11/10
［社説］入国規制の緩和は踏み込みが足りない
2021/11/9 19:05 [有料会員限定]
閑散とする空港ににぎわいは戻るのか（成田空港の到着ロビー）
政府が新型コロナウイルス関連の入国規制を緩和した。これまで原則14日間だった自宅待機の期間を、ビジネス目的の入国・帰国については最短で3日まで短縮した。加えて留学生や技能実習生についても来日の門戸を開いた。
Japan has eased the immigration restrictions concerning coronavirus related matters. It asks business person to stay at home for three days Mandatory from 14 days. In addition, students and trainers are allowed to visit Japan.
「鎖国政策」と揶揄（やゆ）された従来の規制に比べれば前進だが、緩和に伴って面倒な手続きが新たに導入されたこともあり、実際の人の往来がどこまで増えるかはなお不透明だ。他の主要国にはない日本特有の仕組みもあり、世界標準からほど遠い。
New procedures are introduced replacing old ones and they may cause arduous procedures. It is far from international standards coming from Japanese characteristics.
変異ウイルスなどへの備えは必要だとしても、往来再開に動きつつある国際社会に足並みを合わせ、日本政府も「開国」に向けてさらに踏み込むときだ。
Although we admit how important preparations for variant virus are, we are obliged to take a step forward in opening door to foreign visitors.
目玉は待機期間の最短3日間への短縮だが、そのためには煩雑な手続きが要る。ワクチン接種証明などに加え、入国後4日目から10日目までの「特定行動」期間の活動計画書を事前に監督官庁に提出し、承認を得る必要がある。
その期間中は通勤電車は利用できず、職場では個室環境のできる限りの確保が求められ、一緒に飲食した人は全員10日間の健康観察をしないといけない。
さらに帰国者の属する企業などが「受入責任者」を決め、到着空港での出迎えをはじめ、その人の行動を監視する必要がある。
従来のスマホアプリによる行動管理が継続されている中で、これほど手間のかかる追加措置が必要なのか疑問だ。組織に属さないフリーランスの人は「受入責任者」が見つからず、不利益を被る可能性もある。
もともと日本の水際規制は入国者に空港で抗原検査を実施するなど厳しい独自の措置を採用しており、これは今後も継続する。一方、欧米各国ではワクチン接種やPCR検査の陰性証明があれば、隔離や待機なしで入国を認めるのが標準的な形になりつつある。タイのように観光客の受け入れを再開する国も現れた。
入国制限の緩和と言いつつ、いたずらに手続きを複雑化したり、提出書類を増やしたりするようでは、実質的な緩和とは言えず、日本と世界の往来は増えない。
慎重さは大切だが、科学的エビデンスに基づき、「ゼロリスク神話」に陥ることなく、防疫と開国を両立させる道を探ってほしい。1日当たりの入国者数の制限も段階的に緩和すべきである。
Summary:
Japan has eased the immigration restrictions concerning coronavirus related matters. It asks business person to stay at home for three days Mandatory from 14 days. In addition, students and trainers are allowed to visit Japan.
New procedures are introduced replacing old ones and they may cause arduous procedures. It is far from international standards coming from Japanese characteristics.
Although we admit how important preparations for variant virus are, we are obliged to take a step forward in opening door to foreign visitors.
US hype about ‘mock-ups of US warships’ should be ignored: Global Times editorial
By Global Times
Published: Nov 09, 2021 11:19 PM
A screenshot form the website of US Navy Institute (USNI) News.
US media on Monday cited a message released by the website of US Navy Institute (USNI) News that "The Chinese military has built targets in the shape of an American aircraft carrier and other US warships in the Taklamakan desert as part of a new target range complex." It was reported that the target is "in the shape of a Gerald R Ford-class carrier" and there are at least two in the shape that almost looks like Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in another area. And according to Fox News, "There also appears to be an extensive rail system in the location, so these structures can presumably move."
This is another piece of news on China's military released by the US military. No one across the world can immediately tell whether it is true or not. Most of China's high-end weapons development and target tests keep a low profile, and new Chinese weapons are usually displayed only at military parades. This is helpful for not playing up military antagonism and showing a kind of goodwill. But it also allows the US to say as it wants.
Imagine if China's advanced weapons development and test launches were as blatant as India's - boasting before any success, or using a compass to draw on a map to announce where the missile could reach on its rivals after the launch. Would the world feel more tensions?
Most news of China's development and testing of advanced weapons comes from the US. This way, Washington aims to play up the "China threat" theory and justify its own frantic military build-up. However, its descriptions of China's cutting-edge weapons development are a bit of a guess and likely motivated by exaggeration or belittling to meet the needs of the US. It is always questionable whether what Washington says is true and why it says so.
In the past months, the US has already hyped China's "hypersonic weapons" test and construction of new "nuclear missile silos." Now it says that China is building mock-ups in the shape of US warships. This is really annoying. If China gives tacit consent to that, it will facilitate the US propaganda of the "China threat" theory. But if China denies those rumors, it will weaken our strategic deterrence. How to deal with these entanglements from the US has become a new subject for China.
China should just ignore all kinds of hype from the US. We should neither confirm nor deny anything the US says about China's military movements. If we deny or confirm any of these things, it will increase the chance of external speculation about other confidential information. As we won't tell them the answer, their chance of guessing anything from China is zero.
What China should announce should be determined by our interests and demands. The rhythm of releasing information should be 100 percent controlled by China and not be disturbed by the hype of the US. This way, it will become meaningless for Washington to hype Beijing's military technology to trick it to leak information. US credibility in fighting a public opinion war will also diminish.
The US has made a lot of hype about China's military strength. The general message is: It is very anxious about the increasingly growing strength of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA). If there is any positive effect, it is that those hypes have helped China expand its strategic deterrence. It will have a complicated impact on the US society's psychology toward China. On one hand, it will increase the hostility of ordinary Americans toward China. But on the other, it will also heighten their awe of China's power.
All major countries are developing new types of missiles. They all improve their long-range precision strike capabilities through training. The US military has often taken mock-ups of combat aircraft of the PLA air force and Chinese maritime items as imaginary targets. Even if the US media reports that mock-ups in the shape of a US aircraft carrier and other US warships appear in the desert of Xinjiang for target practice are true, it is by no means proof to accuse China of being militaristic. The question is: Are those claims real? Let the Pentagon justify itself.