The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 16, 2012)
Govt must explain historical facts to the rest of the world
８月１５日　「史実」の国際理解を広げたい（8月15日付・読売社説）

　◆日本の発信・説得力が問われる◆

Sixty-seven years have passed since then. Today marks the anniversary of the end of World War II for Japan. This is a day to remember the war dead who laid the foundation for Japan's postwar prosperity.
　あれから６７年。終戦の日を迎えた。繁栄する日本の礎となった戦没者を追悼する一日である。

But almost as if to coincide with this day, South Korean President Lee Myung Bak brazenly visited the Takeshima islands in Shimane Prefecture without any hesitation. We consider his visit extremely regrettable.
　ところが、この日に照準を合わせたかのように韓国の李明博大統領が島根県・竹島への訪問を強行して、はばかるところがない。極めて残念だ。

Why did South Korea make such an outrageous move at this particular time?
　なぜ今、韓国がこうした暴挙に出たのだろうか。

Lee flaunted Seoul's effective control of the islets over which Japan and South Korea remain locked in a standoff over territorial rights. He also referred to the issue of the so-called wartime comfort women. He asserted that Japan has failed to show sincerity on the issue, although it has been raised during a summit meeting with the Japanese prime minister.
　李大統領は、領有権をめぐる日韓対立が続く竹島の支配を誇示するとともに、いわゆる従軍慰安婦問題に言及した。首脳会談で提起したのに日本政府が「誠意を示していない」とも語っている。

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Anti-Japan feeling whipped up
　◆あおられた反日感情◆

It is generally believed that Lee, who has seen his influence wane as his term as president draws to a close, was attempting to show his "achievement" as the first South Korean head of state to visit the Takeshima islands.
　政権末期で求心力を失った李大統領は、「初めて竹島を訪問した国家元首」という“業績”を残そうとしたとの見方が一般的だ。

Deep-rooted anti-Japan sentiment remains in South Korea, which was once under Japan's colonial rule. Lee's actions also can be perceived as populism designed to tap that national sentiment.
　日本の植民地支配を受けた韓国には根強い「反日感情」がある。そこに訴えた大衆迎合主義（ポピュリズム）とも言えよう。

During the London Olympics, a South Korean soccer player held up a paper sign reading "Dokdo is our land" while celebrating his team's win over Japan in the third-place playoff. The Takeshima islands are called Dokdo in South Korea. The player's act was blatantly a political activity at a games venue, which is prohibited by the Olympic Charter.
　ロンドン五輪で男子サッカーの３位を決める日韓戦の後、勝利した韓国の一選手が「独島（竹島の韓国側呼称）はわが領土」と書いた紙を掲げる一幕があった。五輪憲章が禁止する、競技会場での政治的活動であるのは明らかだ。

There is no doubt that Lee's recent actions have recklessly whipped up nationalism among the South Korean people.
　李大統領の行動が、韓国国民のナショナリズムをいたずらにかきたてたのは間違いない。

Japan-South Korea relations, which appear to be sound, are actually fragile and could suddenly collapse when issues of historical perceptions become politicized. Both sides must make efforts to overcome differences in their perceptions of history and build a constructive relationship.
　良好に見える日韓関係も、政治に歴史認識問題が絡むと、一気に崩れる脆弱(ぜいじゃく)さをはらんでいる。歴史認識の違いを乗り越え、建設的な関係を築いていく努力が日韓双方に必要である。

Meanwhile, South Korea has hosted a summit meeting of the Group of 20 major economies as well as the Nuclear Security Summit. The post of U.N. secretary general is held by a South Korean. That nation has produced many world-class companies, such as Samsung and Hyundai Motor Co., that rival Japanese companies.
　一方、韓国は主要２０か国・地域（Ｇ２０）首脳会議や核安全サミットの主催国ともなった。国連事務総長には韓国人が就任している。サムスンや現代自動車など日本企業に匹敵する世界的な企業も数多く誕生した。

Lee himself said Japan no longer wields the international influence it once did. It should be noted that Seoul apparently is attaching less importance to some aspects of its relations with Japan as a result of confidence bred by South Korea's rapid economic growth.
　大統領自身、「日本はかつてのような国際的な影響力はない」と述べている。韓国が急速な経済成長を遂げた結果、以前ほど日本との関係を重視しなくなった面にも留意しなければなるまい。

Japan intends to file a suit on the Takeshima issue with the International Court of Justice. At the same time, we believe the government should strongly urge Seoul to refrain from making further efforts to impose its illegal occupation of the islands.
　日本は竹島問題を国際司法裁判所に提訴する方針だ。同時に、韓国に対して、不法占拠をこれ以上強化しないよう強く自制を求めるべきである。

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Territorial dispute with Russia
　◆領土問題に積極姿勢を◆

A territorial dispute is also causing friction in Japan's relations with Russia.
　ロシアとの関係でも、同様の問題が浮上している。

In November 2010, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Kunashiri--one of the four islands off Hokkaido claimed by Japan but which have been held by Russia since the end of World War II. In July this year, Medvedev, this time as prime minister, conducted an inspection tour of the same island.
　一昨年１１月、当時のメドベージェフ露大統領は北方領土の国後島を訪れた。今年７月にも再び首相として国後島を視察している。

Moscow probably wants to demonstrate to people at home and overseas that Russia acquired the islands--the northern territories of Japan--as a result of the war and has been promoting development projects there on its own.
　ロシア側は先の大戦の結果として北方領土を領有し、しかも独自に開発を進めていることを内外にアピールしたいのだろう。

Moreover, in view of the fact that Russia's oil and natural gas development projects in Sakhalin in the Russian Far East have been proceeding steadily, Moscow apparently is telling Tokyo it will no longer need Japan's assistance in developing the four islands.
　さらに、極東サハリン州で石油・天然ガス開発は着実に進んでおり、もはや北方領土への日本の支援は必要ない、と日本を牽制(けんせい)する狙いもうかがえる。

In fact, South Korean firms have taken part in development projects on Etorofu and Shikotan islands. If the situation continues like this, the "Russianization" of the northern territories will only advance further.
　実際、択捉島や色丹島では、韓国の企業が開発に参画している。このままでは北方領土の「ロシア化」が進むのは避けられない。

On the other hand, bolstering Japan-Russia relations will be indispensable in countering China, which has been increasing its presence through its growing economic and military might.
　一方で、経済・軍事力で膨張を続ける中国に向き合うためにも、日露関係の強化は欠かせない。

The government must rework its strategy for resolving the territorial dispute with Moscow from many angles.
　政府は、複眼的な視点に立って北方領土問題解決への戦略を練り直さなければならない。

Historical claims made by South Korea and Russia are being heard over the world. The Japanese government should handle these territorial issues with a stronger sense of urgency.
　韓国やロシアの主張する「歴史」が世界に拡散しつつある。日本政府は、もっと危機感を持って対処すべきである。

A cenotaph for the comfort women was installed at a public library in a small town near New York City in 2010. An inscription on the plaque reads: "In memory of the more than 200,000 women and girls who were abducted by the armed forces of the government of Imperial Japan."
　一昨年、米国ニューヨーク近郊の小さな町の公立図書館に「日本軍に拉致された２０万人以上の女性と少女のために」などと記された慰安婦の碑が設置された。

Korean-Americans have been promoting the movement to build such cenotaphs in various parts of the United States. The movement is apparently aimed at generating pressure on Japan from the United States.
　韓国系米国人によって、こうした碑を米国各地に建設する運動が進められている。米国発の対日圧力を強めるのが狙いだろう。

The comfort women issue became more prominent following a statement by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993.
　慰安婦問題がここまで広がっている根底には、１９９３年の河野官房長官談話の存在がある。

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Kono's remarks problematic
　◆誤解広める河野談話◆

His statement included a portion indicating as if the women were systematically and forcibly made comfort women by Japanese authorities at the time. This opened the door to greater misunderstanding on the issue. In the end, no documents that could prove there was any truth to what Kono had suggested have been found.
　日本の官憲が組織的、強制的に女性を慰安婦にしたかのような記述があり、誤解を広めることになった。しかし、結局、こうした事実を裏付ける資料的な根拠は見つからなかった。

It has been widely publicized in the United States that Korean girls and women were abducted by the Japanese military and used as comfort women. Due to the existence of Kono's statement, the Japanese government cannot refute this effectively. This is extremely problematic.
　「日本軍によって拉致され、慰安婦にされた」と米国で喧伝(けんでん)されているが、この談話の存在のため、日本政府が有効な反論ができないことは極めて問題である。

Tokyo should thoroughly explain both at home and abroad the historical facts and background surrounding the Takeshima, northern territories and comfort women issues.
　日本政府は、竹島、北方領土、そして慰安婦などの歴史の事実関係を、国内はもとより、広く海外にも説明すべきだ。

In August, when we remember the end of the war, it is essential to disseminate Japan's position on these issues to the international community in an effort to seek its understanding and support.
　終戦を思い起こす８月の機会に、国際社会に日本の立場を積極的に発信し、理解と支持を獲得していくことが大切である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 15, 2012)
（2012年8月15日01時37分 読売新聞）