バラク・オバマ米大統領の東京滞在中、安倍晋三日本国首相は共同記者会見で米国大統領のことを「バラク」と繰り返し呼んだ。米大統領が日本国首相のことを「シンゾー」と呼んだのは、銀座ですしをおごられた時だけだった。この非対称が巷では面白おかしい憶測のタネになっている。
米国大統領は現在(日本時間で4月28日午後5時)マニラにいる。大統領は日本訪問のあと、韓国、マレーシアを歴訪した。ホワイトハスのサイトには、パク・クネ韓国大統領との共同記者会見、ナジブ・ラザク首相との共同記者会見が英文テキストになって掲載されている。
それを読むと、パク・クネ大統領は米国大統領をいちども「バラク」と呼ばなかった。オバマ大統領も韓国大統領をいちども「クネ」とは呼ばなかった。マレーシアでもナジブ首相がオバマ大統領を「バラク」と呼ぶことはなかった。オバマ大統領がナジブ首相を肩書抜きで「ナジブ」とよぶこともなかった。
今回のオバマ歴訪では、安倍日本国首相の「オバマ」連呼だけが目立つ。ホワイトハウスの記録を見てみよう。
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) On behalf of the Japanese people, I would like to express my heartfelt welcome to President Barack Obama, who is in Japan as our state guest. Barack and I met at the White House for the first time last year in February. We talked about all the different themes that one could think of. We had talks without reserve and we confirmed that we had the same awareness with regard to issues and that we share common objectives.
The Japan-U.S. alliance has been revived very strongly. And the nature of our talks this time was such that we were able to demonstrate this both inside and outside of the country. Barack said this before -- to create a large economic zone in the Asia Pacific would bring about major benefits to Japan, the United States, and to the Asian nations.
The TPP was indeed a very farsighted plan. As a result of serious exchanges between Barack and myself, Japan was able to make the transition to the next stage, which was to participate in the TPP talks. It’s been one year since then and Japan along with the United States is in a role to lead in a major way the TPP talks. To make the talks between the two leaders a milestone and so as to resolve pending issues between our two countries, Minister Amari and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Froman decided that they would energetically and earnestly continue the talks.
一方、オバマ大統領は、
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Konnichiwa. I want to thank Prime Minister Abe for your kind words and your warm welcome, as well as the outstanding sushi and sake yesterday. It is wonderful to be back in Japan. This is my third visit as President. I’m deeply honored to be making the first state visit by a U.S. President in nearly two decades. I’m grateful to Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress, for their gracious welcome this morning. And I've once again been touched by the kindness and hospitality of the Japanese people -- your omotenashi.
すし屋のおもてなしの謝辞を述べる時もシンゾーではなく「安倍首相」とよんでいる。
この非対称はやはり普通ではない。たとえば、2013年の米国大統領と英国首相の共同記者は次のようである。
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good morning, everybody. Please have a seat. And to all our moms out there, I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day.
It’s always a great pleasure to welcome my friend and partner, Prime Minister David Cameron. Michelle and I have wonderful memories from when David and Samantha visited us last year. There was a lot of attention about how I took David to March Madness -- we went to Ohio. And a year later, we have to confess that David still does not understand basketball -- I still do not understand cricket.
PRIME MINISTER CAMERON: Thank you very much, Barack. And thank you for the warm welcome. It's great to be back here with you in the White House.
また、2011年の共同記者会見では、
PRIME MINISTER CAMERON: Thank you, and apologies for keeping you waiting. It’s a pleasure to welcome President Obama here today.
We've just been having a barbecue in the gardens of Number 10 Downing Street with some of our service -- armed-service personnel from the United States and from the UK. And it was a great reminder of the incredible debt that we owe all of them and their families for their service, for their sacrifice, for all they do to keep us safe. It was a great event and it was wonderful to have Barack and Michelle there.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you, David. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. I am very pleased to be back in the United Kingdom.
I note that you have arranged for typical London weather these past two days, and I am very grateful for that. I want to thank Her Majesty the Queen, and the British people for the extraordinary welcome that has been extended to me and Michelle. It’s a shining example of the genuine warmth and affection that our two nations feel towards one another.
Since David took office last spring, I believe we’ve now met or spoken at least two dozen times. We may be leaders from different political traditions, but on a whole host of issues we see eye to eye.
なぜかは知らねど、バラク・オバマ氏はデービッド・キャメロン氏が相手の時ほど、安倍晋三氏相手では、うちとけた気分になれなかったようである。
(2014.4.28 花崎泰雄)