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The Yomiuri Shimbun
Prepare environment to promote mutual visits between Abe, Putin
日露外相会談　首脳往来の環境を整備したい

Continuing high-level talks with Russia is essential in order to make progress on the issue of the northern territories. Persistent effort is the key.
　北方領土問題の進展には、ロシアと高いレベルの対話を粘り強く続けることが欠かせない。

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in Tokyo on Friday. The two agreed to prepare for a summit meeting in Russia’s southern city of Sochi in early May.
　岸田外相が、来日したロシアのラブロフ外相と会談し、５月上旬にロシア南部ソチで日露首脳会談を行う方向で準備を進めることで一致した。

At a joint press conference, Kishida referred to the issue of the northern territories, saying: “We had a positive discussion aimed at formulating a solution acceptable to both sides, which I believe will bring momentum to the negotiations.”
　岸田氏は共同記者会見で、北方領土問題について「双方に受け入れ可能な解決策を作成すべく、交渉に弾みを与える前向きな議論が行えた」と強調した。

Lavrov responded by saying that Moscow is ready to continue dialogue with Tokyo. Compared with the stubborn attitude he showed after his September meeting with Kishida — Lavrov at that time unilaterally denied that they had even discussed the northern territories at the meeting — we can say that the Russian minister was more flexible this time.
　ラブロフ氏は「対話を継続する用意がある」と応じた。昨年９月の外相会談後、領土問題を議題としたことさえ一方的に否定した硬直的な態度と比べれば、柔軟姿勢を示したと言えよう。

The atmosphere surrounding the diplomacy between Tokyo and Moscow is not bad. Since autumn, the two countries have held repeated exchanges between lawmakers as well as talks between senior government officials.
　昨年秋以降は、議員交流や高官協議が続いており、日露外交の雰囲気自体は悪くない。

Russian President Vladimir Putin embraced Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s envisaged visit to Sochi. He told reporters that Japan is making efforts to maintain its relationship with Russia “despite U.S.-centered pressure.” Putin added that the two countries will be able to find middle ground on the territorial issue someday.
　プーチン大統領も、「米国を中心とする圧力にもかかわらず、日本は（対露）関係を維持しようとしている」と記者団に述べ、安倍首相のソチ訪問を歓迎した。領土問題についても、「いつか妥協できる」と語っている。

Strong willpower needed

Of course, it is too early to say that Moscow has shifted to a softer approach on territorial issues.
　無論、ロシアが領土問題で軟化していると見るのは早計だ。

In an interview with certain media ahead of his visit to Japan, Lavrov said the 1956 Japan-Soviet Joint Declaration does not say that the territorial dispute will be discussed during negotiations on the envisioned peace treaty.
　ラブロフ氏は来日前、一部メディアに対し、１９５６年の日ソ共同宣言について「平和条約交渉で領土問題を検討するとは書かれていない」などと主張した。

The remarks contradict past agreements between Japan and Russia, such as the 2001 Irkutsk Statement, which states that settling the territorial jurisdiction of the four islands off Hokkaido is a precondition to concluding a peace treaty. Lavrov’s remarks cannot be accepted. Moscow should remember that Putin himself signed the Irkutsk Statement.
　４島の帰属問題の解決が条約締結の前提とした２００１年のイルクーツク声明など、過去の合意に反しており、容認できない発言だ。声明はプーチン氏自身が署名したことも踏まえるべきである。

Abe and Putin will have to have strong willpower and be decisive in resolving the territorial dispute.
　領土問題の解決には、両首脳の強い意志と決断が求められる。

The tenure of both leaders ends in 2018. We urge both governments to materialize the Russian president’s visit to Japan after Abe’s trip to Russia. It is important to seek a path toward reaching an agreement on the issue by exchanging mutual visits. We urge the government to steadily and strategically prepare the way for fostering the needed environment.
　２人の任期はいずれも１８年までだ。安倍首相の訪露後、プーチン氏の来日を実現し、相互往来を重ねる中で、合意の糸口を探ることが重要である。その環境整備を着実かつ戦略的に進めたい。

At the same time, it is important not to disrupt the unity of the Group of Seven developed nations.
　留意すべきは先進７か国（Ｇ７）の足並みを乱さないことだ。

U.S. President Barack Obama has confronted Putin over the Ukranian conflict. Obama expressed concern over Abe’s envisaged Sochi visit during a telephone discussion in February, asking him to postpone it. Abe countered: “A peace treaty issue with Russia is also important. We must continue dialogue with Russia.”
　ウクライナ情勢を巡ってロシアと対立するオバマ米大統領は、２月の首相との電話会談で、首相の訪露に懸念を伝え、延期を求めた。首相は「ロシアとの平和条約も大事だ。ロシアとの対話を続けねばならない」と反論した。

Earlier this month, Abe held a meeting with Ukranian President Petro Poroshenko, pledging to continue financial support to the country.
　首相は今月上旬、ウクライナのポロシェンコ大統領と会談し、経済支援の継続を約束した。

It is essential for the government to explain Japan’s standpoint of simultaneously working on the two issues — easing the Ukranian conflict and making progress in Japan-Russia relations — to the United States and European countries to obtain their understanding before Japan hosts the G-7 Ise-Shima Summit meeting in May.
　５月に主要国首脳会議（伊勢志摩サミット）を控え、ウクライナ情勢の改善と日露関係の進展の両立を目指す日本の立場を説明し、米欧の理解を得る必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 17, 2016)

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Stay alert to N. Korea’s attempts to miniaturize nuclear warheads
北ミサイル失敗　核搭載の脅威に警戒を怠るな

The self-serving stance of the North Korean regime led by Kim Jong Un, which has continued to make dangerous provocations in total defiance of international criticism, has become more pronounced.
　国際社会の非難を一顧だにせず、危険な挑発を続ける北朝鮮の金正恩政権の独善ぶりが一段と鮮明になった。

North Korea launched a missile from an area on its coast facing the Sea of Japan, but it failed. It is highly possible that it was a test-firing of a new type of medium-range ballistic missile named Musudan. There is information that the missile exploded as it rose skyward.
　北朝鮮は日本海側地域からミサイルを発射したが、失敗した。新型中距離弾道ミサイル「ムスダン」の初の発射実験だった可能性が大きい。上昇中に爆発したとの情報もある。

If the precision of North Korea’s launching technology improves through repeated test-firings, it would enhance its surprise attack capabilities because such missiles are fired from mobile launch pads that are difficult to detect. Countries concerned must not neglect the need to stay alert regarding the progress of North Korea’s military technology.
　発射を重ねることで精度が高まれば、事前の兆候をつかみにくい移動式だけに、奇襲能力の向上につながりかねない。関係国は北朝鮮の軍事技術開発の進展に対する警戒を怠ってはなるまい。

Resolutions on sanctions that have been repeatedly adopted by the U.N. Security Council against North Korea ban any type of launch using ballistic missile technology. It cannot be overlooked that North Korea has repeatedly violated the resolutions since it conducted a nuclear test in January.
　国連安全保障理事会の度重なる制裁決議は北朝鮮に対し、弾道ミサイル技術を用いた、いかなる発射も禁じている。北朝鮮が１月の核実験以降、決議違反を繰り返していることは、看過できない。

Kim claimed in early March that his country had succeeded in miniaturizing nuclear warheads. He is apparently trying to rattle the three countries of Japan, the United States and South Korea by flaunting technology for missiles on which nuclear warheads can be mounted.
　金第１書記は３月上旬、核弾頭の小型化に成功したと主張した。運搬手段となるミサイル技術を誇示して、日米韓３か国を揺さぶろうとする思惑ではないか。

North Korea in mid-March defiantly launched a Nodong medium-range ballistic missile capable of reaching most parts of Japan.
　北朝鮮は３月中旬には、日本の大半を射程に収める移動式の中距離弾道ミサイル「ノドン」の発射を強行していた。

With a longer range than the Nodong type, it is estimated that the Musudan missile has a range of up to 4,000 kilometers.
　ムスダンは、ノドンより射程が長く、最大４０００キロに達すると推定される。

Realistic threats loom

If the missile test-fired this time was a Musudan type, North Korea’s purpose is to be able to target U.S. forces in Japan and Guam. B-52 strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons are deployed at the U.S. military base in Guam. The U.S. military dispatched a B-52 from the Guam base to fly over South Korea after North Korea conducted a nuclear test in January.
　今回発射したミサイルがムスダンとすれば、在日米軍やグアムの米軍も標的として想定したものだ。グアムには核兵器を搭載できるＢ５２戦略爆撃機が配備されている。北朝鮮の核実験後、米軍はＢ５２を韓国上空まで飛行させた。

Should Pyongyang successfully test-fire a Musudan missile, the threat that it can launch nuclear attacks on U.S. bases in the Asia-Pacific region would become reality.
　北朝鮮がムスダンの発射に成功した場合は、「アジア太平洋の米軍基地」を核攻撃できるという威嚇が現実味を帯びよう。

The latest missile launch by North Korea was conducted on Friday, the birthday of Kim Jong Un’s grandfather Kim Il Sung — an important, commemorative day for the country. North Korea’s expectations of enhancing national prestige could not be met due to the failed test-firing.
　今回、ミサイルを発射した１５日は、金第１書記の祖父、金日成主席の誕生日に当たり、重要な祝日だ。失敗により、国威発揚の目論見は外れたのではないか。

The Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea is scheduled to convene in early May for the first time in 36 years. Preparations are in full swing, including holding meetings to select delegates to the congress. Rodong Sinmun, an organ of the WPK, praised Kim Jong Un, saying he has lifted North Korea to the first rank of nuclear powers.
　５月上旬には３６年ぶりの朝鮮労働党大会が予定される。大会代表を選ぶ会議が開かれるなど、準備は本格化している。党機関紙「労働新聞」は、金第１書記について、「祖国を核強国の前列に引き上げた」などと称たたえている。

It is assumed Kim Jong Un will resort to further military provocations in an attempt to enhance his own prestige. It was natural for Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga to say that Japan “will gather and analyze information and respond, while acting in concert firmly with the United States and South Korea.”
　金第１書記は自らの威信を高めるため、さらなる軍事挑発に走ることが想定される。菅官房長官が「米韓ともしっかり連携をしながら、情報を収集、分析し、対応していく」と語ったのは当然だ。

To prepare for new North Korean provocations, such as a fifth nuclear test and an additional missile test-firing, it is essential that Japan strengthen surveillance in close cooperation with Washington and Seoul.
　５回目の核実験や新たなミサイル発射などに備えて、日本は米韓と緊密に協調し、監視を強めることが欠かせない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 16, 2016)

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Defeat of South Korean ruling party musn’t derail cooperation over North
韓国与党敗北　対「北」連携へ悪影響避けたい

The political base of South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who has one year and 10 months left in her term, has been shaken to its core.
　残り任期が１年１０か月となった朴槿恵韓国大統領の政権基盤が、大きく揺らいだと言えよう。

This is a development that raises concerns about the possible negative impact on South Korea’s policies toward North Korea and Tokyo-Seoul ties.
　北朝鮮政策や日韓関係に悪影響が及ばないか、懸念される事態だ。

In South Korea’s parliamentary election, the ruling conservative Saenuri Party suffered a devastating defeat and lost its majority in the National Assembly. The main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, a left-leaning party that favors a conciliatory stance toward North Korea, made significant gains and is now the largest party in the assembly. The People’s Party, a new party, also picked up many seats.
　韓国の総選挙で、政権与党である保守系のセヌリ党が過半数を割り込み、惨敗した。左派で北朝鮮に融和的な最大野党「共に民主党」が伸長して第１党となり、新政党「国民の党」も躍進した。

A South Korean president serves one five-year term and cannot be reelected. When an administration enters the latter half of its term, it normally becomes a lame duck. A further decline in its unifying force is unavoidable.
　５年１期で再選がない韓国大統領の政権後期は通常、レームダック（死に体）化する。求心力の一層の低下は避けられまい。

The direct cause of the ruling party’s defeat was an internal conflict prior to the election that caused many people to lose trust in the party. Discord between lawmakers close to Park and lawmakers in an anti-Park group who want to keep their distance from her resulted in a split election, as some anti-Park lawmakers who were denied official nominations ran as independents.
　与党の直接の敗因は、選挙直前に内紛を起こし、国民の信頼を失ったことだ。朴氏に近い「親朴派」と、距離を置く「非朴派」が対立した末、公認を拒まれた一部の「非朴派」議員が無所属で出馬する分裂選挙となった。

The Park administration’s failure to produce any notable results on the economic front also affected the election. Due to the economic slowdown in China and other factors, South Korea’s exports have fallen and growth has been tepid. The rising unemployment rate, especially among young people, has become a social problem.
　朴政権が経済面でめぼしい成果を上げていないことも響いた。中国経済の減速などにより、輸出が落ち込み、成長が鈍化した。特に若年層の失業率上昇が大きな社会問題になっている。

Park will have to increasingly request opposition parties’ cooperation to pass bills seeking to reenergize the economy, and on other issues. Running her administration will become more difficult.
　朴氏は経済活性化を目指す法案の成立などで、野党の協力を要請する場面が増え、困難な政権運営を迫られるだろう。

Stick to ‘comfort women’ deal

Park has an obligation to deal with North Korea’s repeated provocations, such as its nuclear tests and launches of long-range ballistic missiles.
　核実験や長距離弾道ミサイル発射などの挑発を繰り返す北朝鮮への対処は、朴氏の責務である。

South Korea has quite appropriately adopted a hard-line approach to North Korea, such as by slapping its own sanctions on Pyongyang in addition to those imposed by the United Nations. Halting operations at the Kaesong industrial complex will be effective in severing a source of funds for the administration of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Criticism from opposition parties that these steps are excessive is unfair.
　韓国が、国連の制裁に加え独自制裁を科すなど北朝鮮に厳しく臨んでいるのは妥当だ。開城工業団地の操業停止は金正恩政権の資金源を断つ効果がある。行き過ぎだとの野党の批判は当たらない。

To prevent North Korea from committing any reckless acts, it is essential for Seoul to strengthen its alliance with Washington and continue to discuss the deployment of a sophisticated U.S. missile defense system in South Korea.
　北朝鮮の暴発を防ぐには、米最新鋭ミサイル防衛システムの韓国配備の協議を続け、米国との同盟を強化することが肝要だ。

Some observers have suggested the opposition party’s victory will make it harder to conclude a General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) that is being discussed by Japan and South Korea. However, the importance of cooperation between Japan, the United States and South Korea must not be forgotten.
　日韓間の懸案である軍事情報包括保護協定（ＧＳＯＭＩＡ）の締結は、野党の勝利で難しくなったとの見方があるが、日米韓の協調の重要性を忘れてはならない。

What will happen to efforts aimed at implementing the Japan-South Korea deal on so-called comfort women, which was realized at the end of last year, is a cause for concern.
　気がかりなのは、慰安婦問題を巡る昨年末の日韓合意の履行に向けた取り組みである。

South Korea is obliged to establish a foundation that will provide support to former comfort women. South Korea has also promised to make efforts to remove a statue of a girl symbolizing comfort women set up in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul. Japan has demanded that this statue be removed.
　韓国は今後、元慰安婦を支援する財団を設立せねばならない。日本が求める在ソウル日本大使館前の少女像の撤去についても、解決の努力を約束している。

Deep-rooted opposition to this deal remains in South Korea. Although the comfort women issue did not become a major point of contention in the election, the Minjoo Party of Korea called in its campaign promises for the withdrawal and renegotiation of the deal.
　韓国内では、日韓合意に反対の声が根強い。慰安婦問題は総選挙の争点にならなかったが、「共に民主党」は選挙公約で、日韓合意の撤回と再交渉を求めていた。

We will watch carefully and hope Park will not be swayed by such pressure, and that she implements the deal to improve Japan-South Korea relations.
　朴氏がこうした圧力に左右されず、日韓関係改善のために合意を履行することを見守りたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 15, 2016)

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 10
EDITORIAL: Panama Papers question China leadership’s legitimacy
（社説）パナマ文書　中国政権の正統性問う

After three years of persistently pursuing a rigorous anti-corruption campaign, the administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping is now facing a serious credibility crisis.
The administration’s drive to clean up the rot within the government and the Communist Party has won public support because the unusually tough crackdown has led to a slew of arrests and indictments of political heavyweights. Many party bigwigs are still under investigation.
　中国の習近平（シーチンピン）政権は発足から３年、一貫して「反腐敗」を掲げている。大物の摘発を辞さず、従来とは違う強い姿勢で臨んできたことが支持された。いまも連日、共産党幹部が取り調べを受けている。

But the so-called Panama Papers, or millions of internal documents about hidden wealth leaked from a Panama-based law firm, have implicated some members of China’s most powerful policy body.
The names mentioned in the leaked documents include the husband of Xi’s elder sister and relatives of Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli, two other members of the Communist Party Politburo Standing Committee. They were shareholders in companies registered in overseas tax havens, according to information obtained and made public by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.
　ところが、国際調査報道ジャーナリスト連合（ＩＣＩＪ）が入手した「パナマ文書」によれば、習国家主席の姉の夫のほか、共産党政治局常務委員である劉雲山（リウユンシャン）、張高麗（チャンカオリー）両氏の親族が、租税回避地に設立した会社の株主となっていた。

The disclosures raised suspicions that the leaders who have been acting as champions of the anti-corruption crusade are corrupt themselves. The leaked documents have cast serious doubt on the administration’s credibility and moral rectitude.
　反腐敗の旗振り役も腐敗しているのではないか。政権のあり方に疑問を突き付けている。

The Panama Papers also cite five relatives of former Chinese leaders including the husband of Mao Tse-tung’s granddaughter.
　ほかにも毛沢東の孫の夫を含め、元指導者の親族５人の名前が挙がっている。

Chinese authorities have imposed a strict media blackout to block public access to information concerning the Panama Papers.
　中国当局はパナマ文書に関する情報にアクセスできないよう統制を敷いた。

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has refused to comment on any of the many questions about the topic posed by foreign media.
外務省は国外メディアの再三の問いかけにもノーコメントだ。

But the government has been unable to stop the embarrassing facts about top leaders from becoming known widely among the people.
それでも多くの市民に知れ渡るのは止められない。

The phrase “husband of an elder sister” has already become fashionable on the Internet.
早くも「姉の夫」がネット上で流行語となった。

We have heard a raft of stories about how relatives of Chinese leaders have taken advantage of their positions to win the rights to use state-owned land and made huge profits through real estate investments.
　指導者の親族が地位を利用して国有地の使用権を得たうえ、不動産投資で金もうけをしている――といった話は中国でよく耳にする。

It is unclear whether reported secretive offshore financing is related to such dubious wealth accumulated through abuse of political privileges.
今回の事例が、そうした特権的手段による蓄財と関連するのかどうかは、まだ明確には分からない。

But two things are clear.
　だが、言えることが二つある。

One is that people around China’s top leader have amassed amounts of wealth well beyond the imagination of ordinary citizens in the country.
　一つは、最高指導者の周辺で、市民感覚とかけ離れた巨大な富が蓄えられているという現実だ。

The other is that they have taken the trouble to set up companies in remote offshore tax havens.
　もう一つは、彼らが遠く海外の租税回避地にわざわざ会社を設立していたということだ。

Why have they transferred their assets to such companies far away from home? The only plausible explanation is that they were trying to hide their money from Chinese authorities’ oversight.
この仕組みを使って資産を移しているのはなぜか。中国当局の目が届かないところに隠そうとする意図があったとしか考えられない。

These leaders deserve to be criticized for putting a higher priority on protecting the profits of their kin than on promoting the nation’s development. That’s at least how Chinese citizens will think about the revelations.
　国を指導する立場にありながら、国の発展よりも一族の利益を守ることを優先している、とみられても仕方がないだろう。少なくとも市民はそう受け止める。

At least three of the seven members of the paramount leadership organ have been implicated.
そのような最高指導部メンバーが現職７人のうち３人もいたのである。

China lacks a system under which its leaders are chosen through free and fair elections.
　中国は、自由で公正な選挙によって指導者が選ばれる制度を欠いている。

If the Communist Party government is to win public support for its rule of the nation, it must ensure that the living standards among the people will keep rising.
それでも今の共産党政権が国民の支持を得るとすれば、人々の生活水準を向上させることによるほかない。

If the party’s leaders are working hard to make themselves far richer than citizens, however, the very foundation of the legitimacy of the party’s monopoly on power could be seriously undermined.
　だが、党指導部がそれをはるかに上回る私利を図っているとすれば、共産党支配の正統性は根本から揺らぎかねない。

The documents that tell sordid stories about relatives of top Chinese leaders are widely available across the world. It is hard to imagine how the Xi administration will be able to get away with this scandal without offering convincing explanations.
　証拠となる文書は全世界にさらされている。このまま説明なしに済むとは思えない。

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 13
EDITORIAL: Attack on TBS TV an act of crude intimidation, not free speech
（社説）ＴＢＳ批判　まっとうな言論活動か

Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings Inc., operator of the TBS TV station, issued a statement earlier this month concerning an organization that has publicly declared its intention to put pressure on the broadcaster’s sponsors.
　ＴＢＳテレビが先週、「弊社スポンサーへの圧力を公言した団体の声明について」と題するコメントを発表した。

Calling itself “an association of television viewers demanding compliance with the Broadcast Law,” the group maintains that TBS’s news reports violate the Broadcast Law, and says it is preparing a “national campaign to alert sponsors.”
　この団体は、「放送法遵守（じゅんしゅ）を求める視聴者の会」というグループだ。ＴＢＳの報道が放送法に反すると主張し、スポンサーへの「国民的な注意喚起運動」を準備するとしている。

In its statement, TBS rebutted: “Fully cognizant of our mission as a news organization to introduce diverse opinions and keep public authorities in check, we autonomously aim for fair and impartial programming.”
　ＴＢＳのコメントは、次のような要旨を表明している。
　「多様な意見を紹介し、権力をチェックするという報道機関の使命を認識し、自律的に公平・公正な番組作りをしている」

The broadcaster stressed, “The (group’s) open declaration of its intent to apply pressure on our sponsors represents a grave threat to freedom of expression and, ultimately, to democracy itself.”
　「スポンサーに圧力をかけるなどと公言していることは、表現の自由、ひいては民主主義に対する重大な挑戦である」

The purpose of the Broadcast Law is to guarantee freedom of expression and encourage the healthy development of democracy. TBS’s comment is fully compatible with the spirit of this law, and we support it.
　放送法の目的は、表現の自由を確保し、健全な民主主義の発達に役立てることにある。コメントは、その趣旨にもかなった妥当な見解である。

The viewers’ association has been attacking TBS since last autumn, and it kept track of the airtime the network gave to its coverage of the controversial national security legislation.
After establishing that TBS gave more airtime to reports that were critical of the legislation, the association accused TBS of failing to maintain political neutrality.
　声明を出した団体は、昨秋からＴＢＳ批判を続けている。安保関連法制の報道時間を独自に計り、法制への反対部分が長かったとして政治的公平性を欠くと主張している。

But it is the mission of any news organization to examine legislation pushed by the administration of the time, and raise questions and discuss problems. And with something like national security legislation that was of great interest to the public, the network obviously needed to thoroughly report on the issue by airing diverse opinions that differed from the administration’s, including critical views.
　しかし、政権が進める法制を検証し、疑問や問題点を指摘するのは報道機関の使命だ。とりわけ安保法のように国民の関心が強い問題について、政権の主張と異なる様々な意見や批判を丁寧に報じるのは当然だ。

As for the matter of putting pressure on broadcasters, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party legislator held a study meeting in June last year, in which a comment was made to the effect, “The most effective way to punish mass media is to cut off revenues from their sponsors.”
　テレビ局への圧力という問題をめぐっては、昨年６月、自民党議員の勉強会で「マスコミを懲らしめるには広告料収入がなくなるのが一番」などとの発言があった。

Such thinking fully endorses browbeating by political authorities. This is simply unacceptable.
政治権力による威圧であり、論外の発想だ。

On the other hand, viewers are free to criticize TV programs, and broadcasters must humbly heed such complaints. However, what the viewers’ association has done is arbitrarily interpret the Broadcast Law and attempt to systematically manipulate the public into joining the “cause.”
　一方、視聴者が言論で番組を批判するのは自由だ。テレビ局は謙虚に耳を傾けなくてはいけない。だが、この団体は、放送法を一方的に解釈して組織的に働きかけようとしている。

In its statement, the association notified TBS that unless the latter “responds with sincerity,” a proposal will be sent to its sponsors to prevent them from becoming “accomplices” in “illegal broadcasting that negatively impacts society.”
　ＴＢＳの「誠意ある回答」がなければ、「違法報道による社会的な負の影響」への「加担」を防ぐ提言書をスポンサーに送ると通告。

The association also stated its intention to recruit volunteers online and “take further action as needed,” depending on the sponsors’ response.
ネットでボランティアを募り、企業の対応によっては「さらに必要な行動をとる」とも予告する。

This is applying pressure, pure and simple.
これは見過ごせない圧力である。

There are many ways to complain about TV programs, including taking the complaints to the Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization. And yet, the viewers’ association remains focused on forcing TBS to change its reporting stance by hitting its revenue source--namely, the sponsors. Such a tactic cannot possibly constitute an exercise of the right to free speech.
　番組を批判する方法は様々あり、放送倫理・番組向上機構（ＢＰＯ）も機能している。にもかかわらず、放送局の収入源を揺さぶって報道姿勢を変えさせようというのでは、まっとうな言論活動とはいえない。

Should any autonomous broadcaster become incapable of continuing to provide fair and unbiased reporting and keeping public authorities in check, the public loses.
　もし自律した放送局が公正な報道と権力監視を続けられなくなれば、被害者は国民だ。

The media must reconfirm the heavy responsibility they bear to protect the public’s right to know.
「知る権利」を担う重い責務を、メディアは改めて確認したい。