日本周四宣布批准对韩国半导体产业出口一批材料。
The Japanese government hopes the approval will show that the country is not banning exports to South Korea because of a historical dispute between the sides.
日本政府希望这次批准能够表明该国并未因为两国之间的历史争端而禁止向韩国出口。
Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko announced the approval, saying that officials decided the shipment did not raise security concerns.
日本经产大臣世耕弘成宣布了这次批准，称官员们认为这批货物没有引发安全问题。
The process of approving export permits "is not arbitrary," Seko told reporters. "The step we took recently is not an export ban."
世耕弘成对记者表示，出口许可的审批过程“并非任性而为。我们最近采取的措施并非是出口禁令。”
Last month, Japan placed export controls on three important materials used by South Korea's semiconductor industry. South Korea considers the export controls an attack on the country's most important industry.
日本上个月对韩国半导体产业使用的3种重要材料实施出口管制。韩国认为这些出口管制是对该国最重要产业的攻击。
In addition, Japan's Cabinet decided to remove South Korea from a list of countries that have preferred trade status. The products of nations that have preferred trade status move easily across borders.
此外，日本内阁决定将韩国从具有优先贸易地位的国家名单中删除。具有优先贸易地位国家的产品可以轻易通过海关。
The decision became official Wednesday when the government published it. The measure will take effect on August 28.
该决定于周三在日本政府发布后正式生效。这项措施将于8月28日生效。
A Japanese government spokesman denied Wednesday that the trade decisions were a retaliatory move.
日本政府发言人周三否认这些贸易决定是报复举动。
The two countries are arguing over South Korean court rulings that order Japanese companies to pay money to Korean laborers forced to work during World War II.
这两个国家就韩国法院裁决要求日本公司向二战期间被迫工作的韩国劳工支付赔偿正在争论不休。
Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. The country says that a 1965 agreement, which normalized relations between the two countries, settled any money issues.
日本于1910年到1945年期间在朝鲜半岛殖民。该国表示，使两国关系正常化的1965年协议解决了任何有关赔偿的问题。
Japan's chief Cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said Wednesday that the measures are related to Japan's national security concerns. He denied that the move was in answer to Japan's anger over the court rulings.
日本内阁官房长官菅义伟周三表示，这些措施事关日本的国家安全问题。他否认此举是为了回应日本对韩国法院裁决的愤怒。
He called the measures "necessary...from a national security point of view."
他称这些措施“从国家安全角度来看是非常必要的。”
Suga also said, "It was not intended to affect Japan-South Korea relations."
菅义伟还表示：“它的目的不是为了影响日韩关系。”
Japanese officials have said that South Korea's export control system and operation is not of the highest possible quality. Because of this, they say, the country can no longer have preferred trade status.
日本官员表示，韩国的出口管制体系和运营并未达到最高质量水平。他们称，由于这个原因，韩国不再具备优先贸易地位。
Suga said the measure puts South Korea back to normal status. "It's not an export ban," he added.
菅义伟表示，这些措施让韩国回归到普通地位（不再具备优先贸易地位）。他补充说：“这不是出口禁令。”
Japanese officials have denied South Korea's charge that they are using trade to answer the court rulings. But many South Koreans do not believe Japan is being truthful.
韩国指责日本方面利用贸易来回应韩国法院的判决，日本官员对此予以否认。但是很多韩国人认为日本不诚实。
Japan also says South Korea violated international law by trying to force Japanese companies to compensate beyond the 1965 agreement. Japan provided $500 million in loans and aid under that deal.
日本还表示，韩国试图强迫日本公司在1965年协议之外进行赔偿，这违反了国际法。根据该协议，日本提供了5亿美元的贷款和援助。
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was recently asked about the possibility of meeting South Korean President Moon Jae-in at upcoming international events. He said the main cause of the problem between the two countries is the wartime compensation issue.
日本首相安倍晋三最近被问到是否有可能在即将举行的国际活动中会见韩国总统文在寅。他说，两国问题的根源是战时赔偿问题。
Observers say the conflict is preventing the two nations from cooperating on security issues. These include efforts to get North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program. Some critics also say the dispute is damaging Japan's image as an economic leader in Asia.
观察人士表示，这场冲突阻碍了两国在安全问题上的合作。其中包括让朝鲜终止核武器项目的努力。一些评论家还表示，这一争议正在损害日本作为亚洲经济领导者的形象。
I'm Susan Shand.
我是苏珊·珊德。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，禁止转载，违者必究！)