Calling for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to assist allied troops during the Iraq war in 2003, he said the Japanese owed their ’prosperous and stable livelihoods to the U.S.-Japan alliance.’ Some had criticized such cooperation, saying it would violate Japan’s so-called postwar peace constitution, which restricts the use of military forces abroad, but Mr. Morimoto insisted the alternative would be worse: ’Those who want to ditch the alliance should realize the alternative would be rearming ourselves, and doing so with nuclear weapons.’
2003年伊拉克战争期间，他曾力主日本自卫队援助联军，他说，日本繁荣稳定的生活要归功于美日同盟。之前一些人曾对这类合作提出批评，说此举会违反日本限制境外用兵的战后和平宪法。但森本敏坚称不这样会更糟。他说，那些希望抛弃同盟的人应当认识到，另外一个选项将是我们重新武装自己，而且是用核武器来武装自己。
Such views are in contrast to those presented by leaders of Mr. Noda’s Democratic Party of Japan when it came to power in 2009, promising closer ties with China and moving an unpopular U.S. base off Okinawa, hub of the U.S. military presence in Japan.
这类观点与野田佳彦所属日本民主党(Democratic Party of Japan)在2009年上台时，该党诸多领导人表达的观点截然相反。当时民主党领导人承诺加强与中国的关系，并将一个不受欢迎的美军基地迁出冲绳。冲绳是美国在日驻军的中心地区。
Mr. Morimoto had served briefly as a national-security adviser to the conservative Liberal Democratic Party before the LDP was ousted by the DPJ’s election win.
在保守的自由民主党(Liberal Democratic Party)因民主党胜选而下台之前，森本敏曾短时间担任自民党的国家安全顾问。
Mr. Noda’s choice of Mr. Morimoto─after two consecutive defense ministers were forced out over gaffes and missteps since Mr. Noda took office last September─appears to be paying off. In an opinion poll published by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun daily on Monday, 54% of those surveyed supported Mr. Morimoto’s appointment, compared with 24% who opposed it.
自野田佳彦去年9月份上任以来，已经有两位防卫相因失言和失策相继被迫下台。这次他选择了森本敏，而且表面上看来，这一选择似乎正在取得回报。日报《日本经济新闻》(Nihon Keizai Shimbun)周一公布的民意调查结果显示，54%的受访者支持任命森本敏为防卫相，反对的人占24%。
Since becoming defense chief, Mr. Morimoto has toned down his rhetoric. Although he stressed that the Senkaku islands are ’Japan’s unique territory, from both historical and legal perspectives,’ he described in the interview on Monday China’s recent response to the new tension over the islands as ’very well-restrained.’
自从当上防卫相以来，森本敏已经调低了自己的语调。虽然他强调尖阁列岛不管从历史是从法律角度来看都是只属于日本的领土，但在周一采访中他也说，面对围绕这片岛屿产生的新矛盾，中国近期采取的应对措施是非常克制的。
The minister also said some friction with China is inevitable ’as our national interest are different,’ but he added: ’I believe it’s extremely important Japan and China improve our mutual cooperation and understanding, and play our respective roles to stabilize the maritime environment in this region.’
森本敏也说，与中国发生一些摩擦不可避免，因为我们的国家利益不同。但他也说，我相信，日中增进双边合作与理解、发挥各自作用稳定本地区海上环境是极其重要的。
To prepare Tokyo’s troops for new challenges, he said Japan is negotiating with Washington to have the soldiers of its army, known as the Ground Self-Defense Forces, trained for island defense by U.S. Marines stationed on Okinawa.
他说，为保证日本部队有能力应对新的挑战，日本正在与华盛顿方面谈判，让美国驻冲绳海军陆战队为日本陆上自卫队队员提供岛屿防卫训练。
The continuing realignment of U.S. troops in Japan, he added, creates opportunities to increase bilateral cooperation and strengthen Japan’s defense power through the shared use of U.S. bases in Okinawa and the building of joint training facilities.
他说，驻日美军的持续调整创造了通过共用冲绳美军基地、建设联合训练设施，从而增强双边合作、强化日本防务力量的机会。
’The Japan-U.S. alliance has evolved over time, but what hasn’t changed fundamentally, and what will not change, is the fact that the alliance plays an extremely important role in promoting peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region,’ Mr. Morimoto said. ’The most important task for people who think about Japan’s national security and build its policy is making the alliance even more reliable.’
森本敏说，日美同盟已经随着时间的推移而演进，但同盟在促进亚太地区和平稳定方面发挥极其重要作用这一点没有发生根本改变，将来也不会改变。他说，对于思考日本国家安全、制定其政策的人们来说，最重要的任务是让同盟变得更加可靠。
