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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
Objective analysis of hostage crisis essential to study antiterror measures
「人質」国会論戦　対テロで冷静な検証が重要だ

We want the Diet to deeply discuss concrete measures to prevent recurrences of hostage incidents as much as possible and effectively respond to such incidents.
　人質事件の再発を極力防ぐとともに、発生時に政府がより効果的に対処できるようにする。国会は、その具体策の議論を深めてもらいたい。

Interpellations were held on the Japanese hostage incident at the House of Councillors Budget Committee on Monday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: “If we yield to terrorist threats, it may stoke another act of terrorism. Japan will perform its responsibility resolutely as a member of the international community that is fighting terrorism.”
　参院予算委員会で、シリアでの邦人人質事件をめぐる質疑が行われた。安倍首相は、「テロの脅かしに屈すれば、さらなるテロを招きかねない。テロと戦う国際社会で日本の責任を毅然きぜんとして果たしていく」と強調した。

Containing the militant group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which has repeatedly carried out atrocious terrorist acts, is an agenda shared by the international community. Japan needs to perform its fair share of responsibilities without being daunted by the incident.
　残虐なテロを繰り返す過激派組織「イスラム国」の封じ込めは今や、国際社会の共通の課題だ。日本は、事件にひるむことなく、応分の責任を担う必要がある。

Masayoshi Nataniya, a Democratic Party of Japan member in the upper house, said that “review of the incident is also necessary from the viewpoint of preventing recurrences of the [hostage] incident.”
　民主党の那谷屋正義氏は、「事件の再発防止の意味でも、検証が必要だ」と指摘した。

To help bolster the government’s crisis management system, it is necessary to objectively review and analyze how the government dealt with the incident. The government is required to explain in detail during Diet sessions and other occasions the information it acted on as well as its response.
　政府の危機管理体制を強化するためにも、今回の事件対応を冷静に検証し、分析することが大切だ。どんな情報に基づき、どう対処したのか。政府は国会などで、丁寧に説明することが求められる。

Of course, the government cannot place all their cards on the table as doing so would destroy relations of trust with other countries concerned and benefit radical groups.
　無論、政府の手の内をすべて明かすのは、関係国との信頼関係を壊し、過激派組織を利する。

ISIL is a fanatic militant group that has repeatedly engaged in despicable criminal acts based on its self-righteous logic to expand its areas of influence. The fact that commonsense negotiations do not work with the group must be taken into consideration.
　イスラム国は、勢力拡大のため、独善的な論理で卑劣な犯罪行為を重ねる狂信的な集団だ。常識的な交渉が通用しない相手であることも踏まえねばなるまい。

However, it was questionable of Nataniya to indicate that an exercise of the right of collective self-defense would increase the danger of Japan being targeted for terrorism.
　疑問なのは、集団的自衛権の行使容認により、日本に対するテロの危険が増すかのような見解を那谷屋氏が示したことだ。

Trap of one-nation pacifism

The exercise of the collective self-defense right is widely approved in the world. The government’s approval is aimed at strengthening the Japan-U.S. alliance as well as international cooperation, which is indispensable for fighting terrorism. Japan will fall into the belief of one-country pacifism if the nation sticks to the idea that everything is all right if Japan is safe.
　集団的自衛権の行使は、各国とも認めており、テロとの戦いに不可欠な日米同盟と国際連携の強化が目的である。日本だけが安全であればいいという考え方は、「一国平和主義」に陥りかねない。

If Japan overreacts to the risk of terrorism, it would be regarded as a weak country and only become an even more likely target for terrorism. It is imperative to study measures that will be taken when Japanese nationals encounter terrorist attacks and kidnapping, while stepping up security measures for nationals in foreign countries.
　テロの危険に過剰反応すれば、日本がテロに弱いとみなされ、かえって標的にされる恐れがある。在留邦人の安全確保策を強化しつつ、テロや誘拐に見舞われた際の対応策を検討しておきたい。

Abe clearly denied the idea of logistic support being provided by Self-Defense Forces regarding an air campaign against ISIL by the coalition of the willing.
　首相は、イスラム国に対する有志連合による空爆作戦への自衛隊の後方支援について、「考えていない」と明確に否定した。

“It’s far from being a paradigm that pits Islamic countries against the world,” Abe said. “Fighting on the front line against ISIL are Muslim countries.” By emphasizing this, Abe expressed an idea of expanding humanitarian assistance toward Middle Eastern countries.
　「イスラム（諸国）対世界という構図では全くなく、イスラムこそイスラム国と戦う最前線だ」と力説し、中東諸国向けの人道支援を拡充する考えも示した。

There has been no request from the international community for the dispatch of SDF forces, and new legislation would be needed to realize the SDF’s logistic support. As the situation currently stands, engaging in nonmilitary cooperation is a realistic option for Japan.
　国際社会から自衛隊の派遣要請はなく、後方支援には新法制定が必要となる。現時点では、非軍事協力に専念するのが現実的だ。

Reinforcing relations with Middle Eastern nations, including Jordan, which worked closely with Japan in dealing with the hostage incident, will help ensure the safety of Japanese nationals overseas.
　今回の事件で緊密に連携したヨルダンなど、中東各国との関係を強化することは、在留邦人の安全確保にも役立つだろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 3, 2015)