The Yomiuri Shimbun
China’s attack on Japan’s request at U.N. disarmament confab unacceptable
被爆地訪問要請　中国の横やりは容認できない

Japan simply wants leaders from across the world to visit the sites of atomic bombings to hear and learn about what happened and renew their resolve to abolish nuclear arms. For China as a nuclear power to go out of its way to destroy such a sincere Japanese request cannot be condoned.
世界の指導者が被爆地の実相を見聞きし、核廃絶への決意を新たにしてほしい。そんな日本の真剣な要請に、核保有国の中国が横やりを入れることは認められない。

The Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons being held at the U.N. headquarters is working to compile documents of agreement on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation.
国連本部で開催中の核拡散防止条約（ＮＰＴ）再検討会議は、核軍縮・不拡散などに関する合意文書の作成作業を進めている。

On the 70th anniversary of the war’s end this year, the mission for Japan as the only country to have experienced atomic bombings is to highlight the inhumanity of nuclear arms and encourage nuclear powers to reduce their nuclear arsenals.
戦後７０年の節目を迎え、唯一の被爆国として、核兵器の非人道性を訴え、核保有国に核戦力削減を働きかけるのは日本の使命だ。

An original draft of an outcome document for the U.N. review conference included wording, based on a Japanese request, calling on leaders and young people of the world to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But this was deleted from the draft at the request of China.
素案には当初、日本の提案に基づき、各国の指導者や若者に広島、長崎への訪問を呼びかける記述が盛り込まれていた。しかし、中国の要求で削除された。

To give a reason for its request for deletion, China’s ambassador for disarmament affairs Fu Cong said: “Japan is trying to depict itself not as an offender but as a victim.”
中国の傅聡軍縮大使は、削除要求の理由について「日本は自らを加害者ではなく、被害者として描こうとしている」と語った。

This is an overly selfish assertion that distorts Japan’s intention. China’s argument does not comply with the tenets of the U.N. conference aimed at promoting disarmament. It was very natural that Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga criticized China’s position, saying, “The matter is separate from issues related historical perceptions, so it’s hard to understand China’s assertion.”
日本の意図をねじ曲げる、あまりに身勝手な主張だ。軍縮を推進する会議の趣旨とも合わない。菅官房長官が「そもそも歴史問題とは関係なく、理解に苦しむ」と批判したのは、もっともだ。

Unanimity is the principle for compilation of a document of agreement. But China’s argument for requesting the deletion is unreasonable.
合意文書は全会一致が原則だが、中国の要求は筋が違う。

The government is trying to realize the reinstatement of its requested wording in the final document by making such efforts as sending Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama to the ongoing U.N. conference.
政府は、杉山晋輔外務審議官を現地に派遣するなど、文言の復活に向け巻き返しを図っている。

Leverage for N-arms cut

If political leaders from various countries of the world have opportunities to listen to the experience of hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) and feel the devastation of atomic bombings, it will serve as a driving force for nuclear disarmament. It is imperative for Japan to explain in detail to the countries concerned the significance of visiting the sites of atomic bombing.
各国の政治指導者が被爆者の体験に耳を傾け、原爆の惨禍を肌で感じることは、核軍縮の推進力になる。その意義を関係国に丁寧に説明することが欠かせない。

Although Fu said he had “sympathy for the hibakusha,” it cannot be overlooked that he also said, “Japan started the war, and nuclear bombs were used to end the war.”
看過できないのは、傅大使が「被爆者に同情する」としつつ、「日本が戦争を始め、戦争を終わらせるために核が使われた」と一方的な主張を述べたことだ。

This statement tramples on the feelings of hibakusha. The inhumane action of dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which ended the precious lives of more than 200,000 people, can never be pardoned.
被爆者の感情を踏みにじる発言である。２０万人以上の尊い命を奪った広島、長崎への原爆投下という非人道的な行為は、決して容認できるものではない。

China possesses an estimated 250 nuclear warheads, but has never disclosed the actual number. China is suspected to have been building up its nuclear arsenal, including submarine-launched ballistic missiles, in a move running counter to the global trend toward nuclear disarmament.
中国は、推定約２５０発の核弾頭を保有しているが、実数を公表していない。国際的な核軍縮の流れに逆行し、潜水艦発射弾道ミサイル（ＳＬＢＭ）などの核戦力を増強しているとされる。

Instead of criticizing Japan, Beijing should work toward reducing its nuclear weapons and enhance the transparency of its military buildup.
取り組むべきは、日本批判ではなく、自国の核を削減し、透明性を高めることではないか。

This year has seen China conducting an anti-Japan propaganda campaign linked to historical perceptions. The campaign is believed to be aimed at emphasizing its position as a victim and a victorious country of World War II.
中国は今年、歴史認識に絡めた反日宣伝を展開している。第２次大戦の被害国、戦勝国としての立場をアピールする狙いだろう。

Japan’s postwar positive contribution to world peace and stability is highly lauded by other countries.
だが、戦後日本は、世界の平和と安定に積極的に貢献し、各国から高く評価されている。

The government must refute precisely China’s unreasonable criticism of Japan.
政府は、中国の不当な対日批判には的確に反論すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 16, 2015)