The Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan, ROK face hard task forging future-oriented ties
日韓首脳会談 「未来志向」への道のりは遠い
◆慰安婦問題を将来世代に残すな◆
Will the meeting between the top leaders of Japan and South Korea break the stalemate in the confrontation over issues of historical perception and territory, thereby leading to the restructuring the bilateral relationship into a future-oriented one?
歴史認識や領土問題を巡る対立状況を打開し、「未来志向」の日韓関係を再構築する契機となるのだろうか。
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met with South Korean President Park Geun-hye in Seoul for the first summit talks between the two countries in about 3½ years. They agreed to bolster bilateral cooperation in various fields, including security, economy and personnel exchange.
安倍首相がソウルで韓国の朴槿恵大統領と初めて会談した。安全保障、経済、人的交流など様々な分野で日韓協力を強化することで一致した。
South Korea is primarily to blame for the stagnation of bilateral relations.
The deterioration was triggered by then South Korean President Lee Myung Bak’s visit to the Takeshima islands in August 2012 and his demand for an apology by the Emperor (over Japan’s past rule of the Korean Peninsula). This was accelerated by Park’s continued insistence that a solution to the so-called comfort women issue should be a prerequisite to the holding of summit talks.
日韓首脳会談の開催は、約３年半ぶりだ。両国関係の停滞の主たる原因は韓国側にある。
きっかけは、２０１２年８月の李明博大統領の竹島訪問と天皇陛下への謝罪要求だ。朴氏が、首脳会談を開催する前提条件に慰安婦問題の解決を掲げ続けたことが、それに拍車をかけた。
Dislike for S. Koreans
◆朴氏に煽られた「嫌韓」
Park’s bad-mouthing diplomacy, in which she criticized Japan when she met dignitaries of other countries, and her obstinate anti-Japan stance evoked a dislike for South Koreans among Japanese.
他国要人の前で日本を批判する朴氏の「告げ口外交」や、頑かたくなな反日姿勢も、日本国民の「嫌韓」感情を煽あおる悪循環を招いた。
The real purpose of diplomacy is not to adversely affect an entire bilateral relationship from a comprehensive perspective, even if there are difficult-to-resolve issues pending between the two countries.
解決が困難な懸案を抱えていても、大局的見地に立ち、２国間関係全体に悪影響を与えないようにするのが本来の外交の役割だ。
Despite the existence of deep rifts over perceptions of history and other matters, Tokyo and Seoul need to work together toward building a constructive relationship of cooperation.
歴史認識などで深い溝があっても、建設的な協力関係を築くため、日韓双方が努力する必要がある。
During the summit meeting, Abe and Park agreed to expedite talks on the comfort women issue with a view to resolving it as soon as possible, considering that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties. But it remains to be seen how the issue will be settled in concrete terms and when.
慰安婦問題について、首脳会談では、今年が国交正常化５０周年の節目であることを念頭に、できるだけ早期の妥結を目指し、協議を加速することで一致した。だが、その妥結内容や時期は全く見通せない。
Park reportedly said, “The matter must be resolved promptly in a way that can be accepted by the victims and at a level satisfactory to the people.” If she demands compensation for former comfort women, what will be the legal basis? Furthermore, she leaves it up to the judgment of the former comfort women and others to solve the issue. Isn’t this an irresponsible stance?
朴氏は「被害者が受け入れ、国民が納得できる水準で、速やかに解決されねばならない」と語った。元慰安婦への補償を求めているなら、何が法的根拠なのか。しかも、解決の判断を元慰安婦らに委ねる姿勢は無責任ではないか。
In response, Abe said, “We should not leave obstacles [to the solution] for future generations.” This is in tune with his statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, in which he emphasized, “we must not let our children ... even future generations be predestined to apologize.”
安倍首相は、「将来世代に障害を残すことがあってはならない」と指摘した。戦後７０年談話で、次世代に「謝罪を続ける宿命を背負わせてはならない」と強調したのと軌を一にするものだ。
Discussions on concrete details will be held at the foreign ministry director general-level. It will be no easy task for them to compromise because of public opinion in the two countries.
具体的な議論は、外務省の局長協議で行われるが、日韓双方の世論を背負って、妥協点を見いだすのは容易ではあるまい。
More compensation?
◆女性基金をどう見るか
As for the issue of compensation for comfort women, it is clearly mentioned in the 1965 Agreement on the Settlement of Problems Concerning Property and Claims and Economic Cooperation between Japan and the Republic of Korea that the issue was legally settled “completely and finally.” Moreover, Japan has established the Asian Women’s Fund through which atonement money was provided for 61 former South Korean comfort women, accompanied by a letter of apology from the prime minister.
請求権問題は、１９６５年の日韓請求権・経済協力協定で「完全かつ最終的に解決された」と明記されている。さらに日本は、アジア女性基金を設立し、首相のお詫わびの手紙とともに「償い金」を韓国の元慰安婦６１人に支給した。
In South Korea, however, an organization supporting former comfort women opposed the receipt of atonement money, leaving behind unpleasant feelings. How does Park assess such a development?
だが、韓国では元慰安婦の支援団体が受け取りに反対し、後味の悪い結果となった。朴氏は、このことをどう評価するのか。
There is strong resistance among the people in Japan to the government implementing the additional measures sought by South Korea.
韓国側が求める追加措置には、日本世論の抵抗が強い。
Even if some measures were taken, Japan would need a South Korean guarantee that it would be the final settlement.
何らかの措置を取るにしても、それが最終決着だとの韓国の保証が要る。
If Park really wants to resolve the issue, she should make clear what South Korea would do, rather than demanding that Japan make unilateral concessions. For instance, removing the statue of a comfort woman near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul would be a good starting point.
朴氏が真剣に問題を解決したいなら、日本に一方的な譲歩を要求するのでなく、韓国が何をするかを明確にすべきだ。例えば、在ソウル日本大使館近くの慰安婦像の撤去は、その入り口となろう。
During the talks, Abe urged Seoul to lift its restrictions on imports of Japanese marine products at the earliest possible time.
安倍首相は会談で、日本産水産物に対する韓国の輸入規制を早期に解除するよう求めた。
The marine products Japan ships do not contain radioactive materials in excess of safety standards. The credibility of Japanese safety inspections was later endorsed by inspections made by South Korea. Therefore, the assertion made by Seoul that “import restrictions have been imposed in consideration of the safety of the people” lacks scientific grounds.
日本の出荷は、放射性物質が基準値以下の水産物に限られ、韓国側の調査でも裏付けられた。韓国の「国民の安全を考慮した措置」との主張は科学的根拠を欠く。
South Korea should withdraw its import restrictions on Japanese marine products without waiting for a conclusion to be reached by a dispute settlement panel set up within the World Trade Organization.
韓国は、世界貿易機関の紛争処理小委員会の結論を待たず、輸入規制を撤廃すべきだ。
With regard to the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade accord, Park said she would expect Japan to cooperate should her country decide to join. Abe responded by saying that Japan would carefully monitor Seoul’s discussions about participating in the TPP.
環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）については、朴氏が、韓国が参加を決めた場合は、日本の協力に期待すると表明した。首相は、韓国の参加の検討結果を見守りたいとの考えを示した。
During the trilateral summit meeting of Japan, China and South Korea held on Sunday, the three countries agreed to accelerate negotiations for a trilateral free trade agreement. There is no doubt that the broad agreement reached in the TPP negotiations among the members last month has prompted both China and South Korea, which have yet to join the TPP, to review their trade strategies.
前日の日中韓首脳会談でも、自由貿易協定（ＦＴＡ）交渉の加速で一致している。１０月のＴＰＰ交渉の大筋合意が、未参加の中韓両国に通商戦略の見直しを迫っているのは間違いあるまい。
S. China Sea problems
◆南シナ海で連携したい
On the issue of North Korea’s nuclear development, Abe and Park confirmed a policy of cooperating closely among Japan, the United States and South Korea with the aim of inducing Pyongyang to move toward denuclearization.
北朝鮮の核開発問題について、日韓両首脳は、非核化に向けた行動を引き出すため、日米韓が緊密に連携する方針を確認した。
They also agreed that the two countries would cooperate on the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.
日本人拉致問題に関して日韓が協力することでも一致した。
Meanwhile, Abe brought up the issue of China’s reef reclamation and militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea, saying it was “a matter of concern commonly held by the international community.” He also said Japan wants to cooperate with South Korea and the United States to protect an open, free and peaceful sea.
首相は、南シナ海での中国による岩礁埋め立てと軍事拠点化について「国際社会共通の懸念事項だ」と問題提起した。「開かれた自由で平和な海を守るため、韓国や米国と連携したい」とも述べた。
Park has been moving ever closer to China not only in the sphere of the economy but also in national security, as seen by her attendance at a military parade held in China in September. The United States also does not hide its distrust of Park’s actions.
朴氏は、９月の中国の軍事パレードに出席するなど、経済面だけでなく安全保障面でも中国への傾斜を強めている。この動きには、米国も不信感を隠さない。
To prevent China from changing the status quo with its use of force, it is essential to reinforce security cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea. It is important for Tokyo and Washington to strongly counsel Seoul to avoid getting too close to China.
中国の力による現状変更を許さないためには、日米韓の安保協力の強化が欠かせない。日米両国は、韓国の対中傾斜の是正を粘り強く促すことが大切だ。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 3, 2015)
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