The Yomiuri Shimbun
China must restrain its activities in waters around the Senkakus
尖閣領海侵入 中国は示威活動を自制せよ

We cannot overlook China’s obvious attempt to change the status quo by force. We strongly demand that China restrain itself.
力による現状変更の狙いが明白であり、看過できない。中国には、強く自制を求めたい。

Around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, Beijing has made demonstrative activities by using a number of government vessels belonging to the China Coast Guard, unilaterally escalating the situation.
尖閣諸島周辺で、中国が多数の海警局所属の公船による示威活動を展開し、一方的にエスカレートさせている。

Since Friday, Chinese vessels have intruded into Japan’s territorial waters on more than 10 occasions. The number of Chinese government vessels entering Japan’s territorial waters has gradually increased, and on Monday morning, a record 14 vessels simultaneously sailed in the contiguous zone around the Senkakus.
5日以降、日本の領海に10回以上も侵入した。公船は徐々に増加し、8日午前には、過去最多の14隻が接続水域を同時航行した。

The Senkaku Islands are an inherent territory of Japan both historically and under international law and have consistently been under the effective control of Japan. The intrusion of Chinese vessels into Japan’s territorial waters is obviously an infringement of Japan’s sovereignty.
尖閣諸島は歴史的にも国際法上も日本固有の領土であり、日本が一貫して実効支配している。領海侵入は明確な主権の侵害だ。

It is only natural that Shinsuke Sugiyama, vice minister for foreign affairs, has strongly and repeatedly protested to Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua, saying such actions “significantly raises tensions in the area.”
杉山晋輔外務次官が程永華駐日中国大使に対し、「現場の緊張を著しく高める」などと厳重な抗議を重ねたのは当然である。

China may have been repulsed by Japan’s call on China to accept the ruling made by the court of arbitration, which dismissed Beijing’s claims that its sovereignty covers almost all of the South China Sea. However, there is no legitimacy to China’s logic, words and deeds.
中国には、南シナ海での主権の主張を否定した仲裁裁判所の判決受け入れを日本が求めていることへの反発もあろう。だが、中国の論理と言動には正当性がない。

The Japanese government must respond in a level-headed and resolute manner.
日本政府には、冷静かつ毅然きぜんとした対処が求められる。

A major problem is that these government vessels seemingly have been cooperating in their intrusive activities with hundreds of Chinese fishing boats. It is a common practice for China to dispatch government vessels to the area under the pretext of “guarding” or “supervising and guiding” fishing boats and intrude into the territorial waters of other countries and expand its control over areas by force, thereby rendering the situation a fait accompli.
問題なのは、公船が数百隻もの中国漁船と連携しているとみられることだ。自国の漁船の「護衛」や「監督・指導」の名目で、公船を派遣し、領海侵入や強引な支配拡大などを既成事実化するのは、中国の常套じょうとう手段である。

Japan must heighten guard

China has “maritime militia,” fishermen who are trained and organized. They sometimes serve as vanguards in disputed waters, under the instructions of the Chinese military. Japan should keep its guard up against them.
中国には、漁民を訓練して組織化した「海上民兵」が存在する。軍の指示で、係争海域で「先兵役」を担うこともあるという。十分に警戒せねばならない。

By spring, the Japan Coast Guard organized a system in which 12 patrol vessels would constantly keep watch over waters around the Senkakus. It is important to build new patrol vessels and further increase and reinforce personnel future.
海上保安庁は今春までに、巡視船12隻が専従で尖閣諸島周辺海域を警備する体制を整えた。今後も、新規巡視船の建造や要員の増強などを進めることが大切だ。

We also must not overlook the fact that China has installed radar and surveillance camera equipment on a sea-based facility where China is developing a gas field near the Japan-China intermediary line in the East China Sea.
中国が東シナ海の日中中間線付近にあるガス田の海上施設に、レーダーと監視カメラを設置したことも見過ごせない。

The radar is believed to be used to scan a small area of the sea and does not have the capability of keeping track of aircraft. But there is a possibility the device will become the first step in building a military site. Should the radar’s capabilities be upgraded later on, the activities of the Self-Defense Forces could be monitored, possibly affecting Japan’s security. We should pay close attention to China’s actions down the road.
周辺の水上捜索が目的で、航空機などの確認能力はないとされるが、軍事拠点化への一歩の可能性がある。いずれ能力が高まれば、自衛隊の活動を監視され、日本の安全保障にも影響しかねない。今後の動きを注視すべきだ。

In order to avoid any untoward incident, it is important for the Japanese and Chinese governments to continue dialogues on various levels. It is also essential for the SDF and China’s military to take confidence-building measures.
不測の事態を回避するには、日中両政府が様々なレベルで対話を重ねることが大切だ。自衛隊と中国軍の信頼醸成も欠かせない。

China has refused to negotiate with Japan over the joint development of natural gas fields, and there has been no progress in bilateral talks on a “maritime liaison mechanism” aimed at preventing accidental clashes between the aircrafts and ships of the SDF and China.
中国は、ガス田の日中共同開発の交渉を拒み、艦船などの偶発的衝突を防ぐ「海上連絡メカニズム」の協議も進んでいない。

During a foreign ministerial meeting between Japan and China held in Laos in late July, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is said to have acknowledged the need for talks between the two countries. Easing tensions with its neighboring countries will also benefit China itself. We hope China will agree to hold bilateral talks.
7月末のラオスでの日中外相会談では、王毅外相が一連の協議の必要性は認めたという。周辺国との緊張の緩和は、中国自身の利益でもある。実行を求めたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 9, 2016)

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