives Commission on the Constitution on June 4 that the security bills violate the postwar Constitution. Then, young LDP lawmakers, during a study session, made remarks about suppressing the media, causing the Cabinet's support rate to plunge.
誤算は安保関連法案の審議が難航していることだ。憲法学者３人が６月４日に衆院憲法審査会で、法案を「違憲」と発言。自民党若手勉強会での報道威圧発言問題なども起き、内閣支持率は下落。
The Abe government was forced to extend the Diet session through Sept. 27. In a Mainichi poll in July, the Abe Cabinet's disapproval rating topped the approval rating by a margin of 43 percent to 42 percent for the first time since the inauguration of the current Abe Cabinet in December 2012. The approval rating fell to 32 percent in a Mainichi survey in August.
国会会期の９月２７日までの大幅延長に追い込まれる中、７月の毎日新聞の世論調査では第２次安倍内閣発足後初めて、支持率（４２％）が不支持率（４３％）を下回り、８月では３２％にまで下がった。
For the Abe government and the LDP, Komeito's full-scale backing is essential amid dwindling support as they prepare for the upper house election next summer. The Abe government went along with Komeito's request for Cabinet approval because of the possibility that Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Akihiro Ota, a Komeito lawmaker, may be questioned in the Diet about perceptions of the Abe statement. There were also conservative LDP lawmakers loyal to Abe who demanded a 70th anniversary statement to be adopted by the Cabinet, like the Murayama statement.
支持率低下の中で来夏の参院選を控える政府・自民党にとって、政権運営には公明党の全面協力が不可欠。また、国会開会中の談話発表となれば、公明党の太田昭宏国土交通相が国会で談話への認識を問われる可能性もあり、公明党が求める閣議決定の判断に傾いた。首相を支持する保守系自民議員の間に、村山談話と「同格」の閣議決定を求める声が強かったのも影響した。
When Abe briefed Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi during a meeting on Aug. 7 about a draft statement without referring to an apology, Yamaguchi asked Abe to issue a statement which conveys the inheritance of the previous prime ministerial statements to domestic and international audiences. Abe later telephoned Yamaguchi to say he will change the draft to include an apology. Abe also met U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy on Aug. 10 and appeared to have sought her understanding.
公明党の山口那津男代表は７日の首相との会談で、「おわび」に言及しない談話の素案を示された際に、「歴代内閣の談話を継承した意味が、国内外に伝わるものにしてほしい」と注文。首相はその後、山口氏に電話で素案を変更すると伝え、引用の形で「おわび」を盛り込んだ。１０日にはケネディ駐日米大使とも官邸で面会し、談話への理解を求めたとみられる。
The prime minister had initially thought of issuing a future-oriented statement to demonstrate his leadership in foreign policy vis-a-vis China and South Korea and at home. But the fact of the matter is that he was forced to refrain himself in preparing the statement due to the aggravating climate surrounding his government.
首相には当初、未来志向の談話にすることで、中韓両国との外交や内政で自身の主導権を確立する狙いがあったようだが、政権を取り巻く環境悪化から抑制した表現にせざるを得なくなったというのが実情だ。
An LDP lawmaker said Prime Minister Abe's top priority is the enactment of the security legislation. If his statement were a radical one to irritate Komeito and China and South Korea, it would have affected Diet debate, the lawmaker said, adding Abe subsequently compromised because his administration is almost up against the wall.
自民党議員は「首相にとって最重要課題は安保法案の成立だ。公明党や中韓を刺激する過激な談話になれば審議に影響が出かねず、首相は妥協したのだろう。政権はそこまで追い込まれつつあるということなのだろう」と語った。
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