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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。

The Yomiuri Shimbun
G-7 Hiroshima Declaration must help achieve the total abolition of N-arms
Ｇ７外相会合　広島宣言を核廃絶に生かそう

It is highly significant that the Group of Seven major powers — including the three nuclear powers of the United States, Britain and France — issued a clear message to pursue the eradication of nuclear weapons, doing so from a city flattened by the atomic bomb.
　核兵器を保有する米英仏３か国も賛同し、核廃絶を追求する明確なメッセージを被爆地から発出した意味は重い。

The G-7 adopted the Hiroshima Declaration on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation at its foreign ministers’ meeting in Hiroshima.
　先進７か国（Ｇ７）は広島市で外相会合を開き、核軍縮・不拡散を推進する共同文書「広島宣言」を採択した。

“The people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced immense devastation and human suffering,” the declaration says. To work toward a world without nuclear weapons, the declaration calls on political leaders and other people to visit the two cities. It also calls for promoting dialogue between nuclear weapon states and nonnuclear-weapon states and enhancing transparency regarding nuclear arms.
　原爆で広島と長崎が「極めて甚大な壊滅と非人間的な苦難」を経験したと指摘した。「核兵器のない世界」に向けて、政治指導者らの被爆地訪問を呼び掛けた。核兵器保有国と非保有国の対話や核の透明性向上も求めている。

Last year’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference fell apart due to confrontations between participating countries. Japan, as the only country hit by an atomic bombing, has the mission of leading nuclear disarmament efforts. Based on the Hiroshima Declaration, Japan should strive to restructure the international cooperative regime on nuclear non-proliferation.
　昨年の核拡散防止条約（ＮＰＴ）再検討会議は関係国の対立で、決裂した。唯一の被爆国として、核軍縮を主導するのは、日本の使命だ。広島宣言を土台に、国際協調体制の再構築を図るべきだ。

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday became the first incumbent U.S. cabinet member to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. He laid a wreath at the cenotaph for victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Commenting on the tour of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Kerry said, “I don’t see how anyone could forget the images ... of what happened.”
　ケリー米国務長官は、現職閣僚として初めて平和記念公園を訪れ、原爆死没者慰霊碑に献花した。平和記念資料館の見学について、「決して忘れることのできないものとなった」と感想を述べた。

Opinions that dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was justified are still strong in the United States. Kerry’s visit to Hiroshima must be used as a step toward closing the gap in perception of nuclear weapons between Japan and the United States.
　原爆投下を正当化する米国世論はなお根強い。ケリー氏の訪問を、核兵器に関する日米間の認識のズレを埋める一歩としたい。

Self-restraint urged

The G-7 foreign ministers also adopted a Statement on Maritime Security, which is based on the assessment that tensions have been mounting in the South China Sea.
　外相会合は、南シナ海情勢の緊迫化を踏まえて、海洋安全保障に関する声明も採択した。

The statement, though without pointing fingers at China, “urges all states to refrain from such actions as land reclamations ... as well as their use for military purposes.”
　中国の名指しを避けながらも、「埋め立て、拠点構築と軍事目的での利用」の自制を求めた。

China has been accelerating attempts to change the status quo by force, reclaiming man-made islands and pushing ahead with militarilization on them.
　中国は、人工島を造成し、軍事拠点化を進めるなど、「力による現状変更」を加速している。

It is significant that not only Japan and the United States, but also the G-7 as a whole, collectively recognized the seriousness of the security situation in the region. In cooperation with Southeast Asian nations, the G-7 must tenaciously call on China to refrain from self-serving actions.
　事態の深刻さについて、日米だけでなく、Ｇ７全体で共通認識を持ったことは重要だ。Ｇ７は、東南アジア各国とも連携し、中国に独善的な行動を慎むよう、粘り強く促さねばならない。

The statement also emphasized the importance of settling maritime disputes in accordance with international law, including arbitration. This could serve as a warning to China, which has refused to settle a territorial dispute with the Philippines at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague.
　声明は、仲裁を含む法的な紛争解決の重要性も強調した。ハーグの常設仲裁裁判所によるフィリピンとの領有権問題の解決を拒む中国を牽制けんせいする効果があろう。

The G-7 foreign ministers agreed to lead global efforts to deal with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant extremist group.
　過激派組織「イスラム国」への対応策では、Ｇ７が国際連携を主導することで合意した。

To prevent terrorism, it is necessary to take multilateral approaches such as sharing information, imposing stricter immigration controls and taking measures against the financing of terrorism.
　テロの防止には、テロリストに関する情報の共有や出入国管理の厳格化、テロ資金対策などを多角的に進める必要がある。

More concrete antiterrorism measures should be put forth at the Ise-Shima G-7 summit to be held late next month.
　来月下旬の主要国首脳会議（伊勢志摩サミット）では、より具体的な対策を打ち出すべきだ。

The G-7 foreign ministers released a joint communique condemning “in the strongest terms” the nuclear test and ballistic missile launches conducted by North Korea. It is essential for the international community to strictly implement the U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in March on sanctions against North Korea, thereby ramping up pressure on the country.
　Ｇ７外相は、北朝鮮の核実験と弾道ミサイル発射を強く非難した。３月の国連安全保障理事会の制裁決議を国際社会が厳格に履行し、北朝鮮への圧力を高めることが大切である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 12, 2016)

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 10
EDITORIAL: Amari long overdue to explain himself in cash scandal
（社説）甘利氏の疑惑　説明責任はどうなった

The special investigation department of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office has opened a compulsory investigation into the scandal over cash received by Akira Amari, former minister in charge of economic revitalization, and by one of his former aides.
　甘利明・前経済再生相の現金授受問題で、東京地検特捜部が強制捜査に乗り出した。

A politician or an aide receiving profits in exchange for favors would violate the Law on Punishment of Public Officials’ Profiting by Exerting Influence.
　政治家や秘書が口利きの見返りに対価を受け取れば、あっせん利得処罰法違反になる。

The nature of the 6 million yen ($55,600), which Amari and his former aide received from a construction company based in Chiba Prefecture, remains unclear.
　甘利氏や元秘書が千葉県の建設会社側から受け取った６００万円は、どんな趣旨なのか。

Amari said he believes the money represented political donations with no reciprocal nature. But a man in charge of general affairs at the construction company has said the money was intended as remuneration for the intervention of the former aide and others in the company’s compensation talks with the semipublic Urban Renaissance Agency (UR). The company later received compensation payments from the UR.
　甘利氏は見返りとは無関係の政治献金という認識を示しているが、建設会社の総務担当者は元秘書らによる都市再生機構（ＵＲ）との補償交渉への介入と、補償金の支払いが実現したことへの謝礼の意味だったと証言している。

While the arguments on both sides remain far apart, it would be inexcusable for a politician or aide to receive money and exert influence on government offices or other entities at the request of the donor.
　双方の主張は大きく食い違うが、政治家側がカネを受け取り、依頼者の求めに応じて役所などに働きかける――そんな口利きがもしあったとしたら、言語道断である。

The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office should do its best to uncover the entire picture of what took place.
東京地検は実態の全容解明に全力をあげてもらいたい。

It should not be forgotten that Amari himself has yet to fulfill his accountability. A lawmaker, who represents the people, has the responsibility to explain himself to the public whenever he comes under suspicion without waiting for investigators to uncover the case.
　同時に、忘れるわけにいかないのは、甘利氏自身が説明責任を果たしていないことだ。疑惑があれば、捜査当局の解明を待つまでもなく、自ら国民に説明する。それが国民の代表である国会議員の責任だ。

When he announced his resignation from the Cabinet at a news conference in late January, Amari did promise to “continue to have the case investigated by a lawyer and publish the results at appropriate timing.”
　甘利氏自身、大臣辞任を表明した１月末の記者会見で「弁護士による調査を続け、しかるべきタイミングで公表する」と約束したはずである。

Some other politicians who came under suspicion over fund-raising irregularities in the past defended themselves by saying, for example, that they had no way to determine the facts because documents had been seized by authorities.
　過去に政治とカネの疑惑に問われた他の政治家には「捜査当局に資料が押収され、事実関係が確認できない」などと弁明する例もあった。

But Amari had two-and-a-half months to look into the case after his resignation. He should be able to publish findings, even an interim report, from the investigation.
だが甘利氏の場合は、大臣辞任後２カ月半、調査期間があった。途中経過であっても公表できるはずだ。

Much remains unknown about the entire scandal, including whether Amari himself was involved in the case.
　一連の経緯については、まだ不明な点が多い。
　その一つは、甘利氏自身のかかわりである。

Amari said during the news conference in January that he had learned only recently that his former aide had been talking to the UR. But UR officials later said they had been told by the former aide that Amari was aware of the talks.
　甘利氏は元秘書がＵＲと交渉していることは「今回初めて知った」と１月の会見で説明したが、ＵＲはその後、甘利氏も交渉について把握していると元秘書から伝えられたとしている。

Opposition parties want Amari summoned to the Lower House Budget Committee as an unsworn witness to dig out the truth. But the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has refused.
　真相究明のため、野党は衆院予算委員会への甘利氏の参考人招致を求めてきたが、自民党は応じようとしない。

Amari has been absent from Diet sessions, citing health problems. He may be unable to come forward on his own to explain himself, but he could still have lawyers, for example, speak on his behalf.
　甘利氏は体調がすぐれないことを理由に、国会を欠席している。だが、自ら説明できなくても、例えば弁護士らを通じての説明は可能なのではないか。

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also bears heavy responsibility.
　安倍首相の責任も大きい。

Abe, who appointed Amari to key Cabinet positions, has admitted to his own responsibility for having appointed him.
　甘利氏を重要閣僚に起用してきた首相は、自らの「任命責任」を認めている。

If that is the case, the prime minister should urge Amari to explain himself. In addition, Abe, who is also the LDP president, should instruct the party to have Amari fulfill his accountability in some form or other.
ならば甘利氏に説明するよう促すべきだし、党総裁として自民党にも何らかの形で説明責任を果たさせるよう指示すべきだ。

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 7
EDITORIAL: G-7 in Hiroshima a chance to move closer toward nuke-free future
（社説）広島外相会合　核なき未来への一歩に

The gathering in Hiroshima of top diplomats of the Group of Seven major industrialized nations, which include three nuclear powers, sends a powerful message as the world struggles to make progress toward a future without nuclear arms.
The foreign ministers of the United States, Britain and France, as well as Japan and the three other G-7 members, will meet in Hiroshima, the first city to be leveled by an atomic bomb, on April 10 and 11.
　核軍縮の動きが停滞している今、核保有国の米英仏を含めた主要７カ国（Ｇ７）の外交トップが核被害の原点である広島を訪れる意義は大きい。核兵器廃絶に向けた機運を、いま一度高める契機にしていきたい。

On the sidelines of their meeting in Hiroshima, the G-7 foreign ministers will visit the Peace Memorial Park, dedicated to the city's 1945 atomic bombing, and lay flowers at the Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims on April 11.
Their pilgrimages to the city should breathe new life into international efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons.
They are also expected to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Their tour of the museum that documents the consequences of the U.S. atomic bombing would be even more meaningful if they hold talks with A-bomb survivors and hear their harrowing tales.
　広島での会合に合わせ、Ｇ７の外相が１１日、平和記念公園をそろって訪ね、原爆死没者の名簿が納められている慰霊碑に献花することが決まった。
　平和記念資料館（原爆資料館）も見学する予定だ。できれば被爆者と対話し、被爆の実相をより深く心に刻んでほしい。

The G-7 officials traveling to Hiroshima include U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the Obama administration's top Cabinet member.
　参加者のうちケリー米国務長官は、オバマ政権の筆頭閣僚だ。

Kerry will be the highest-ranking active U.S. politician to visit Hiroshima after Nancy Pelosi, who went in 2008 as the speaker of the House of Representatives.
原爆を投下した米国の現職政治家としては、０８年に広島を訪れたペロシ下院議長（当時）に次ぐ過去最高クラスになる。

More than 200,000 people perished in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
　原爆によって広島、長崎で２０万を超す人々の命が奪われた。

Many Americans, however, regard the attacks as justifiable, arguing that they accelerated Japan’s surrender in World War II and thereby saved many lives.
だが米国では「日本の降伏を早め、結果的に多くの人命を救った」として、原爆投下は正当だったと考える世論が根強い。

Despite serious differences between Japan and the United States in perceptions over history, President Barack Obama agreed to Japan’s request for Kerry to visit Hiroshima. We applaud Obama's weighty political decision.
　日米の歴史認識に隔たりがあるなか、日本側が要望したケリー氏の被爆地訪問にオバマ政権が応じたのは重い政治判断だ。

We are inclined to regard the decision as a sign that Obama, whose term will expire in January, is still committed to working toward “a world without nuclear weapons,” the vision he announced to the world in his historic speech in Prague in 2009.
来年１月の任期切れを控え、オバマ大統領が０９年のプラハでの演説で掲げた「核兵器のない世界」実現に向け、なお意欲的であると受けとめたい。

The Obama administration sent its ambassador to Japan to most of the annual ceremonies to commemorate the atomic bombings that have been held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki since 2010.
Last year, the administration sent Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller to attend the ceremonies.
　オバマ政権は１０年以降ほぼ毎年、広島、長崎の平和式典に駐日大使を参列させ、昨年は国務次官を派遣した。

In Japan, expectations are growing that Obama himself will travel to the A-bombed cities when he visits Japan in May to attend the G-7 summit, to be held in Shima, Mie Prefecture.
日本国内では、５月のＧ７首脳会議（伊勢志摩サミット）で訪日するオバマ氏自身が、被爆地に足を延ばすのではとの期待が高まる。

In the United States, the political climate is heating up as the races for the Democratic and Republican nominations for the autumn presidential election are entering the home stretch.
　米国は秋の大統領選に向けた民主、共和両党の候補者選びが山場を迎えている。

Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has been delivering a range of harsh verbal attacks on Obama’s foreign policy.
共和党の指名争いで首位を走るトランプ氏は、オバマ氏の外交姿勢を批判のやり玉に挙げてきた。

Chances are that Kerry will avoid making any remarks that could be interpreted as an apology to Japan out of fears that such a comment could have a political impact on the election.
　選挙への影響を考え、ケリー氏が日本への「謝罪」ととられるような言動を控える可能性は高い。

But we nevertheless welcome Kerry’s decision to stand in front of the cenotaph in Hiroshima. We urge Obama to give serious consideration to visiting the cities as well.
だが、慰霊碑の前に立とうとする決意は率直に評価したい。オバマ氏も訪問をぜひ前向きに検討してほしい。

Even after seven decades, there are still many people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki who lost loved ones in the bombings and are suffering form health problems caused by radiation exposure.
　７０年を経た今も、広島、長崎には原爆で家族を奪われ、後遺症に苦しむ人が多い。

Because they have a strong desire not to see anyone suffer the same fate, people in the two cities are pinning great hopes on the visits by Kerry and other political leaders.
被爆地がそれでもケリー氏らの訪問に期待するのはなぜか。それは「苦しみをもう誰にも味わわせたくない」という強い思いだ。

We are eager to see people in countries with nuclear arsenals think seriously about ways to bring the world closer toward a future without nuclear weapons, something that Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been praying for so strongly and for so long.
　核保有国の人々には考えてもらいたい。どうすれば被爆地が願う「核兵器のない世界」は近づくか。

The G-7 foreign ministers’ visits to Hiroshima should not be allowed to end up as mere ritual. They should be a first step in effective efforts to create new momentum in international politics for realizing that goal.
Ｇ７外相の広島訪問を、単なる儀礼に終わらせず、現実の国際政治を動かす一歩にしてほしい。