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October 01, 2016 from VOA
Meltwater Lakes in Antarctica Show Signs of Trouble

Antarctica is home to the largest ice mass on Earth.

The continent sits on 14 million square kilometers of rock. About 98 percent of the land surface is covered by ice.

Beautiful lakes have begun to appear on the top of the ice. They look like islands of deep blue in an ocean of white. These lakes are called supraglacial or meltwater lakes.

Although the lakes can be beautiful, the ones scientists studied are a sign of trouble. Amber Leeson is a scientist with Lancaster University in England.

"We really weren't expecting to find lakes as far inland as 20 kilometers, which was the furthest inland lake we found during the study. And it was important that we found the link between the atmospheric temperature and the depth, number, and size of the lakes..."

Scientists say Antarctica has always had supraglacial lakes appearing on the ice during the summer months. But the more lakes there are, the more unstable they make the continent’s ice shelf.

Ice shelves are permanent, but floating pieces of ice that connect to the land. They form where a glacier or ice sheet reaches a coastline and into the sea.

Leeson says water from the lakes can drip down through the glacier, causing the huge river of ice and snow to weaken.

"If they form on the grounded ice, which is the bit of the ice sheet that sits on the bedrock, then the water they contain can drain away through the ice to the base, where it can lubricate the flow of the ice and make it flow a bit faster. If they form on the floating part of the ice, which is where the ice shelf extends over the ocean and begins to float on the sea, by repeatedly filling and draining they can actually weaken the ice shelf."

Leeson and other scientists believe that lakes are partly responsible for the collapse of the Antarctica ice sheets.

"...the Larsen B ice shelf collapsed in 2002 and we think that this is because it was covered in lakes in the years prior to collapse, and that by repeatedly filling and draining, they weaken the ice sheet, leading to its eventual disintegration..."

And as temperatures rise, the team expects to see more and more lakes appearing in the continent. The scientists fear that all that meltwater could raise the world's sea levels.

I’m Marsha James.

Marsha James wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Her story includes information from an Associated Press report. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

____________________________________________________

Words in This Story

ice mass - n. a large piece of ice

supraglacial lake – n. any pond of liquid water on the top of a glacier

ice sheet – n. a very large and thick area of ice that covers a region

ice shelf – n. a floating sheet of ice permanently attached to a land mass

glacier – n. an large areas of ice formed from falling snow and building up over the years

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Democratic presidential candidate Clinton calls for national, global unity
米大統領選　団結を求めたクリントン候補

In the U.S. presidential election, the difference in outlook has become clear between Republican nominee Donald Trump, who advocates an “America first” policy, and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who calls for international cooperation and national reconciliation.
　米大統領選で、「米国第一主義」を唱える共和党のドナルド・トランプ氏と、国際協調や国民融和を訴える民主党のヒラリー・クリントン氏の立場の違いが鮮明になった。

Clinton, a former secretary of state, was nominated as a presidential candidate at the Democratic convention, kicking off the full-fledged election campaign.
　民主党大会でクリントン前国務長官が大統領候補に指名され、本格的な選挙戦が始まった。

In her acceptance speech, Clinton said, “We’ve reached a milestone in our nation’s march toward a more perfect union,” emphasizing the significance of having been nominated as the first female presidential candidate of a major party.
　クリントン氏は指名受諾演説で「我々はより完全な国になるための転換点に達した」と述べ、主要政党として初の女性大統領候補が生まれた意義を強調した。

The important thing is that Clinton spelled out her commitment to reinforce alliances, saying, “We are stronger when we work with our allies around the world.”
　重要なのは、クリントン氏が「米国は世界の同盟国と協力した時、より強くなる」と語り、同盟強化を打ち出したことである。

When Clinton was secretary of state, she promoted the policy of attaching importance to Asia. She was the first within the administration to make clear that the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture are covered by Article 5 of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, which stipulates that the United States is obliged to defend Japan.
　クリントン氏は国務長官時代に、アジア重視政策を推進した。沖縄県の尖閣諸島が、米国の対日防衛義務を定めた日米安保条約５条の適用対象であることを政権内でいち早く明言していた。

It is also reassuring for Japan that there are more than a few people within the Clinton camp who are knowledgeable about Japan, including Kurt Campbell, a former assistant secretary of state.
　陣営にキャンベル前国務次官補ら知日派が少なくないことも、日本にとっては心強い材料だ。

While making no direct reference to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade accord, Clinton went only so far as to express her opposition to “unfair trade deals” in her speech. We can rate positively that she left some room for the U.S. ratification of the accord, while paying consideration to left-wingers within the party who oppose the TPP.
　クリントン氏は演説で、環太平洋経済連携協定（ＴＰＰ）には直接言及せず、「不公正な貿易協定」への反対を表明するだけにとどめた。ＴＰＰに反発する党内左派に配慮しつつ、批准の余地を残したことは評価できる。

Japan must help U.S. ratify TPP

It is vital for Japan to move ahead swiftly with procedures for Diet approval so as to create an environment that will make it easier for the United States to ratify the pact.
　日本が国会の承認手続きを迅速に進め、米国が批准しやすい環境を整えることが欠かせない。

Clinton criticized Trump, who advocates an exclusionary immigration policy, saying, “He wants to divide us — from the rest of the world, and from each other.” She said, “People are looking for steady leadership,” and promoted her feasible policies.
　排他的な移民政策を掲げるトランプ氏に対し、クリントン氏は「世界や米国の分断を望んでいる」と非難した。「国民は堅実な指導者を求めている」と述べ、実行可能な政策をアピールした。

At the Democratic convention, U.S. President Barack Obama, Sen. Bernie Sanders, who had fiercely vied with Clinton for the Democratic presidential candidacy, and others made speeches in support of Clinton. It can be said that she succeeded in orchestrating a reconciliation within the party.
　民主党大会では、オバマ大統領や、候補の座を激しく争ったバーニー・サンダース上院議員らが応援演説を行った。党内融和の演出には成功したと言えよう。

A challenge for Clinton is her record-low popularity as a presidential candidate, similar to Trump’s. During her tenure as secretary of state, Clinton used her private e-mail address for communication of classified information against the state department’s rules.
　課題は、トランプ氏と同様、好感度が大統領候補として記録的に低いことだ。長官在任中、国務省の規定に反し、私用メールアドレスで機密情報を扱った。

Judicial authorities did not bring charges against Clinton over the case but said she was “extremely careless.”
司法当局は立件を見送ったが、「極めて不注意だった」と指摘した。

When the scandal was uncovered, she initially refused to explain her case in detail or to apologize. This may have led to a national sentiment that she cannot be trusted.
　発覚当初、十分な説明も謝罪も拒んだことが、「信用できない」という国民感情につながっているのではないか。

Clinton, who was a first lady and also served as a senator, has been regarded as “a symbol of the establishment” by young people and others who support Sanders.
　大統領夫人や上院議員も務めたクリントン氏は、サンダース氏を支持する若者らから、「既存の支配層の象徴」と目されてきた。

During the presidential campaign, she needs not only to make her claim to be the “anti-Trump,” but also to win support of those who are discontented about the present state of things. Otherwise, she may not even be able to unite the whole nation.
　選挙戦では、「反トランプ」を主張するだけでなく、現状に不満を抱く人々の支持を得なければ、国全体の団結も実現できまい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 31, 2016)

--The Asahi Shimbun, July 27
（社説）ロ事件４０年　浄化の道なお遠く
EDITORIAL: Corrupt politics linger 4 decades after Lockheed bribery scandal

July 27 marked the 40th anniversary of the arrest of Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka over the Lockheed bribery scandal.
　ロッキード事件で田中角栄元首相が逮捕されて、きょう２７日でちょうど４０年になる。

Even after he was indicted on criminal charges, Tanaka (1918-1993) led a massive faction within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and wielded huge political clout by playing kingmaker. Since then, the landscape in Nagatacho, the political power center in Tokyo, has changed dramatically. Factions within the LDP have sunk into political irrelevance. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has acquired so much political power that many pundits are lamenting the lack of political forces that can pose a serious challenge to his leadership.
However, one thing remains unchanged in Japanese politics. It is the power of money that keeps breeding graft and corruption.
　刑事被告人になっても大派閥を率い、首相の座をも左右した田中支配時代と、派閥が力を失い、対抗勢力の不在を嘆く声がしきりの首相一強の現在と。永田町の光景は様変わりしたが、変わらないものがある。
　政治とカネをめぐる病だ。

During the past four decades, a series of steps have been taken to tackle the problem. The electoral systems of both houses of the Diet have been reformed. The Political Fund Control Law has been revised to remove special-interest money from politics, while the guilt-by-association rule concerning elections has been enhanced.
But the politicians who created the new rules have installed convenient loopholes. The current situation is nowhere close to the elimination of doubt and the restoration of public trust in politics.
　この間、衆参両院の選挙制度が改まり、政治資金規正法の見直しや連座制の強化など、それなりの手だてが講じられてはきた。だが法律をつくる政治家自身の手によって抜け道もしっかり用意され、疑惑の根絶と信頼の回復にはほど遠い。

Just recently, Akira Amari resigned as economy minister over his dubious relations with a construction company. And a month ago Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe stepped down after he failed to offer convincing explanations about his seemingly inappropriate use of political funds.
　最近も、業者との不透明な関係を追及され、甘利明氏が経済再生担当相を辞任した。舛添要一氏が政治資金の使途の疑念にこたえられないまま、都庁を去ったのは１カ月前のことだ。

Despite all these and other money scandals involving politicians, lawmakers, especially those of the LDP, remain reluctant to make any vigorous response to the deep-seated problem.
　にもかかわらず政治の側、とりわけ自民党の動きは鈍い。

During their campaigns for the July 10 Upper House election, most parties other than the LDP, including the LDP’s junior coalition partner, Komeito, the main opposition Democratic Party, the Japanese Communist Party and the Initiatives from Osaka, promised to take measures to clean up the rot in politics, although their proposals differed in content and strength.
The promised measures included imposing stronger responsibility on politicians to oversee the acts of their secretaries, injecting greater transparency into the expenditures of political funds and state-financed expenses for political activities, and banning political donations by companies and other organizations.
　先の参院選で、公明、民進、共産、おおさか維新などの各党は、主張する内容や濃淡に違いはあったものの、秘書に対する政治家の監督責任の強化、政治資金や国から支払われる活動経費の透明化、企業・団体献金の禁止など、浄化へのとり組みをそれぞれ公約にかかげた。

But the LDP, which has Amari among its members and supported Masuzoe in the previous Tokyo gubernatorial election, made no reference to this problem in its campaign platform.
　ところが甘利氏が所属し、前回の都知事選で舛添氏をかついだ自民党は、政策集の中でこの問題にいっさい触れなかった。

This kind of attitude only widens the distance between citizens and politics and deepens public cynicism.
　こうした姿勢が、ふつうの人と政治との距離を広げ、不信の根を深くする。

Although the LDP won a major victory in the Upper House election, the ruling party will be long remembered for its failure to make a serious response to scandals involving its members and allies.
選挙には勝ったが、「身内の醜聞にも正面から向き合わない」との評価は、この先ついてまわるだろう。

We urge the other parties, including Komeito, to make nonpartisan efforts to find common ground on this issue and create a situation that prods the reluctant LDP into action.
　公明をふくむ他の政党は、与野党の垣根をこえて合意点を探り、自民党が重い腰を上げざるを得ない状況をつくりだしてほしい。

What they should do first is to make all flows of money into politics completely transparent and establish a system in which citizens can always check and evaluate the flows.
まずとり組むべきは、すべてのカネの流れをガラス張りにして、市民が常に点検し評価できる環境を整えることだ。

Tanaka left another big blot in the history of Japanese politics.
　田中氏に関してはもう一つ、忘れてはならない汚点がある。

One and a half years before he was arrested, Tanaka was forced to resign as prime minister amid allegations about his shady financial connections. At that time, he pledged to “clarify the truth someday to win people’s understanding.”
　逮捕の１年半前、いわゆる金脈問題がとどめとなって首相を辞した際、氏は「いずれ真実を明らかにして、国民の理解を得てまいりたい」と表明した。

But he died without carrying out his promise. Now, both Amari and Masuzoe remain silent about the allegations against them, apparently waiting for the storm of criticism to pass.
　しかし約束はついに果たされなかった。そしていま、甘利、舛添両氏とも、自らの疑惑についてだんまりを決めこみ、批判の嵐が過ぎるのを待つ。

Nowadays, there is a growing wave of positive reviews about Tanaka’s political record, probably due in part to nostalgic feelings about his era, when the Japanese economy was growing rapidly.
　右肩上がりだった時代への郷愁も手伝ってか、田中氏再評価の動きがさかんだ。

But the dark role of big money in politics and politicians’ inability to be honest and straightforward with the public about money are both negative legacies from the era that still haunt Japanese politics 40 years after the downfall of the powerful, but corrupt politician.
だがカネをめぐる黒い体質と国民に対する不実は、４０年を経てなお、清算されていない負の遺産である。

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 25
EDITORIAL: ‘Brexit’ vote must not trigger wave of global nationalism
（社説）英国がＥＵ離脱へ　内向き志向の連鎖を防げ

The British people’s decision to pull their country out of the European Union has sent shock waves across the world.
　英国の民意が世界に衝撃を走らせた。

The stunning decision could turn out to be the biggest tectonic shift in the world order since the end of the Cold War.
冷戦が終わって以降の世界秩序の中で、最大の地殻変動となりかねない出来事だ。

A majority of votes cast in the June 23 referendum on whether to leave the EU or remain in the bloc were for “Brexit.” Britons have decided that their country should not be part of an integrated Europe.
　欧州連合（ＥＵ）からの離脱か残留かを問うた国民投票で、離脱が過半数を占めた。英国は統合欧州の一員であるべきではない、との結論である。

Since the end of World War II, Europe has moved steadily toward integration. Britain’s withdrawal from the EU will be a historic development that runs counter to this movement, launched with a pledge of no more war in Europe.
　先の大戦後、不戦の誓いを起点に脈々と前進してきた欧州統合の歩みが、初めて逆行する。

Britain is the second largest economy in Europe and has unique global influence, a legacy of the British Empire. Its secession from the EU will have immeasurable effects on the entire world.
域内第２の経済力と、かつての覇権国家として特異な影響力をもつ英国の離脱は、計り知れない波紋を広げるだろう。

The outcome of the referendum is also a sign of the British people's will to resist globalization, which has accelerated since the end of the Cold War. They have run out of patience with the trend of many countries sharing rules on important issues such as immigration and trade.
　この英国民の選択は、冷戦後加速したグローバル化に対する抵抗の意思表示でもある。移民や貿易など様々なルールを多くの国々で共有する流れに、国民の辛抱が続かなかった。

This anti-globalization sentiment is, however, not unique to Britain. In the United States and in other parts of Europe, groups trying to take advantage of growing public resentment toward globalization to promote their political agenda for closing the doors of their nations are gaining ground.
　それは英国特有の現象ではない。米国や欧州各国でも、グローバル化に矛先が向く国民の不満に乗じて国を閉ざそうという主張が勢いを増している。

At a time when countries should make united efforts to counter burgeoning narrow-minded nationalism, Britain has opted to take the path of expanding the scope of its unilateral actions. In mapping out its future course, Britain will have to navigate through uncharted waters.
　ナショナリズムの台頭に、主要国がいっそう結束を強めて立ち向かうべきときに、英国自身が単独行動を広げる道を選ぶというのだ。これからの英国の針路は海図なき航海となろう。

No matter how the country’s negotiations with the EU over its withdrawal pan out, the two sides should not lose sight of the importance of maintaining close cooperation.
　今後の離脱交渉の行方がどうなるにせよ、英国とＥＵは連携の関係を見失ってはならない。

Britain and the EU can secure mutual benefits and contribute to stability in the world only when they work closely together to tackle challenges.
両者は協調し合ってこそ、互いに利益を高め、ひいては世界の安定に資することができる。

We strongly hope that the two sides will figure out a way to build a new constructive relationship without undermining the movement toward European integration.
　欧州統合の流れに水を差すことなく、英国とＥＵ双方が新たな建設的関係を築く落着点を何とか探ってほしい。

CHALLENGE IS HOW TO HEAL THE DIVISION
　■分断の修復が課題

The outcome of this referendum should not be allowed to serve as a starting point for a new, dark chapter of world history in which citizens around the world become estranged from one another.
　この投票結果を、世界の市民が離反し合う不幸な歴史の起点にしてはならない。

The first thing is to heal the rift in British society. The bitterly fought referendum left the nation sharply divided.
そのために、まず修復すべきは足元の英国社会だ。激戦となった国民投票は、英国民を分断した。

Campaign debates were often dominated by remarks designed to emphasize the threats of an economic crisis or immigrants.
　論戦では、経済危機や移民の脅威をあおる言動が相次いだ。

Amid heightened tensions due to a heated confrontation between the two camps, a member of parliament in the Remain camp was shot to death.
対立感情が高ぶった空気の中で、残留派の国会議員が射殺されるという痛ましい事件も起きた。

British society is now gripped by a dangerously charged atmosphere.
英国社会には、いまも不穏な空気が漂っている。

Prime Minister David Cameron, who passionately called for votes to remain in the EU, has announced he will step down by autumn.
　残留を唱えたキャメロン首相は秋までに辞任する意向を示した。

It is, to be sure, natural for the country to have a new leader to draw up a road map for the future.
確かに、今後の国の針路を描くうえで新しい指導者を選出するのは自然なことだろう。

But his own Conservative Party has been divided between the Leave and the Remain camps. Scotland, which has a strong sense of belonging to the EU, could make a fresh attempt to become independent.
　ただ、首相が属する保守党内も両派で割れている。ＥＵへの帰属意識の高いスコットランドは改めて独立へ動きかねない。

Britain seems to be in for a prolonged period of political turmoil.
政治の混乱は尾を引きそうだ。

Both Cameron and his successor will have to act swiftly to heal the rift within the country and create a conductive environment for cool-headed discussions on the country’s relations with the EU and its position in the world.
　キャメロン首相も後継者も、国内でくすぶる対立を鎮め、ＥＵとの関係や、世界での英国の立ち位置を冷静に考える環境づくりを急がねばなるまい。

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION KEY
　■国際協調の道こそ

Britain, which had a mighty empire in the 19th century, entered a period of serious stagnation in the late 20th century. It was able to shed stagnation and attain new prosperity because it opened its door to the world and rode the wave of globalization to enhance its competitiveness, especially in the financial services industry.
　１９世紀の世界を制した英国は２０世紀後半、深刻な停滞の時期を迎えた。その苦悩から脱し、繁栄を築けたのは、積極的に国を開いてグローバル経済の波に乗り、金融を筆頭に様々な得意分野を広げたからだ。

But British citizens who have not benefited from their country’s economic growth have become increasingly disgruntled with the system and worried about their future. As a result, British society as a whole has developed an inward-looking attitude.
　ただ、その恩恵が届かない市民の不満や不安は高まり、全体的に内向き志向が強まった。

Besides people drawn to the reactionary argument that Britain should regain “sovereignty,” many other Britons voted for leaving the EU because of their economic discontent.
復古的な主権回復派だけでなく、経済の不満から離脱を選んだ国民が多かったとみられる。

Despite the fact that their country has achieved economic growth due to the lowered barriers of national borders, British people have made clear their wish to see high border walls built up again.
　国境の垣根が低くなったことで経済が発展しながら、国民感情は国境の壁の再建を望む。

This twisted public psychology has also been behind the Trump Phenomenon in the United States and the recent rise of rightist political forces in many other European countries.
そんな倒錯した状況から生まれるものとしては、米国のトランプ現象や、欧州各国での右翼の躍進もほぼ同じ脈絡にある。

Britain’s decision could trigger a wave of movements toward secession from the EU in other member countries.
　英国に続けとばかりに、他のＥＵ加盟国でも離脱の機運が高まりかねない。

If in such a political climate Trump is elected U.S. president and Marine Le Pen, the leader of the rightist National Front of France, is elected French president next year, the world will be filled with policies of intolerance.
もし米国の大統領選でもトランプ氏が当選したら、さらに来年のフランス大統領選で右翼ルペン氏が勝つような事態になれば、世界は不寛容な政策に満ちてしまう。

The situation where the world is dominated by this inward-looking trend must be prevented.
　内向き志向の潮流が、世界を覆う事態を防がねばならない。

The spread of narrow-minded and self-centered unilateralism among countries will make it impossible for the world to grapple with challenges such as global warming, the proliferation of terrorism and loopholes in taxation.
偏狭な一国中心の考え方が広がれば、地球温暖化やテロ対策、租税問題など、地球規模の問題に対処する能力を世界は鍛えることができなくなってしまう。

It is difficult for any industrial nation to maintain its political health.
　どの先進国も、政治のかじ取りが難しい時代である。

Low economic growth, declining welfare standards due to fiscal strains and widening income gaps are formidable problems common to industrial nations. Politicians everywhere are struggling to find effective solutions to these problems.
低成長と財政難による福祉水準の低下や格差の拡大という問題が共通し、どの国の政治家も解決策どころか有権者への効果的な説明すら見いだしあぐねている。

That’s why expanding international cooperation is the only option for countries in tackling these tough challenges.
　だからこそ、国際協調しか道はない。

All nations should reflect afresh on the fact that the only way to deal with problems transcending national borders is through cooperative actions based on collective experiences and wisdom.
国境を超える問題への対処の道は、各国の経験と知恵を結集した行動しかないことを改めて考えるべきだろう。

We hope Europe will not lose its solid status as a strong, consistent voice for freedom and democratic values.
　自由と民主主義の価値を唱える欧州の強い存在感をこれからも失わないでほしい。

RESPOND TO MARKET TURBULENCE
　■市場の動揺に対処を

The impact of Britain’s decision to leave the EU has roiled stock and currency markets. Leading nations should first focus on responding to confusion in financial markets.
　今回の英国の決定による影響は、株式・為替市場の動揺となって広がっている。まずは眼前の混乱への取り組みが必要だ。

In addition to Britain and the EU, the Group of Seven major industrial nations, which also includes Japan and the United States, should play the leading role in securing emergency policy coordination to calm the unnerved markets.
　英国とＥＵだけでなく、日米なども加わる主要７カ国（Ｇ７）が中心となって、市場の不安をおさえるよう緊急の協調体制を築きたい。

The central banks of the major countries, including the Bank of Japan, are apparently prepared to cooperate in providing cash-strapped financial institutions with dollars.
　日本銀行など各国の中央銀行は金融機関へのドル資金の供給で協力しあう構えだ。

If an unpredictable situation or the necessity of emergency responses arises, they should take flexible and powerful actions in solid cooperation to prevent a full-blown financial crisis.
不測の事態や必要が生じたときには、柔軟かつ強力に危機防止で連携してほしい。

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 24
EDITORIAL: The meaning behind June 23 should be shared beyond Okinawa
（社説）慰霊の日　沖縄戦の記憶、共有を

Okinawa recalled its horrifying experiences in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa and consoled the spirits of the victims on June 23, the 71st anniversary of the end of the bloody warfare. June 23 is a prefecture-designated holiday marking the end of organized fighting by Japanese troops deployed to the southern island prefecture.
　沖縄はきのう、沖縄戦の犠牲者らを悼む慰霊の日を迎えた。

More than seven decades since the end of the devastating battle in the final days of the Pacific War, many scars are left unhealed in Okinawa.
　太平洋戦争末期の沖縄戦から７１年。これほど長い時が過ぎてなお、沖縄では戦禍の傷口を見せつけられる。

U.S. military bases, for instance, occupy 10 percent of the prefecture’s land. Unexploded shells are still discovered frequently in various parts of the prefecture. The remains of the war dead are found in road construction sites.
　例えば、県土の１０％を覆う米軍基地。県内各地で頻繁に見つかる不発弾の処理。そして、道路工事現場などから見つかる戦没者の遺骨だ。

More than 100 sets of remains are uncovered every year. In the last fiscal year, which ended in March, the remains of 103 bodies were discovered. The numbers for the preceding two years were 194 and 263, respectively.
　収骨された遺骨は昨年度が１０３柱、一昨年度は１９４柱、その前年度が２６３柱と、その数は毎年１００柱を超す。

More than 200,000 people died in the Battle of Okinawa. By March this year, 185,224 sets of remains of Japanese war dead had been laid to rest at the national cemetery for people who died in the Battle of Okinawa in the Mabuni district of Itoman, the site of the last major fighting in the warfare, according to the prefectural government.
　沖縄戦では、２０万人余が死亡した。県によると、そのうち日本人の遺骨は今年３月までに１８万５２２４柱が収骨され、糸満市摩文仁（まぶに）の国立沖縄戦没者墓苑で眠っている。

The remains of nearly 3,000 Japanese victims have yet to be found.
それでもまだ３千柱近くが見つかっていないという。

In the Battle of Okinawa, 66,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians in the military services from other parts of Japan died along with 28,000 from Okinawa Prefecture. In addition, an estimated 94,000 non-military residents of the prefecture, or a quarter of the prefectural population, were killed.
　当時の軍人・軍属の死者は、県外出身者が６万６千人、沖縄県出身者は２万８千人。一般県民の死者は９万４千人と推定される。実に県民の４分の１が犠牲になった。

Although many remains are still waiting to be discovered, the task of gathering them has been left to private-sector volunteers. As a result, the work has been proceeding at a glacial pace.
　おびただしい遺骨があることはわかっているのに、収骨作業は民間ボランティア頼みで、なかなか進まなかった。

A law mandating the government to collect all remains of the war dead finally came into force in April.
In response, the government has decided to make intensive efforts to collect the remains over the next nine years. The government should take this opportunity to make up for lost time.
　ようやく今年４月、国に収骨を義務づける戦没者遺骨収集推進法が施行され、９年後までに集中的に収集することになった。これまでの遅れを取り戻してもらいたい。

The June 23 official memorial ceremony, sponsored by the prefectural government, was held at the Peace Memorial Park in Mabuni. But a spirit-consoling service was also held in front of the gate of Camp Schwab, a U.S. military base in the Henoko district of Nago.
　慰霊の日、摩文仁で開かれた県主催の全戦没者追悼式とは別に、名護市辺野古にある米軍キャンプ・シュワブのゲート前でも、慰霊祭が開かれた。

Immediately after the Battle of Okinawa ended, the U.S. military established an internment camp for Japanese civilians. Many residents of the prefecture, ranging from an estimated 20,000 to 40,000, spent several months in the camp. A number of civilian prisoners of war died in the camp from malaria, malnutrition and other reasons.
　沖縄戦直後、米軍がここに民間人の収容所を設置し、２万人とも４万人とも言われる住民が数カ月間、暮らした。その間、マラリアや栄養失調で亡くなる人が相次いだという。

The construction of Camp Schwab started around 1956. But a citizens group opposed to the proposed relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from Ginowan in central Okinawa Prefecture to Henoko started holding the spirit-consoling service last year, believing there are still unfound remains within the camp.
　キャンプ・シュワブの建設は１９５６年ごろから始まったが、「遺骨はまだ残っているはずだ」と、米軍普天間飛行場の辺野古移設に反対する市民団体が昨年から慰霊祭を始めた。

With the law promoting the collection of war dead remains taking effect, the government has pledged to carry out such work in U.S. bases as well.
　遺骨収集推進法の施行を受けて、政府は米軍基地内の遺骨収集にも取り組むという。

The U.S. military should cooperate with efforts to ensure an early completion of the project.
米軍もぜひ協力し、一刻も早く収骨を実現してほしい。

People in Okinawa are still suffering from the excessive burden of hosting so many U.S. military bases within their prefecture. The central government has stuck stubbornly to the Futenma relocation plan despite strong opposition among people in Okinawa.
The prefecture was recently shocked by the arrest of a former U.S. Marine working as a civilian at the Kadena Air Base in the prefecture on suspicion of raping and murdering a 20-year-old woman. Her body was found in a wooded area after she went missing in late April.
　普天間飛行場の県内移設に向けた政府の強硬姿勢、米軍属による女性殺害・強姦（ごうかん）容疑事件の発生など、沖縄県民はいまも過重な基地負担にあえいでいる。

The suffering of Okinawan people due to the heavy U.S. military presence in the prefecture is inseparable from their memories of the Battle of Okinawa.
その苦悩は、沖縄戦の記憶と切り離すことはできない。

The central government and Japanese living in the mainland need to understand the full meaning of June 23 and reflect afresh on the history of suffering experienced by people in Okinawa.
　政府や本土の国民は「慰霊の日」の意味を共有し、沖縄が経験した苦難の歴史に、改めて思いを巡らす契機としたい。

The Yomiuri Shimbun
After DPRK launches, Japan must squarely face severe security situation
北ミサイル発射　安保環境の深刻化を直視せよ

The threat to the security of Japan and the United States has become more severe. We should step up our vigilance.
　日米の安全保障上の脅威が深刻化した。警戒を強めるべきだ。

North Korea has launched two missiles thought to be Musudan midrange ballistic missiles. The first missile exploded in midair, but the second flew about 400 kilometers before it plunged into the Sea of Japan. The second missile reportedly reached an altitude of more than 1,000 kilometers.
　北朝鮮が、中距離弾道ミサイル「ムスダン」とみられるミサイル２発を発射した。１発目は空中爆発したが、２発目は約４００キロ飛行し、日本海に落下した。高度も１０００キロを超したという。

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said the launches “showed a certain degree of capability as midrange ballistic missiles.”
　中谷防衛相は、「中距離弾道ミサイルとしての一定の機能が示された」との見方を示した。

North Korea launched four missiles in April and May that all failed. It must be acknowledged that North Korea, by repeatedly conducting test launches, is steadily improving its technological competence and boosting the accuracy and capability of its missiles.
　４～５月に発射した４発は失敗に終わっていた。発射実験を重ねることで、技術力が着実に向上し、ミサイルの精度や性能が高まっていると受け止める必要がある。

Musudan missiles use mobile launchers and are estimated to have a range of up to 4,000 kilometers. Its targets are assumed to be U.S. military bases in Guam and Japan.
　ムスダンは移動式発射台を使用し、推定射程は最大４０００キロとされる。グアムや日本の米軍基地を標的に想定しているという。

U.N. Security Council sanction resolutions prohibit North Korea from launching ballistic missiles. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe criticized the launches as “clear violations” of the resolutions. “We can never condone it,” he said. This was a natural response.
　国連安全保障理事会の制裁決議は北朝鮮の弾道ミサイル発射を禁止している。安倍首相は「明白な国連決議違反だ。絶対に許せない」と非難した。当然の対応だ。

Representatives and experts from the six nations involved in talks on the North Korean nuclear issue are holding an international conference in Beijing. Officials from North Korean authorities are also taking part. Firing missiles at this particular time appears to be a demonstration of Pyongyang’s continuing nuclear and missile development, and a show of defiance directly aimed at the international community.
　北京では、北朝鮮の核問題を巡る６か国協議の代表や有識者による国際会議が開催中で、北朝鮮当局者も出席している。この時期の発射は、核・ミサイル開発続行の示威活動ともみられ、国際社会に正面から反旗を翻すものだ。

DP, JCP ignore reality

China is also escalating its maritime advances. On June 9, a Chinese military vessel entered the contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture for the first time. Another military ship also intruded into Japan’s territorial waters off Kagoshima Prefecture and the contiguous zone around Kita-Daitojima island.
　中国も海洋進出をエスカレートさせている。中国軍艦は９日、尖閣諸島の接続水域に初めて進入した。鹿児島県沖の領海や、北大東島の接続水域にも入った。

Security-related bills that were passed in September 2015 permit a limited exercise of the right of collective self-defense, and make it possible for the Self-Defense Forces to defend U.S. military ships. To prepare for unforeseen situations, it is vital that the laws are appropriately implemented and continuous efforts are made to boost deterrence.
　昨年９月に成立した安全保障関連法は、集団的自衛権の行使を限定容認し、自衛隊による米軍艦船の防護を可能にした。不測の事態に備えて、安保関連法を適切に運用し、抑止力を高める努力を継続することが肝要である。

We have questions about the assertion by the Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party, which will collaborate in the House of Councillors election, that they still call for the abolition of the security legislation package.
　疑問なのは、参院選で共闘する民進、共産両党がなお、安保関連法の廃止を主張することだ。

DP leader Katsuya Okada emphasized the Japan-U.S. alliance must not be turned into “an alliance of blood.” While Okada made this comment during a street speech, was it not demagogy itself?
　民進党の岡田代表は、日米同盟を「血の同盟」にしてはならないと強調した。街頭演説とはいえ、扇動そのものではないか。

In connection with the abolition of the laws, Okada also explained that he “isn’t saying the DP will abolish” the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, and that the alliance will not become “distorted.” His comments can be described only as opportunism.
　岡田氏は、関連法廃止について「日米安保条約を廃棄するとは言っていない。日米同盟がおかしくなることはない」とも説明する。ご都合主義と言うほかない。

Strengthening Japan-U.S. defense cooperation based on the laws will contribute to the stability of Asia, and has been highly evaluated by the international community. The alliance relationship must not be allowed to stray off course by abolishing the laws.
　安保関連法を基盤にした日米防衛協力の強化は、アジアの安定に寄与するもので、国際社会も高く評価している。廃止によって同盟関係を迷走させてはならない。

JCP leader Kazuo Shii even went so far as saying his party would gradually dissolve the SDF, which it considers “unconstitutional.” This is unrealistic in the extreme.
　共産党の志位委員長は、「違憲」の自衛隊を段階的に解消するとまで言う。非現実的に過ぎる。

Arguments that ignore Japan’s security environment will not be able to win the support of the people.
　安保環境を無視した議論は、国民の支持を得られまい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 23, 2016)