日本可能會擊落侵犯領空的無人機

Last month the Yomiuri News on-line reported the following:

領空侵犯の無人機、「撃墜可能」も検討へ

　政府は１８日、沖縄県・尖閣諸島北方の東シナ海上空で中国軍が無人機を飛行させたことを受け、国籍不明の無人機が領空侵犯をした際の対処方針をまとめることを決めた。

　国民の生命・財産に危害が及ぶと判断した場合などに、自衛隊による撃墜を可能とすることを盛り込む方向だ。これに関連し、菅官房長官は１８日の記者会見で「様々な検討を行っている。しっかり対応策を考えていく」と語った。

　自衛隊は、外国の有人機が領空に接近した場合、無線などを通じて領空に入らないよう退去を求めるが、無人機だと無線警告などが通じない可能性がある。このため、政府は撃墜を含む対処方針をまとめることにした。具体的には、武器使用基準や詳細な任務内容を定めた部隊行動基準（ＲＯＥ）に反映させる。

（2013年9月18日22時48分 読売新聞）

(試譯文)

Noting that the Chinese army might fly an unmanned aircraft over the East China Sea area at the north of Okinawa and the Senkaku Islands, the government on the 18th had decided a management plan for the occasion when an unmanned aircraft with unidentified nationality intruded into the airspace.

     It aimed at enabling the Self-Defense Forces to shoot down the aircraft when it was judged that it might cause harm to the life and property of the nation. Relating to this, Kan the Chief Cabinet Secretary, at the press conference on the 18^th, had said that "different kinds of reviews were performed. Firm measures were considered".

     When a foreign manned airplane approached the airspace, the Self-Defense Forces, through radio etc, would ask it to leave so that it might not go into the airspace. But radio warning etc. might not pass through in case of an unmanned aircraft, and for this reason, the government decided to consolidate a management plan including shooting it down. On specific matters, the basis for the use of weapons and the detailed contents of the duty were reflected in the Unit Standard of Conduct (ROE).

In is interesting to note whether anymore unmanned airplane will fly near the Islands.