維和部隊彈藥支援一事凸顯日韓嫌隙

The awkward exchange between Tokyo and Seoul over ammunition Japan provided to South Korean troops taking part in a United Nations peacekeeping operation highlights the deep diplomatic difficulties between the two neighbors.

針對日本向韓國的聯合國維和部隊提供彈藥一事兩國各執一詞，這凸顯出兩國之間難以解決的外交困境。

Japan provided 10,000 bullets to South Korean peacekeepers in strife-torn South Sudan on Monday through the U.N. But claims by the two governments over details of the transaction have been inconsistent. The arrangement has also led to speculation Tokyo is trying to curb the nation's self-imposed ban on arms-exports as part of an attempt to expand its military profile. It was the first time Japan has provided arms to a foreign military since World War II.

日本週一通過聯合國向韓國駐南蘇丹維和部隊提供10,000發子彈。但兩國政府對細節的描述卻並不一致。此事也激起外界的猜測，認爲日本政府試圖打破爲限制日本軍事作用擴張而自行制定的武器出口禁令。這是自第二次世界大戰以來日本首次向外國軍隊提供武器。

Japan's main government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, reiterated Wednesday that the decision was based on 'urgent and humanitarian' needs in the African nation, and said the request was made both by the U.N. and South Korean troops taking part in the mission.

日本主要政府發言人菅義偉(Yoshihide Suga)週三重申，這是根據南蘇丹的緊急人道主義需求做出的決定，而且這是聯合國和參加南蘇丹維和任務的韓國軍隊兩方面提出的請求。

But South Korean officials maintain Seoul asked the United Nations to provide ammunition, not Japan, and received the bullets through the world body.

但韓國官員堅持稱，韓國是向聯合國提出的彈藥支援請求，而不是日本，這批子彈也是通過聯合國接收的。

South Korean troops 'asked the U.N. for support in increasing it defense capability and received ammunition through the U.N. No more. No less,' said South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-young on Tuesday.

韓國外交部發言人Cho Tai-young週二表示，韓國軍隊是向聯合國請求支援軍防能力的，也是通過聯合國接收彈藥的。情況就是這樣。

Ties between Tokyo and Seoul have been chilled by arguments over Japan's past occupation of Korea and by a dispute over islands claimed by both countries.

日本與韓國關係遇冷，因爲有關日本過去佔領韓國的爭議持續不斷，島嶼領土糾紛也給兩國關係蒙上陰影。

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the ammunition was provided based on a 'proactive pacifism' security policy. Japanese opposition parties have slammed the move as side-stepping Japan's self-imposed ban on arms-exports that dates back to 1967.

日本首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)此前表示，提供彈藥是基於“積極和平主義”的安全政策。日本反對黨則批評此舉是在規避1967年制定的武器出口禁令。

'I think Japan was hoping this would help improve bilateral ties, at least on the working-level,' said Masafumi Kaneko, senior research fellow at the Center for International and Strategic Studies at PHP Institute, a Tokyo think tank. But he added that South Korea appears wary of any domestic 'backlash' that could result from the perception the government is going along with a more assertive Japanese foreign policy.

日本智庫PHP研究所(PHP Institute)國際戰略研究中心高級研究員Masafumi Kaneko說，他認爲日本希望此事可以改善雙邊關係，至少是在工作層面上。但他說，韓國似乎是擔心國內的批評，國內民衆會感覺韓國政府是在姑息日本更加強硬的外交政策。

'It just shows how difficult it is for the two nations to improve defense cooperation,' he said.

他說，此事顯示出日、韓兩國改善防務合作難度巨大。

Since coming to power last December, Mr. Abe has called for strengthening the military and revising the pacifist constitution. In recent weeks he has pushed his defense and security agenda hard. Last week the government adopted a new security strategy calling for a re-evaluation of the weapons ban. On Tuesday the Cabinet approved a draft budget to increase defense spending by the most in nearly two decades.

自去年12月上臺以來，安倍一直主張加強軍事力量、修訂和平憲法。最近幾周，他一直在大力推動他的國防和安全議案。上週日本政府採納了新的安全策略，提出重新評估武器禁令。週二，日本內閣批准了一項預算草案，國防支出的增加數額爲近二十年來的最高水平。