中国、北朝鮮対応を前面に　日米首脳、共同文書発表へ

　日米両政府は、４月に予定される菅義偉首相とバイデン大統領の首脳会談で共同文書をまとめ、軍事・経済両面で影響力を拡大する中国や、核・ミサイル開発を進める北朝鮮への対応を明記する方針だ。米国の対日防衛義務を定めた日米安全保障条約第５条の沖縄県・尖閣諸島への適用や、北朝鮮の非核化などが柱となる見通し。複数の政府関係者が２６日、明らかにした。
　尖閣への言及は、「海警法」の施行などにより東シナ海で軍事圧力を強める中国に共同で対処する姿勢を示すのが目的。米側は中国の台湾侵攻への懸念を強めており、「台湾海峡の平和と安定の重要性」にも触れる方向だ。
　北朝鮮が２５日に発射した弾道ミサイルについて、バイデン大統領は「国連安全保障理事会の決議違反」と明言。短距離ミサイルを容認したトランプ前大統領との違いを鮮明にした。日本側も「新型弾道ミサイル」（岸信夫防衛相）と警戒しており、首脳会談の主要テーマとなる。（2021/03/26-19:43）

The Japanese and U.S. governments are planning to issue a joint statement to highlight the outcomes of a summit between Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and President Joe Biden, planned for April, it was learned Friday.
   The envisaged statement is expected to reaffirm the coverage of the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, by the Japan-U.S. security treaty's Article 5, which stipulates U.S. defense obligations to Japan, Japanese government sources said. The East China Sea islands are claimed by China.
   The statement is also likely to underline bilateral economic and security cooperation, the sources said.
   The reference to the Senkaku Islands is aimed at clarifying the two countries' policy of working together in dealing with China, which is increasing military pressure in the East China Sea partly through the enforcement of a new law allowing the use of weapons by its coast guard ships against foreign vessels.
   With the United States increasingly concerned over a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan, the statement is likely to underline the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.