The Yomiuri Shimbun(May. 23, 2009)
Japan should cement ties with Pacific isles at forum
島サミット 環境協力できずなを深めたい（5月23日付・読売社説）
Through providing cooperation in the fields of environment and marine development to small island nations in the Pacific Ocean, Japan, which has nearly 7,000 isolated islands, will also enjoy benefits in the form of acquired expertise in those areas.
太平洋に浮かぶ島嶼(とうしょ)国に対する環境や海洋開発分野の協力は、そこで得た知見が７０００近くの離島を持つ日本自身にも役立つことになろう。
With the participation of leaders and representatives of the Pacific Islands Forum, which comprises 14 nations and regions in the Pacific as well as Australia and New Zealand, the two-day Japan-Pacific Islands Forum summit meeting began Friday in Hokkaido. The triannual meeting is the fifth since 1997.
太平洋の１４か国・地域に豪州、ニュージーランドを加えた太平洋諸島フォーラム（ＰＩＦ）の首脳や代表を招き、太平洋・島サミットが北海道で開かれている。１９９７年以来３年ごとに開催しており、今回で５回目だ。
At the meeting, Prime Minister Taro Aso proposed the creation of a "Pacific environment community," and the participants agreed to work together in dealing with climate change as partners sharing the Pacific.
会議では、麻生首相が「太平洋環境共同体」構想を提唱し、太平洋を共有するパートナーとして環境・気候変動問題に取り組むことで合意した。
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EEZ's potential in focus
For small island nations that have been suffering chronic shortages of power and water, the main pillar of the ongoing cooperation is to spread Japan's advanced environmental technology, including solar power generation and seawater desalination.
慢性的な電力や水の不足に悩む島嶼国に対し、太陽光発電や海水淡水化技術など、日本の先進環境技術を普及させることが協力の柱となる。
Japan's solar power generation technology converts solar energy to electricity at a rate among the most efficient in the world. As for seawater desalination technology, Japanese companies have 60 percent of the global market share in the field of reverse osmosis membrane water purification systems.
日本の太陽光発電技術は、光エネルギーの電気への変換効率が世界最高水準だ。淡水化でも、日本企業の逆浸透膜式浄水システムは世界で６割の占有率を誇る。
In Tuvalu and Kiribati, which are in danger of disappearing beneath the waves due to their low elevation, technologies developed as conservation measures for Okinotorishima island may be useful, including coral transplantation and a technology that creates sand by placing active electrodes in seawater.
海抜が低く水没の危機に瀕(ひん)するツバルやキリバスなどでは、日本が沖ノ鳥島の保全策として取り組んできたサンゴの増殖や、海水に通電して砂地を造成する技術開発が役立ちそうだ。
The provision of cooperation in such fields is expected to yield the side benefit of the transmission of Japan's scientific and technological capabilities to the rest of the world.
こうした分野の協力は、日本の科学技術力を世界に発信する副次的な効果も期待できるだろう。
Japan and small island nations in the Pacific share common development potential and tasks as they all consist of islands scattered across the ocean and have vast exclusive economic zones.
日本と太平洋島嶼国は、海に点在する島々からなり、広大な排他的経済水域（ＥＥＺ）を有する点で、共通の開発ポテンシャル（潜在力）と課題を持つ。
An EEZ is a sea zone over which a country has economic rights in respect of the exploration and use of underground and marine resources. In recent years, Japan has begun full-fledged work on the development of its EEZ.
ＥＥＺは沿岸国に地下資源や漁業資源などの経済的権利を認めるもので、日本も近年、ＥＥＺの開発に本格的に取り組み出した。
However, it is not properly utilizing its about 400 inhabited isolated islands and about 6,400 uninhabited islands, although some of them could serve as hubs for EEZ development.
だが、４００余の有人離島と６４００余の無人島には、ＥＥＺ開発の拠点になり得る島があるにもかかわらず、十分に活用されてきたとは言い難い。
By advancing technological research on the generation of electricity through the utilization of tidal currents and differences in sea temperatures, and research into offshore fish farming, the government should promote the nation's isolated islands and develop its EEZ. Knowledge acquired through such research will also contribute to providing cooperation for small island nations.
潮流や海水温度差を利用した発電、沖合養殖などの技術研究を進め、日本の離島の振興や周辺ＥＥＺの開発につなげるべきだ。それを通じて得たノウハウは島嶼国の協力にも寄与するだろう。
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China, Taiwan dangling carrots
China and Taiwan have been rolling out diplomatic initiatives to boost ties with small island nations in the Pacific by offering huge amount of economic assistance. For the purpose of corralling nations with diplomatic ties, they have hosted multicountry meetings similar to the Japan-Pacific Islands Forum summit.
太平洋島嶼国に対しては、中国と台湾が、多額な援助を武器に国交を働きかける外交合戦を展開している。国交を持つ国を囲い込む形で、島サミットを模した多国間会議も主宰している。
The fact that a field in which Japan is a leader--environmental technology--was picked as the main pillar of the cooperation will highlight the difference between its cooperation and China's assistance diplomacy. We hope respect will be paid to the framework of the Japan-Pacific Islands Forum summit and that cooperation among its members will be strengthened.
日本が優位に立つ環境分野を協力の柱に据えたことは、中国の援助外交との違いを際立たせよう。ＰＩＦの枠組みを尊重し、協力関係を強化していきたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 23, 2009)
（2009年5月23日02時05分 読売新聞）
Japan should cement ties with Pacific isles at forum
島サミット 環境協力できずなを深めたい（5月23日付・読売社説）
Through providing cooperation in the fields of environment and marine development to small island nations in the Pacific Ocean, Japan, which has nearly 7,000 isolated islands, will also enjoy benefits in the form of acquired expertise in those areas.
太平洋に浮かぶ島嶼(とうしょ)国に対する環境や海洋開発分野の協力は、そこで得た知見が７０００近くの離島を持つ日本自身にも役立つことになろう。
With the participation of leaders and representatives of the Pacific Islands Forum, which comprises 14 nations and regions in the Pacific as well as Australia and New Zealand, the two-day Japan-Pacific Islands Forum summit meeting began Friday in Hokkaido. The triannual meeting is the fifth since 1997.
太平洋の１４か国・地域に豪州、ニュージーランドを加えた太平洋諸島フォーラム（ＰＩＦ）の首脳や代表を招き、太平洋・島サミットが北海道で開かれている。１９９７年以来３年ごとに開催しており、今回で５回目だ。
At the meeting, Prime Minister Taro Aso proposed the creation of a "Pacific environment community," and the participants agreed to work together in dealing with climate change as partners sharing the Pacific.
会議では、麻生首相が「太平洋環境共同体」構想を提唱し、太平洋を共有するパートナーとして環境・気候変動問題に取り組むことで合意した。
===
EEZ's potential in focus
For small island nations that have been suffering chronic shortages of power and water, the main pillar of the ongoing cooperation is to spread Japan's advanced environmental technology, including solar power generation and seawater desalination.
慢性的な電力や水の不足に悩む島嶼国に対し、太陽光発電や海水淡水化技術など、日本の先進環境技術を普及させることが協力の柱となる。
Japan's solar power generation technology converts solar energy to electricity at a rate among the most efficient in the world. As for seawater desalination technology, Japanese companies have 60 percent of the global market share in the field of reverse osmosis membrane water purification systems.
日本の太陽光発電技術は、光エネルギーの電気への変換効率が世界最高水準だ。淡水化でも、日本企業の逆浸透膜式浄水システムは世界で６割の占有率を誇る。
In Tuvalu and Kiribati, which are in danger of disappearing beneath the waves due to their low elevation, technologies developed as conservation measures for Okinotorishima island may be useful, including coral transplantation and a technology that creates sand by placing active electrodes in seawater.
海抜が低く水没の危機に瀕(ひん)するツバルやキリバスなどでは、日本が沖ノ鳥島の保全策として取り組んできたサンゴの増殖や、海水に通電して砂地を造成する技術開発が役立ちそうだ。
The provision of cooperation in such fields is expected to yield the side benefit of the transmission of Japan's scientific and technological capabilities to the rest of the world.
こうした分野の協力は、日本の科学技術力を世界に発信する副次的な効果も期待できるだろう。
Japan and small island nations in the Pacific share common development potential and tasks as they all consist of islands scattered across the ocean and have vast exclusive economic zones.
日本と太平洋島嶼国は、海に点在する島々からなり、広大な排他的経済水域（ＥＥＺ）を有する点で、共通の開発ポテンシャル（潜在力）と課題を持つ。
An EEZ is a sea zone over which a country has economic rights in respect of the exploration and use of underground and marine resources. In recent years, Japan has begun full-fledged work on the development of its EEZ.
ＥＥＺは沿岸国に地下資源や漁業資源などの経済的権利を認めるもので、日本も近年、ＥＥＺの開発に本格的に取り組み出した。
However, it is not properly utilizing its about 400 inhabited isolated islands and about 6,400 uninhabited islands, although some of them could serve as hubs for EEZ development.
だが、４００余の有人離島と６４００余の無人島には、ＥＥＺ開発の拠点になり得る島があるにもかかわらず、十分に活用されてきたとは言い難い。
By advancing technological research on the generation of electricity through the utilization of tidal currents and differences in sea temperatures, and research into offshore fish farming, the government should promote the nation's isolated islands and develop its EEZ. Knowledge acquired through such research will also contribute to providing cooperation for small island nations.
潮流や海水温度差を利用した発電、沖合養殖などの技術研究を進め、日本の離島の振興や周辺ＥＥＺの開発につなげるべきだ。それを通じて得たノウハウは島嶼国の協力にも寄与するだろう。
===
China, Taiwan dangling carrots
China and Taiwan have been rolling out diplomatic initiatives to boost ties with small island nations in the Pacific by offering huge amount of economic assistance. For the purpose of corralling nations with diplomatic ties, they have hosted multicountry meetings similar to the Japan-Pacific Islands Forum summit.
太平洋島嶼国に対しては、中国と台湾が、多額な援助を武器に国交を働きかける外交合戦を展開している。国交を持つ国を囲い込む形で、島サミットを模した多国間会議も主宰している。
The fact that a field in which Japan is a leader--environmental technology--was picked as the main pillar of the cooperation will highlight the difference between its cooperation and China's assistance diplomacy. We hope respect will be paid to the framework of the Japan-Pacific Islands Forum summit and that cooperation among its members will be strengthened.
日本が優位に立つ環境分野を協力の柱に据えたことは、中国の援助外交との違いを際立たせよう。ＰＩＦの枠組みを尊重し、協力関係を強化していきたい。
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 23, 2009)
（2009年5月23日02時05分 読売新聞）
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