私は、ものごとを斜めから見るように日々自分を訓練しています。
I train myself every day to look at things from an angle.
多数派に日和って、痛い目にあったことが何度かあるからです(
This is because I have been burned a few times for siding with the majority (of course, siding with the minority will get you burned more often).
代表的なのは、こんなものでしょうか。
The following are some examples.
■忠臣蔵は、当時の法律(武家諸法度)において、集団テロ(殺人)事件である。
The Chushingura incident was a case of mass terrorism (murder) under the laws of the time (the various laws governing the samurai class).
(↑クリックするとコラムに飛びます)
(Click to go to the column)
■新撰組は、会津藩主・松平容保の私財で運営された私的な傭兵部隊(民間軍事会社:PMC（private military company)であり、これは、京都守護職指揮下での越権行為である。また、新撰組が制定した私的ルールである「局中法度」は、「御定書百箇条」の『無裁判での処刑や私的な報復』に対する脱法行為である
The Shinsengumi was a private military company (PMC: private military company) funded by the Aizu clan lord Matsudaira Katamori, and it was an act of exceeding its authority under the command of the Kyoto Shogoshoku. In addition, the Shinsengumi's own rules, the “Shinsengumi Law,” were a way of circumventing the “100 Articles of the Shogunate,” which forbade “execution without trial or private revenge.”
■坂本竜馬は、当時の法律(御定書百箇条)においても、反体制テロ組織への武器供給を行ってきた武器商人(死の商人)である。
Sakamoto Ryoma was a weapons dealer (a merchant of death) who supplied weapons to anti-government terrorist organizations, even under the laws of the time (the 100 Articles of the Imperial Rescript).
最近『「坂本竜馬」の記述を、歴史の教科書から削除する』 ―― 真実か単なる噂かは不明ですが ―― という話を聞きました。
■NHK「プロジェクトX」の成功例のいくつかは、
Some successful cases of NHK's “Project X” also violated internal company regulations at the time (non-compliance).
(7)総じて「プロジェクトX」は、「エンジニアの夢や希望を搾取」して「プロジェクトを完成させた」というストーリで構成されており、現在の若者への「やりがい搾取」と1mmも変わっていないように見える
こういう、私のモノの見方が、多くの人を不快にさせていることは、
I am well aware that my way of looking at things often makes other people uncomfortable, but there are many cases where my actions in the spirit of the times were wrong even by the rules of that time (× the regulations of today).
こういうことを「素晴しい」と思うことはいいのですが、
It's OK to think that this is wonderful, but I think it's pretty important that there are even a few observers who don't get caught up in that kind of “enthusiasm.”
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杉原千畝（すぎはらちうね）さんは、「東洋のシンドラー」
Mr. Sugihara Chiune is a diplomat known as the “Schindler of the East.”
彼は、第二次世界大戦中、
He is known for having helped many Jews persecuted by Nazi Germany to escape by issuing them visas while serving as a consular agent at the Japanese consulate in Kaunas, Lithuania, during World War II.
この行為が、人道主義に基づく「素晴しい」
I understand this act is “wonderful” based on humanitarianism (ChatGPT also praised it).
しかし、私の興味は「そこ」ではありません。
However, that is not what interests me.
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で、いつも通りChatGPTと会話をしてみました。
So, I tried chatting with ChatGPT as usual.
江端:『そういうことではなくて、
Ebata: 'That's not the point. The question is whether this constitutes a violation of official orders. For example, if diplomats can issue their visas, this would not violate official orders. Please explain that clearly.
ChatGPT:『杉原千畝の行動が業務命令違反に該当するかどうかについて、
ChatGPT: “I will organize the question of whether Sugihara's actions constituted a violation of his work orders from a legal perspective.
外交官がビザ発給に関して独自の裁量を持つかどうかは、
Whether or not a diplomat has independent discretion in issuing visas is generally determined based on the country's laws and policies. During World War II, Japan's diplomatic policy required that diplomats in regions such as Lithuania follow clear instructions from the Japanese government when issuing visas. In particular, they were strongly encouraged to follow orders from above regarding actions that might worsen relations with Germany.
杉原千畝のケースでは、
In the case of Sugihara, the visas he issued to Jews in Lithuania were not officially sanctioned by the Japanese government, and he acted against government orders. Thus, his actions went beyond the scope of diplomats' discretion. The Japanese government had restricted the issuing of visas to Jews, so his actions were considered to be against official orders.
結論として、
In conclusion, Sugihara's visa issuing was against the Japanese government's orders at the time, and his actions can be considered a violation of his work orders. Therefore, his actions were beyond his discretion as a diplomat and can likely be seen as violating orders.
』
―― やっぱり、そういうことになるか
As I thought...
と納得しました。
And I was satisfied.
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杉原千畝さんに対する日本政府、特に外務省の公式な評価は、
The Japanese government's official evaluation of Sugihara Chiune, especially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, came more than 50 years after his actions (1991). That's an incredibly long time.
戦後の長い間、
For a long time after the war, the government (the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) refrained from publicly evaluating his actions.
そりゃそうでしょう。
Of course, they would have done that.
もし、杉原千畝(すぎはらちうね)さんの行為を、公式に「是」としてしまえば、日本国政府は、『人道的であれば、
If the actions of Chiune Sugihara are officially recognized as “right”, the Japanese government would have to acknowledge that “if it is humanitarian, the local consulate may act against the will of the government”. This is a denial of the governance of a sovereign nation. It is a huge problem.
この行為を許せば、我が国の政府は機能しません。
If our government allows this behavior, the government will not function.
政府の存在意義は「正義」ではありません。「国益」です。
The raison d'etre of the government is not “justice” but “national interest.”
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では、なぜ、杉原千畝さんの業務命令違反が、1991年に、
So, why did Sugihara's violation of his official orders come to be evaluated by the Japanese government in 1991? I guess that it was probably due to “external pressure.”
彼の功績が特に広まったきっかけの一つは、
One reason for his achievements' widespread recognition was his 1977 selection as “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial in Israel.
イスラエルにとっての英雄をないがしろにすることは、
Disregarding Israel's heroes would be an act that would offend the United States, which has a unified relationship with Israel.
あとは、戦後50年という期間、つまり「
The other thing is that it's been 50 years since the war, so it's probably the time limit - the people involved at the time must mostly pass away. You can't hold the dead to account.
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もちろん、杉原千畝さんは、命をかけて、
Of course, Mr. Sugihara risked his life to uphold his sense of justice and humanitarianism.
失職は当然に覚悟していたと思うし、
I think he was prepared for the possibility of losing his job and Nazi Germany was assassinating his most realistic fear.
その可能性は、現実レベルで相当に高かったと思う。
The possibility of this was relatively high on a realistic level. It was a miracle that they survived.
「命をかける」とは、まさにこういうことです。
This is precisely what it means to “put your life on the line.”
私なら『100回生れかわったとしても、こんなことは1度もできない』と胸を張って宣言できるレベルです。
I can confidently say that even if I were to be reborn 100 times, I would never be able to do something like this.
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そろそろ『あのさぁ、江端。お前、一体何がいいたいの？』
I hear people saying, “Hey, Ebata, what exactly do you want to say?”.
そろそろオチに入りましょう。
Let's get to the conclusion.
すごく乱暴な言い方で纒めるのであれば、
If I were to sum it up in a very rough way,
忠臣蔵も、プロジェクトXも、日本のシンドラーも、
Chushingura, Project X, and Japan's Schindler are all ultimately “compliance violations” ――
そして、違法行為が、「正義」になったり「人道」になったりすることはよくあり、逆に「正義」や「人道」が、違法行為であるということもよくある ――
And it is often the case that illegal acts become “justice” or “humanity,” and conversely, it is also often the case that “justice” and “humanity” are unlawful acts.
長々とお話してきましたが、つまるところ、私は、最近の『コンプラアンス至上主義』に、
I've talked on and on, but in the end, I want to piss off the recent 'compliance supremacy.'
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でも「ケチ」をつけるだけです。
What I do is "nitpick".
コンプライアンス遵守が、正しいのことは間違いはありません。
There is no doubt that compliance is the right thing to do. I agree with that.
ただ「正しさ」によって失われるものもある、
I think it's important to remember that there are things that can be lost through “correctness.”
