日本首相譴責朝鮮導彈試射

Tokyo has condemned North Korea’s latest missile test as an “unforgivable, reckless act” after the weapon crashed 250km short of the Japanese coast.

東京方面譴責朝鮮最近的導彈試射是“不可原諒的、魯莽的行爲”，此前朝方的導彈落在距離日本海岸250公里的海上。

“The missile appears to have fallen in our exclusive economic zone. It’s an intolerable, reckless action and poses a grave threat to our national security,” said Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, yesterday.

“這枚導彈似乎落在我國的專屬經濟區。這是一起無法容忍的、魯莽的行動，對我國的國家安全構成嚴重威脅，”日本首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)昨日表示。

Japanese defence officials believe it was the first time a missile has landed in the country’s exclusive economic zone — an area stretching up to 200 nautical miles, or roughly 370km, from a country’s coastline.

日本防衛官員認爲，這是首次有一枚導彈落在該國的專屬經濟區——從一國的海岸線向海上延伸200海里（合370公里）的區域。

The midrange Rodong missile was launched from Eunyul in south-west North Korea early yesterday and travelled about 1,000km before crashing into the ocean west of Japan’s Akita prefecture, the officials said.

這些官員們表示，這枚“蘆洞”(Rodong)中程彈道導彈是昨日上午從朝鮮西南部的殷慄郡(Eunyul)發射的，在飛行約1000公里後落在日本秋田縣以西的海上。

The latest launch comes amid ever-increasing bellicosity from Pyongyang, which last month warned the US it would pay a “terrifying price” for its efforts to thwart the country’s nuclear programme. It also coincides with broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the decision by Seoul and Washington to place a missile defence system on the Korean peninsula, a move roundly criticised by China.

進行最新導彈試射之際，平壤方面的好戰言論不斷升級，包括上月警告美國將因爲阻擾朝鮮的核武計劃而付出“可怕代價”。此舉還正值韓美在朝鮮半島部署導彈防禦系統的決定引發更廣泛地緣政治緊張；中國嚴厲批評韓美的這一決定。

Despite a UN ban, Pyongyang frequently fires missiles into the waters separating it from Japan. Two weeks ago it launched two Rodongs and one shorter-range missile.

儘管面臨聯合國(UN)禁令，但平壤方面經常向朝鮮和日本之間的海上發射導彈。兩週前，朝鮮曾發射兩枚“蘆洞”導彈和一枚短程導彈。

Mr Abe said he had strongly protested to Pyongyang about the “clear violation” and would “deal with the matter resolutely in collaboration with the United States and South Korea”.

安倍表示，他已向平壤方面強烈抗議這一“明顯侵犯”，並將“與美國和韓國合作，堅決處理此事”。

The test is likely to embolden Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s president, who on Tuesday doubled down on plans to install the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery, better known as Thaad, by the end of 2017.

這起試射很可能強化韓國總統朴槿惠(Park Geun-hye)的決心，她在週二更強勢地堅持了到2017年底部署“末段高空區域防禦系統”（THAAD，簡稱：薩德）的計劃。

“By launching a ballistic missile that can be tipped with a nuclear warhead in the future, North Korea directly and blatantly demonstrated its provocative ambition to target seaports and airfields across South Korea and even its neighbouring countries,” South Korea’s military said yesterday.

“通過發射一枚未來可以安裝核彈頭的彈道導彈，北韓直接且悍然展示了其瞄準韓國各地海港和機場，甚至鄰國的挑釁野心，”韓國軍方昨日表示。

The deployment of Thaad was announced last month, with the missile shield billed as a means to protect South Koreans as well as the 28,500 US troops in the country.

部署薩德是在上月宣佈的，這一導彈防禦系統被標榜爲保護韓國人民和2.85萬駐韓美軍的手段。

However, the decision has come under fire from local people — they fear the radar system may harm their health — and from Beijing, which sees it as a geopolitical ploy aimed at constraining China’s strategic ambitions.

但是，這一決定引發當地人的不滿（他們害怕雷達系統可能損害他們的健康），並受到北京方面的嚴厲批評，認爲它是一個地緣政治伎倆，目的是制約中國的戰略雄心。

Wang Yi, China’s foreign minister, was quick to condemn the proposed installation, saying it exceeded Seoul’s defence requirements.

中國外交部長王毅很快譴責部署薩德的決定，稱此舉超出首爾方面的防衛需求。

Analysts expect Beijing to hit back by slapping trade tariffs on export-dependent South Korea, while local media have reported that Korean celebrities — the country’s biggest cultural export — are already being sidelined from Chinese television shows.

分析師們預計，北京方面將發起報復，包括對依賴出口的韓國開徵貿易關稅，另據中國媒體報道，韓國明星（該國最大的文化出口）已經受到中國電視節目冷落。

North Korea, meanwhile, is believed to be preparing a fifth nuclear weapons test. At a regional meeting last month, Ri Yong-ho, the country’s foreign minister, lambasted the US over its “never-ending nuclear blackmails”.

與此同時，朝鮮據信正準備進行第五次核試驗。在上月一個地區會議上，朝鮮外長李勇浩(Ri Yong-ho)抨擊美國進行“永無止境的核訛詐”。

He said: “The United States will have to pay dearly a terrifying price.”

他說：“美國將不得不付出高昂的可怕代價。”