2006年VOA标准英语-Japan Mulls Missile Defense Capability

By Steve Herman
Tokyo
11 July 2006

In wake of the missile tests by North Korea last week, Japanese politicians have begun discussing whether the country should have the capability¹ to counter-attack foreign bases if it is threatened. At present, Japan has to rely on its ally, the United States, to thwart² any threats. 

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The splashdown of seven North Korean missiles into the Sea of Japan on July 5 is causing Japanese leaders to re-evaluate the country's defense³.

A number of conservative politicians say the time has come for Japan to look at having the ability to attack foreign missile bases, particularly in North Korea.

Such discussions would have been taboo⁴ for most of Japan's post-World War II history, when the country's pacifist Constitution was more strictly⁵ interpreted. But a 1998 ballistic missile launch by North Korea and Japan's role in the global war on terrorism have loosened interpretations⁶ of the Constitution's Article 9, which renounces⁷ war.

In recent days, senior politicians have let loose a barrage⁸ of hawkish⁹ comments.

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe
(File photo - May 25, 2005)   
  
Tsutomu Takebe, the secretary general of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, says it would be unthinkable for Japan to just sit and wait for a missile to land on it. He says the country has to begin preparing for such an eventuality and to explain the issue to the public.

That sort of talk is bound to anger not only North Korea, at whom it is aimed, but also other countries where memories of Japan's brutal¹⁰ 20th century colonialism have not faded, notably¹¹ China and South Korea. Both have charged that Japanese militarism is reviving and both say Tokyo has never properly atoned¹² for its past.

In response to North Korea's missile tests, Japan has taken a tough stance, demanding United Nations sanctions against Pyongyang. Beijing and Seoul, however, want a less strident action.

The United States has been working to create a united response to the launches from the four countries. Washington has backed Japan on sanctions but says it is willing to see if diplomatic efforts by Seoul and Beijing lead to a breakthrough with North Korea.

In Japan, the LDP's tough talk makes the political left nervous. Although the strength of leftist parties in Japan has waned¹³ over the past 20 years, they still are a force in Parliament and will attempt to block what they see as any move back toward militarism.

Tadayoshi Ichida, secretary general of the Japan Communist Party, which holds 18 seats in Parliament, says the idea is unacceptable because a pre-emptive strike would be unconstitutional. He says such moves could also lead to Japan becoming enmeshed in an endless regional arms race.

Even the Liberal Democratic Party's coalition¹⁴ partner has reservations. The head of the Komei party, Tadanori Kanzaki, urges caution.

Kanzaki says firing on an enemy base could start a war. That alone, he adds, should give pause.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi endorses¹⁵ the idea of thoroughly¹⁶ debating the issue.

The prime minister says the constitutional aspects need to be carefully discussed. But he says one problem that is obvious to him initially¹⁷ is how to tell if another country is really preparing to attack.

However, Mr. Koizumi appears to be leaning in the direction of the hawks¹⁸, saying he believes that Japan needs its own deterrence¹⁹ capability.

Tokyo already has committed to spending billions of dollars to join with the United States in developing a system to shoot down missiles launched from abroad before they hit the country. But Japan has never developed any capability to attack missile bases because the U.S. has pledged to provide such protection. 

Those on both sides of the debate go back into Japan's post-war history to back their arguments.

Defense Agency officials say as early as 1956 the government informed lawmakers that if there was no other way to defend Japan from a missile attack, then firing on enemy bases was within the country's legal right.

Opponents point to a 1959 decision not to develop such capability based on the argument that the Americans who wrote the Constitution after Japan's defeat in World War II never intended for it to have weapons that could threaten another country.

The debate could go on for years, which means that Japan is a long way from being able to attack missile bases in North Korea or any other country. Tokyo will therefore continue relying on the United States to counter any threat.

1 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

2 thwart   

v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的)

参考例句：

• We must thwart his malevolent schemes.我们决不能让他的恶毒阴谋得逞。
• I don't think that will thwart our purposes.我认为那不会使我们的目的受到挫折。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 taboo   

n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止

参考例句：

• The rude words are taboo in ordinary conversation.这些粗野的字眼在日常谈话中是禁忌的。
• Is there a taboo against sex before marriage in your society?在你们的社会里，婚前的性行为犯禁吗？

5 strictly   

adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地

参考例句：

• His doctor is dieting him strictly.他的医生严格规定他的饮食。
• The guests were seated strictly in order of precedence.客人严格按照地位高低就座。

6 interpretations   

n.解释( interpretation的名词复数 )；表演；演绎；理解

参考例句：

• This passage is open to a variety of interpretations. 这篇文章可以有各种不同的解释。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The involved and abstruse passage makes several interpretations possible. 这段艰涩的文字可以作出好几种解释。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 renounces   

v.声明放弃( renounce的第三人称单数 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores. 日本放弃对福尔摩沙（台湾）及澎湖的一切权利，主张（名称）及所有权。 来自互联网
• He renounces Christianity, temporarily straining his relationship with his parents. 他放弃了基督教信仰，从而与父母的关系暂时变得紧张。 来自互联网

8 barrage   

n.火力网，弹幕

参考例句：

• The attack jumped off under cover of a barrage.进攻在炮火的掩护下开始了。
• The fierce artillery barrage destroyed the most part of the city in a few minutes.猛烈的炮火几分钟内便毁灭了这座城市的大部分地区。

9 hawkish   

adj. 鹰派的, 强硬派的

参考例句：

• My staff's advice that first day was amazingly hawkish. 在第一天，我的僚属们的意见是令人吃惊的鹰派意见。
• Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet. 反战团体担心巴拉克·奥巴马可以创建强硬派内阁。

10 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

11 notably   

adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地

参考例句：

• Many students were absent,notably the monitor.许多学生缺席，特别是连班长也没来。
• A notably short,silver-haired man,he plays basketball with his staff several times a week.他个子明显较为矮小，一头银发，每周都会和他的员工一起打几次篮球。

12 atoned   

v.补偿，赎（罪）( atone的过去式和过去分词 )；补偿，弥补，赎回

参考例句：

• He atoned for his sin with life. 他以生命赎罪。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• She had atoned for everything by the sacrifice she had made of her life. 她用牺牲生命来抵偿了一切。 来自辞典例句

13 waned   

v.衰落( wane的过去式和过去分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• However,my enthusiasm waned.The time I spent at exercises gradually diminished. 然而，我的热情减退了。我在做操上花的时间逐渐减少了。 来自《用法词典》
• The bicycle craze has waned. 自行车热已冷下去了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

15 endorses   

v.赞同( endorse的第三人称单数 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• There isn't one country in the Middle East that now endorses the Eisenhower Doctrine. 但至今没有一个中东国家认可它。 来自辞典例句
• Whether any of this truly endorses Dr Patel's hypothesis is moot. 这些视频能否真正证明帕特的假设成立还是个未知数。 来自互联网

16 thoroughly   

adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地

参考例句：

• The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
• The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。

17 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

18 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

19 deterrence   

威慑，制止； 制止物，制止因素； 挽留的事物； 核威慑

参考例句：

• An extreme school of "disarmers" pronounced stable deterrence was a dangerous deception. “裁军论者”中的极端派声称，稳定的威摄是一种危险的骗局。
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。