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タイ在住11年目、妻はタイ人、娘が2人、養女が2人

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Stand together to secure freedom of navigation in South China Sea
南シナ海情勢　「航行の自由」確保へ結束せよ

Concerned countries should jointly call on China, which has been using force to unilaterally change the status quo in the South China Sea, to exercise self-restraint.
　南シナ海で力による現状変更を一方的に進める中国に対し、関係国が連携して自制を求めることが大切である。

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter held talks with his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan in Malaysia on the sidelines of a meeting of defense ministers from member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other concerned countries.
　マレーシアで開かれた拡大東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）国防相会議に合わせて、カーター米国防長官が、中国の常万全国防相と会談した。

Carter referred to a U.S. military vessel that sailed within 12 nautical miles of at least one of the artificial islands made by China in the South China Sea, and told Chang that the U.S. military would continue similar operations in the future.
　南シナ海に中国が造成した人工島の１２カイリ内を米軍艦艇が航行したことに関連し、今後も同様の活動を継続する方針を伝えた。

The United States is behaving legitimately in using concrete actions to demonstrate the “freedom of navigation” based on international law.
米国が国際法に基づく「航行の自由」を実際の行動で具体的に示すことには、正当性がある。

Carter also demanded that China discontinue its reclamation and militarization of the disputed reefs for good. Chang opposed him, saying issues of the South China Sea are related to his country’s core interests. But, any action by China that undermines “freedom of navigation” for its “core interests” cannot be tolerated.
　カーター氏は「埋め立てと軍事拠点化の永続的中止」も求めた。常氏は「南シナ海問題は中国の核心的利益に関わる」と反発した。
「核心的利益」を理由に、「航行の自由」を蔑ないがしろにするような行為は容認できない。

It is regrettable that the forum of defense ministers failed to adopt a joint statement.
　残念なのは、国防相会議で共同宣言の採択が見送られたことだ。

Malaysia, which chaired the forum, stopped at simply announcing a statement emphasizing the significance of adopting as soon as possible a code of conduct that would legally bind the conduct of concerned countries.
議長国のマレーシアは、各国の行動を法的に拘束する行動規範の早期策定の重要性を強調する声明を公表するにとどめた。

China’s Defense Ministry blamed the United States for failure to adopt a joint statement, saying certain countries outside the region forcibly tried to include content unrelated to the discussions, but this is unreasonable.
　共同宣言見送りに関して、中国国防省が「域外国が議論と関係ない内容を強引に入れようとたくらんだためだ」などと米国を非難したのは、筋違いだ。

Varying links with China

Degrees of closeness with China are different among ASEAN countries. Not a few of them support “freedom of navigation” but consider their economic ties with China important and do not want to cause any trouble with Beijing.
　ＡＳＥＡＮ各国の間では、中国との親密さに濃淡がある。「航行の自由」には賛成でも、経済関係を重視し、中国との間に波風を立てたくない国が少なくない。

“Japan supports actions by the U.S. military in order to protect the order of free and open seas,” Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said during his talks with Carter. Stability in the South China Sea is also significant to secure the safety of sea-lanes for Japan.
　中谷防衛相はカーター氏との会談で、「自由で開かれた海の秩序を守る観点から米軍の行動を支持する」と語った。南シナ海の安定は、日本の海上交通路（シーレーン）の安全確保にも重要だ。

Japan and the United States must further encourage concerned countries to take actions for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea ahead of the summit meeting of leaders from ASEAN members and other concerned countries to be held later this month.
　今月後半のＡＳＥＡＮ関連首脳会議に向け、日米は各国への働きかけを強めねばなるまい。

Meanwhile, the United States maintains dialogues and the exchange of military personnel with China. Adm. Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, visited Beijing recently and held talks with Fan Changlong, vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission and the most senior uniformed officer of the Chinese military.
　一方で、米国は中国との対話や軍事交流を維持する。米太平洋軍のハリス司令官が訪中し、中国軍制服組トップの范長竜・中央軍事委員会副主席と会談した。

It is an urgent task for U.S. and Chinese forces to set up a hotline to avoid unforeseen accidents and clashes between their vessels and planes.
　艦艇や航空機の不測の事故や衝突を避けるため、軍同士の連絡体制を確保することが急務だ。

The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration late last month decided to hear territorial claims the Philippines had filed against Beijing that China’s artificial islands, which are built on reefs that go underwater at high tide, are not entitled to recognition as base points for claiming territorial waters.
　中国の人工島については、ハーグの常設仲裁裁判所が先月下旬、「満潮時に海に沈む暗礁であり、領海の基点にはならない」とするフィリピンの訴えに関して、審理の開始を決定した。

This is an appropriate judgment because it means the tribunal rejected China’s claim that the court has no jurisdiction over disputes about territorial sovereignty.
　「領土主権は裁判所に管轄権はない」との中国の主張を退けたもので、適切な判断だ。

China should sincerely participate in the trial to act in concert with the international community.
中国は誠実に裁判に応じ、国際社会と協調すべきである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 5, 2015)Speech