菅首相、コロナ・拉致訴え　国連総会でビデオ演説

　菅義偉首相は２６日午前、米ニューヨークで開催中の国連総会で初の一般討論演説に臨んだ。首相は新型コロナウイルスによる危機を契機に、国際社会が連帯して困難に立ち向かうべきだと呼び掛けた。北朝鮮による日本人拉致問題の解決を訴え、１年延期された東京五輪・パラリンピックの来夏開催へ決意を示した。
　例年は首相が訪米し国連総会で演説するが、今年はコロナの影響で出席は見送り、ビデオメッセージで対応した。
　首相は、新型コロナ治療薬などの特許権を国際的に一元管理する「特許権プール」構想など日本の取り組みを紹介。治療薬やワクチンが途上国にも公平に行き渡るよう努める考えを示した。コロナへの初期対応が批判された世界保健機関（ＷＨＯ）の検証と改革に協力するとも表明した。
　同時に、コロナ禍で打撃を受けた経済への対策が不可欠だと指摘。経済活動を安全に再開させ、日本国内のデジタル化を進める方針を説明した。
　拉致問題については「国際社会の重大な関心事項で、私自身も長年取り組んできた」と言及。２００２年の日朝平壌宣言に基づき国交正常化を目指す考えを強調した上で「日本の新しい首相として、条件を付けずに金正恩（朝鮮労働党）委員長と会う用意がある」と呼び掛けた。（2020/09/26-07:27）

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga stressed the need for the international community to unite to overcome difficulties by taking the opportunity of the novel coronavirus pandemic, in an online speech on Saturday for the general debate at the 75th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
   Suga also reiterated Tokyo's determination to resolve the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago and demonstrated his resolve to hold the Tokyo Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, which have been postponed by one year to 2021 due to the pandemic.
   Usually, Japan's prime minister delivers a speech in person at the U.N. headquarters in New York during the general debate at a General Assembly session of the United Nations. This year, however, a video format was used amid the coronavirus crisis. This is Suga's first speech for the general debate at the U.N. General Assembly since he became prime minister on Sept. 16.
   The coronavirus pandemic "has pulled us into an unprecedented crisis, which in turn has brought the international community back to cooperation from its tendencies toward division and isolation," Suga said in the speech. "I call on all of you to unite in solidarity so we can turn the current crisis into an opportunity to reinforce our cooperation."
   Explaining Japan's measures to fight the virus, such as a proposal to set up a "patent pooling" framework, which will internationally manage patents for coronavirus and other drugs in a comprehensive way, Suga said that the country will work to ensure "fair and equitable" access to coronavirus therapeutics, vaccines and diagnostics for all people, including those in developing countries.