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The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 14, 2010)
Govt, BOJ must do more to stem yen's rise
円急騰　政府・日銀は為替安定へ動け（8月13日付・読売社説）

There has been no sign of an end to the strong yen and weak dollar, due to widespread concerns about a possible slowdown in the U.S. economy in recent days. The government and the Bank of Japan should increase their cooperation in taking flexible steps to stabilize the yen's value.
　米国の景気減速懸念から、円高・ドル安に歯止めがかからない。為替安定へ、政府と日銀が連携を強化し、機動的に対応すべきだ。

In early Thursday trading, the U.S. dollar temporarily dropped to the 84 yen level in Tokyo, its lowest against the yen since 1995. The yen's value reached an all-time high in that year, with the U.S. currency traded in the 79 yen range.
The rapid surge in the yen's value, if it continues unabated, could bring it close to yet another record high. As things stand today, the yen is the sole major currency whose value has not stopped increasing, as illustrated by its continued rise against the euro.
　円相場は１ドル＝８４円台に上昇した。１９９５年以来、１５年ぶりの水準だ。この年に７９円台の史上最高値を記録したが、このまま円高が進めば、最高値をうかがう展開もあり得る。対ユーロでも円が上昇し、円独歩高といえよう。

The yen's sharp advance could undermine the slight recovery in the economy, diminishing profits gained by carmakers, electronic manufacturers and other exporting companies whose business performance is beginning to improve at long last.
　円急騰は、ようやく業績が好転し始めた自動車、電機などの輸出企業の収益を圧迫し、景気回復に悪影響を与えかねない。

There are concerns that the fall in import prices that inevitably accompanies a strong yen could further prolong this country's deflation.
　円高に伴う輸入価格の下落により、日本のデフレがさらに長期化することも懸念される。

Fed move sends stocks down

On Thursday, Tokyo stocks sharply fell as investors were unnerved by the accelerated appreciation of the yen. The exchange rate fluctuations that may follow must be vigilantly watched.
　円高加速が嫌気され、１２日の東京株式市場の株価は急落した。今後の為替相場の動きを警戒しなければならない。

The rapid rise in the yen's value can be attributed to the U.S. Federal Reserve Board's decision Tuesday to effectively conduct additional monetary easing after significantly lowering its forecast for the U.S. economy.
　円高が進んだきっかけは、米連邦準備制度理事会（ＦＲＢ）が１０日、景気判断を大幅に下方修正し、事実上の追加金融緩和策に踏み切ったことである。

The Fed's decision seeks to underpin the economy through measures aimed at lowering long-term interest rates but not reducing the money supply to the market. The latest move also may signify an attempt by the Fed to preemptively contain growing deflationary concerns in the United States.
　市場への資金供給量を減らさずに、長期金利の低下を促し、景気を下支えする狙いだ。米国でも台頭し始めたデフレ懸念に対し、先手を打つ思惑もあろう。

However, the market has become even more cautious about an anticipated business slowdown, as indicated by the worsening employment situation and slumping personal consumption. Combined with speculation that the drop in U.S. interest rates will reduce the gap between Japanese and U.S. interest rates, this has encouraged dollar selling.
　しかし、市場ではむしろ、雇用悪化と個人消費の低迷など、景気減速への警戒感が一段と高まったといえる。米国の金利低下で、日米金利差が縮小するという見方も重なり、ドルが売られている。

Market players are apparently buying the yen after weighing the stability of each major currency and concluding the yen is relatively stable and therefore the best buy once potentially precarious currencies are eleminated from the list of viable choices.
　比較的安定した通貨と受け止められた円が、“消去法”で買われている事情もある。

The Fed's new easy credit policy is not without concerns. Many market players feel there is a limit to what can be accomplished to shore up the U.S. economy through the additional monetary easing.
　気がかりなのは、ＦＲＢの追加策による景気テコ入れ効果が限定的とみられる点だろう。

U.S. seems at impasse

President Barack Obama's administration has good reason to feel hesitant about implementing a new economy-boosting package if it stops to think about the nation's federal deficit. The U.S. government seems to find itself at an impasse, not knowing what kind of measures should be implemented to overcome the situation.
財政赤字を抱えたオバマ政権も、新たな景気刺激策を実施しにくい。政策に手詰まり感がみえる。

With these problems in mind, U.S. authorities are poised to allow the weak dollar--an obvious boost for the U.S. export drive--to continue for the foreseeable future. They hope U.S. exports will prop up the country's economy.
　そこで米当局は、当面は輸出で景気を下支えしようと、輸出促進にプラスになるドル安の進行を容認する構えのようだ。

Such is also the case with European nations, some of which are experiencing fiscal crises. These countries seem to rely on drops in their currencies' values as a means of underpinning their respective economies.
財政危機問題を抱えた欧州も事情は同じで、通貨安頼みがうかがえる。

All this is in stark contrast to the failure of the Japanese government and the Bank of Japan to take appropriate measures.
　そんな中、円急騰に無策ぶりが目立つのが日本政府と日銀だ。

On Tuesday, the central bank decided to maintain its current monetary policy. However, we believe there is a pressing need to consider additional measures to deal with the ongoing situation, including the expansion of its quantitative relaxation. The bank lacks a sense of urgency.
　日銀は１０日、金融政策の現状維持を決めたばかりだが、量的緩和策の拡充を含め、追加策の検討が急務ではないか。あまりにも危機感が足りない。

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry has said it will put together a report detailing how the strong yen has affected corporations it will survey by the end of the month. However, the ministry has been slow to make this decision.
　経済産業省は円高が経営などに与える影響について、企業調査を月内にまとめるという。しかし、これも緩慢すぎる。

The government and the Bank of Japan should not hesitate to intervene in the exchange market and stem the sharp rise in the yen's value.
　政府・日銀は、円高阻止の為替介入をためらうべきでない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 13, 2010)
（2010年8月13日01時32分 読売新聞）

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The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 13, 2010)
Never let memories of tragic JAL crash fade
御巣鷹２５年　墜落の悲劇を風化させるな（8月12日付・読売社説）

Thursday marked the 25th anniversary of the Japan Airlines plane crash on Osutaka Ridge in Uenomura, Gunma Prefecture, that claimed the lives of 520 passengers and crew members.
　日本航空のジャンボ機が群馬県上野村の御巣鷹の尾根に墜落し、乗員乗客５２０人が犠牲となった惨事から、きょう１２日で２５年になる。

The jumbo jet, bound for Osaka after leaving Haneda Airport at dusk, carried businessmen returning home, holidaymakers and people heading to their hometowns for the Bon Festival. In an instant, all these lives were lost.
　羽田空港を夕方に離陸し、大阪に向かう便だった。出張帰りのビジネスマンや夏休み中の家族がいた。お盆で帰省する人もいた。そうした人たちの人生が一瞬のうちに断ち切られた。

Bereaved families and JAL officials climb to the crash site on the ridge every year on Aug. 12 to pray for the souls of the dead. However, there have been frequent reports of vandalism around the monument for the victims. Such actions are outrageous.
　遺族や日航関係者らは毎年、８月１２日に御巣鷹の尾根への慰霊登山を行ってきた。その慰霊碑の周辺を荒らす行為が続いているという。許し難いことだ。

Many people working in aviation, including JAL employees, started working in the industry after the crash. They should be constantly reminded of the seriousness of the tragedy so that memories of the disaster do not fade.
　日航社員を含め、一線で働く航空関係者の多くは事故以降の世代になったが、この悲劇を風化させることなく、起きたことの深刻さを語り継がなければならない。

JAL has repeatedly said: "Osutaka is the starting point for our aviation safety." Safe operations are fundamental to the aviation industry as a whole.
　「御巣鷹は安全の原点」と、日航は繰り返してきた。日々、安全の徹底に努める。それは航空業界全体の基本でもある。

The JAL crash is the world's worst single-aircraft accident in terms of the number of victims. Since then, not one major Japanese carrier has experienced a fatal accident involving passengers, either at home or abroad.
　単独機の犠牲者数では最大の事故として、今も世界の航空史に記録をとどめる。その後は、日本の大手航空会社は内外で乗客が死亡する事故を起こしていない。

Human error

However, it is true problems have frequently occurred that could have triggered a major accident, making passengers uneasy.
　しかし、惨事につながりかねないミスやトラブルは絶えないのが現状だ。そのたびに利用客を不安にさせてきた。

In 2001, JAL jetliners were nearly involved in a midair collision over Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture. This was caused by air traffic controllers issuing the wrong instructions.
　２００１年には静岡県焼津市上空で、あわや空中衝突という日航機同士の異常接近があったが、これは管制官の誤った指示が原因だった。

There also have been a number of human errors committed by cockpit crew, such as starting a takeoff run without permission.
逆に、管制官の許可なく離陸滑走を始めるなど、運航乗務員の人為的ミスも少なくない。

Following the Osutaka Ridge accident, investigative authorities and the government's investigation commission concluded that it was caused by a fracture in the plane's rear pressure bulkhead, due to improper repairs carried out by Boeing Co. of the United States.
　御巣鷹事故では、捜査当局や事故調査委員会が、米ボーイング社の修理ミスによる、後部圧力隔壁の破断が原因と認定した。

If there are problems with the aircraft, due to improper repairs, poor maintenance or design flaws, the captain and other cockpit crew members will be unable to avert accidents no matter what they do.
　このような修理ミスや、整備不良、設計ミスなど、機体に欠陥があっては、いくら機長らが最善を尽くしても事故は防げない。

Increase in passenger traffic

The number of passengers flying on domestic routes has increased from 44 million to 95 million over the past 25 years. Maintaining air traffic safety has become even more important.
　国内の航空旅客数は、この２５年で約４４００万人から約９５００万人に膨らんだ。航空交通の重要性は格段に増している。

Every sector of the aviation industry, including flight operations, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control and aircraft manufacture, should thoroughly ensure safety so as to build a completely safe system and avoid a recurrence of such a tragedy that befell the JAL plane.
　運航や整備部門、管制、航空機メーカーなどが、それぞれ安全を徹底させることで、二度と悲劇を起こさない万全の体制を築いていかなければならない。

JAL, which once boasted it had become the world's No. 1 airline in terms of international traffic volume, has watched its business performance deteriorate since the Osutaka Ridge crash. The airline's management is now rebuilding itself under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law.
　かつては国際線の輸送実績で世界一になった日航も、御巣鷹事故を境に業績が悪化し始める。ついに経営に行き詰まり、現在は会社更生法に基づき再建中だ。

The airline is implementing various corporate restructuring measures, including wage and workforce cuts. But we hope the company will remember to place safety at the top of its priority list.
　社員の賃金カットや大規模な人員削減などのリストラも進めているが、安全最優先の大前提だけは崩さないでもらいたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 12, 2010)
（2010年8月12日01時03分 読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 12, 2010)
Kan statement a fillip for Japan-S. Korea ties
日韓併合談話　未来志向の両国関係に弾みを（8月11日付・読売社説）

The government adopted a statement by the prime minister at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, ahead of the Aug. 29 centenary of Japan's annexation of the Korean Peninsula.
　政府は、日韓併合１００年の「首相談話」を閣議決定した。

In the statement, Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed "deep remorse" and "heartfelt apology" for "the tremendous damage and suffering caused during the period of colonial rule." The statement was basically in line with one then Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama made to Asian countries in 1995 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.
　談話は「植民地支配がもたらした多大の損害と苦痛」に対し「痛切な反省と心からのお詫(わ)びの気持ち」を表明した。戦後５０年に当たる１９９５年に発表された村山首相談話の内容を踏襲したものだ。

Kan's statement touched on the 1919 Samil independence movement on the peninsula, saying the Korean people's "ethnic pride was deeply scarred by the colonial rule which was imposed against their will"--an expression that went further than previous statements.
　三・一独立運動にも言及し、韓国の人々は「その意に反して行われた植民地支配」により「民族の誇りを深く傷付けられ」たと、踏み込んだ表現も盛り込まれた。

However, Kan made no mention of compensation, making clear the government's position that this issue has already been resolved remains unchanged. We think the government's stance is correct.
　補償問題には一切触れられておらず、この問題を決着済みとする従来の政府の立場に変更はない。当然のことだ。

===

Looking ahead

Meanwhile, the statement stressed the need to build a future-oriented relationship between Japan and South Korea. This was an appropriate proposal.
　その上で、未来志向の日韓関係の構築を強調するなど、妥当な内容と言えよう。

Kan later telephoned South Korean President Lee Myung Bak to explain the details of the statement. Lee reportedly welcomed the statement, saying it would help strengthen bilateral cooperation.
　菅首相から電話で談話の説明を受けた李明博大統領は、「より強い協力関係を築くことが出来る」と歓迎の意向を示したという。

An attached accord to the Japan-South Korea Basic Relations Treaty signed in 1965 stipulated that both governments would waive their right to demand compensation and that Japan would provide South Korea with loan assistance and grants-in-aid worth 500 million dollars in total.
　１９６５年の日韓基本条約締結の際、日韓両政府は共に請求権を放棄し、日本が韓国に有償・無償５億ドルの経済支援を行う旨を定めた協定を結んだ。

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku said at a press conference that Kan's statement was written on the premise that individual compensation claims and the right to demand compensation for Japan's colonial rule have been settled.
　仙谷官房長官は記者会見で、首相談話について「個人補償、請求権については決着済みという前提に立って作成した」と述べた。

Last month, Sengoku stirred up the compensation issue when he said the government should draw up political principles by which to make decisions on the matter.
　だが、先月には補償に関して、「政治的な方針を作り、判断しなければならない」などと含みのある発言をしていた。

Members of ruling and opposition parties quickly jumped down Sengoku's throat. They argued it was inappropriate for the government's top spokesperson to make such a statement on the compensation issue, which was settled decades ago.
　これに対し、両国間で解決済みの補償にかかわる談話を出すのは問題だとして、与野党内から強い反発や不満が出ていた。

Sengoku should not have made these inconsiderate remarks, which could have opened the door to misunderstanding at home and abroad.
仙谷長官は、内外に誤解を招くような不用意な発言は慎むべきだった。

===

Govt must stand firm

Kan's statement could rekindle calls in South Korea for compensation for Koreans forced to work as so-called comfort women and laborers by the Imperial Japanese Army during the colonial period.
　今回の首相談話により、韓国国内で元「従軍慰安婦」などに対する補償を要求する声が再燃する可能性もある。

However, the Japanese government should firmly maintain its position that South Korea no longer has the right to demand compensation. We urge the South Korean side to react calmly.
　しかし、新たな請求権は認めないとする日本政府の立場は堅持すべきだ。韓国側には冷静な対応を求めたい。

Kan's statement also proposed that several precious documents brought from the Korean Peninsula to Japan during the period of Japanese rule be transferred back. The Japanese government has such documents as the Joseon Wangsil Uigwe (Royal Protocols of the Joseon Dynasty).
　植民地時代に日本に渡り、日本政府が保管する朝鮮王朝ゆかりの「朝鮮王朝儀軌」などの図書を韓国に引き渡すことも決まった。

About 60,000 cultural properties were confirmed to have been brought to Japan from the Korean Peninsula during the period of colonial rule.
　植民地時代に朝鮮から日本に渡った文化財は、確認されただけでも約６万点に上る。

Japan has no obligation to transfer these artifacts. But the government apparently hopes handing over cultural properties sought by South Korea will help reconcile old wounds between the two nations.
　日本側に引き渡す義務はないが、韓国側から要望のあった文化財を譲渡することで、和解を進める狙いがあると見られる。

The government should take Japan-South Korea relations to the next level, including in the fields of economy and culture as well as personnel exchanges. Kan's statement is a golden opportunity to make a fresh start.
　首相談話を契機にして、経済、文化、人的交流などを含め、今後の日韓関係に弾みをつけることが肝要だ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 11, 2010)
（2010年8月11日01時14分 読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 11, 2010)
Family honored wish of man to donate organs
改正移植法適用　生かされた臓器提供の意思（8月10日付・読売社説）

A person who had not expressed in writing his wish to donate his organs was declared brain dead this week with his family's consent, and organs including his heart and lungs were to be transplanted.
　臓器提供の意思を書面では示していなかった人が、家族の承諾によって脳死と判定され、心臓や肺が他の人に移植されることになった。

The transplant operations using the organs taken from this man represent the first of their kind under the revised Organ Transplant Law, which is aimed at expanding transplant medicine.
　移植医療の拡大をめざした改正臓器移植法に基づく、初の移植手術である。

The donor is a man in his 20s who was involved in a traffic accident. He was not carrying an organ donor card, but reportedly had told his family he wanted to donate his organs if such a situation occurred.
　提供者は交通事故に遭った２０代の男性だ。意思表示カードは持っていなかったが、かねて家族に、脳死になった時には臓器提供したい、と話していたという。

His family respected his wishes, but it was certainly an extremely grave and painful decision to make.
　家族はその意思を尊重した。しかし極めて重く、つらい決断だっただろう。

This man will save a number of other people's lives, with his heart going to a man in his 20s in Osaka Prefecture, his lungs to another man in his 20s in Okayama, his liver to a woman in her 60s in Tokyo and his kidney to a teenage boy in Gunma Prefecture. This is a relay of precious human life.
　この男性は多くの人を救う。心臓は大阪で２０代の男性に、肺は岡山でやはり２０代の男性に、肝臓は東京で６０代の女性に、腎臓は群馬で１０代の男の子に。尊い命のリレーである。

More lives to be saved

Before the revised law took effect July 17, organ transplants could not be conducted unless a person expressed his or her intention to donate organs through a donor card or other written declaration.
　先月１７日に改正法が施行される以前は、本人が意思表示カードなど、書面で提供の意思を示していなければ、臓器移植は認められなかった。

In the United States and Europe, organ transplants can be made at the discretion of a person's family, as long as that person had not expressed an intention not to donate. This system has allowed thousands of organ transplants from brain-dead donors to be conducted every year in the United States and several hundred in major European nations.
　欧米などでは、本人が提供拒否の意思を示していない限り、家族の判断で臓器の提供ができる。このため、米国では年に数千例、欧州の主要国でも年間数百例の脳死移植が実施されている。

The revised law has made it possible for the family of a would-be donor in this country to have that discretion, just as in the United States and Europe.
　改正法は欧米と同様、家族の判断で臓器提供を可能にした。

Over the 13 years since the original Organ Transplant Law took effect in 1997, and before the latest case, organ transplants were performed involving 86 brain-dead donors. Under the revised law, there are expected to be as many as 30 cases or more every year.
　１９９７年に臓器移植法が施行されてからの１３年間で８６例にとどまっていた脳死移植は、今後、毎年３０例以上に増えると予測されている。

Since the revised law also allows transplants between young children, including infants, such operations also are likely to take place eventually.
いずれは、今回の改正で認められた乳幼児間の臓器移植も行われるだろう。

Safeguards must be ensured

To ensure organ transplants involving brain-dead donors are properly handled, it is important to thoroughly examine the latest case.
　臓器提供を着実に生かすには、今回のケースをきっちり検証することが重要だ。

Was the man provided with all possible treatment? Were procedures strictly followed in the pronouncement of brain death? Did his family give their consent with sufficient confidence in their decision? It is essential to strictly check all relevant points to nurture public trust in organ transplants.
　治療は完全に尽くされたか。脳死判定は厳密に行われたか。家族は十分に納得して提供に同意したか。あらゆる点を厳しく確認することは、脳死移植の信頼を培うために欠かせない。

In the latest case, the man is said to have orally expressed to his family his intention to donate his organs. It is unlikely, however, that this will commonly occur.
　今回は、本人が口頭で家族に提供意思を示していた。しかし、実際にはそうしたケースばかりではないだろう。

If a donor has not expressed his or her intentions, family members will face enormous pressure as they are asked to decide whether brain death should be declared and organs donated.
　その場合は、脳死判定の実施と臓器提供の判断を求められる家族の側に相当な負担がかかる。

Whether a potential donor explicitly expressed his or her intention is of primary importance even under the revised law.
　本人の意思がはっきりしていれば、それが第一だ。この点は改正法でも変わりはない。

There is space to make a written declaration on new driver's licenses and health insurance cards. Everyone should seriously consider whether to agree to donate organs should something leave him or her in a state of brain death.
　新たな運転免許証や健康保険証には、臓器提供意思の記入欄が設けられている。万が一、脳死に陥った時に、臓器提供を承諾するのか、拒否するのか。皆が真剣に考えておきたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 10, 2010)
（2010年8月10日01時15分 読売新聞）

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 10, 2010)
Japan could better exploit its defense technology
航空機民間転用　防衛基盤維持へ着実に進めよ（8月8日付・読売社説）

Transfers of military technology--on a limited scale--could be an effective way to maintain the nation's vital defense technology while also supporting defense-related companies.
　日本に欠かせない防衛技術と関連企業を維持していくうえで有効な手法と言えよう。

The Defense Ministry is studying a plan to transfer aircraft it developed to private use. The plan includes converting the Maritime Self-Defense Force's US-2 search-and-rescue seaplane to a firefighting flying boat and also converting the XC-2 next-generation transport plane now being developed by the Air Self-Defense Force to a large civilian cargo airplane.
　防衛省が、自ら開発した自衛隊機の民間転用を検討している。海上自衛隊の救難飛行艇ＵＳ２は消防飛行艇などに、航空自衛隊が開発中の次期輸送機ＸＣ２は大型貨物機にそれぞれ転用する構想だ。

The transfer of military technology to civilian use is unprecedented in this country. But search-and-rescue and transport planes are not really armaments in the first place. Adapting them for civilian use would have no effect on Japan's ideal as a "pacifist nation."
　民間転用は前例がないが、救難機や輸送機はそもそも武器ではない。民間機に転用しても、日本が大切にする「平和国家」の理念には何の影響もあるまい。

The government would be able to recoup some of its development costs by collecting usage fees from private companies. The procurement costs for Self-Defense Forces planes could also be reduced through the efficiencies of mass production. Manufacturers, for their part, could expect certain levels of earnings because the global demand for firefighting flying boats and cargo airplanes is large.
　政府は、企業から利用料を受け取り、開発費の一部を回収できる。量産効果によって自衛隊機の調達費も縮減できる。世界的に消防飛行艇や貨物機の需要は大きく、企業も一定の収益を期待できる。

Widespread benefits

Transfer of SDF technology to private use would benefit both the private and public sectors. The practice should have been promoted much earlier.
　民間転用は、官民双方にメリットがある。もっと早く取り組めば良かったのではないか。

Recent years saw an increasing number of companies withdraw from the military equipment industry due to the continued decrease in defense budgets. The loss of the high-level engineers and specialized manufacturers that are indispensable for the development, production and improvement of such equipment undermines the bedrock of national security.
　近年、防衛予算の減少傾向が続く中、この分野から撤退する企業が増えている。装備の開発・生産・整備に不可欠な専門企業や高度な技術者がいなくなることは、国の安全保障の根幹にかかわる。

But at the same time, the security environment surrounding Japan has become grimmer. Under such circumstances, it is essential to maintain a foundation for defense technology even while making more efficient use of defense budgets.
　日本の安全保障環境は逆に、厳しさを増している。中長期的な視点で、防衛技術基盤の維持と、防衛予算の一層の効率化を両立させていく必要がある。

In line with the revision of the National Defense Program Guidelines scheduled within this year, it is important to make a drastic review of the arms export ban.
　年内に予定される「防衛計画の大綱」の改定作業に合わせて、武器輸出３原則の見直しにも本格的に取り組むことが重要だ。

Regarding military equipment that entails huge development costs, such as the F-35 next-generation fighter jet candidate, joint development involving two or more countries is a global trend. Japan cannot take part in such multinational projects because its principles only allow participation in such projects to be undertaken with the United States.
　次期戦闘機（ＦＸ）の候補Ｆ３５のように巨額の開発費を要する装備品は、複数の国による共同開発が国際的潮流だが、日本は参加できない。米国以外の国との共同開発が認められていないからだ。

Review export ban principle

Japan's ban on arms exports applies to almost all nations other than the United States. The government must study limiting the ban to countries involved in international conflicts and those supporting terrorism. We suggest that Japan be at least permitted to undertake joint development of military weapons with ordinary countries and that a system be introduced to screen arms exports on a case-by-case basis.
　現在は、米国以外のほとんどの国に及ぶ武器の禁輸を、紛争当事国やテロ支援国などに限定することを検討すべきだ。最低でも、一般の国との武器の共同開発を認め、武器輸出を個別に審査する方式を導入してはどうか。

Allowing the export of purely defensive materiel, such as mine detectors and bulletproof vests, would not harm Japan's image as a pacifist nation.
　地雷探知機、防弾チョッキなど防御的武器を禁輸の対象外としても、日本の「平和国家」のイメージが損なわれることはない。

Both the Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party called for transfers of military equipment to private use in their campaign platforms for the House of Councillors election in July. There could be room for cooperation beyond the framework of ruling and opposition parties on the issue of reexamining the export ban.
　民主、自民両党はそろって参院選公約に防衛装備品の民間転用を掲げた。武器輸出３原則の見直しでも、与野党の枠を超えて協調する余地があるのではないか。

In the previous Cabinet under former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa expressed positive thoughts about revising the arms export ban. But the review could not take any concrete shape due to opposition from the Social Democratic Party, which was then a member of the ruling coalition.
　鳩山前内閣では、北沢防衛相が３原則見直しに前向きな考えを示したが、与党の社民党などが反対し、具体化しなかった。

Now that the SDP has defected from the coalition government, the political barriers to transfers of military technology appear to have been lowered drastically.
社民党の連立離脱で、政治的なハードルはかなり低くなったはずだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 8, 2010)
（2010年8月8日01時48分 読売新聞）