JAPAN TODAY

Japan to give some travel agencies more subsidies for Go To Travel program (10/14)

Sentence

太字部の構造は、 fear (that) the money could dry up  

The Japanese government said Tuesday it will give additional subsidies to certain travel agencies, who fear the money they have been allocated under a program aimed at spurring domestic tourism battered by the coronavirus pandemic could dry up.

vocabulary 

spurring = encourage, prompt

pledged = swear, promise

reinstated = restore

JOC to protect female athletes targeted by exploitative photos (10/14)

sentence

1) an important step

an important step の前の全文を指して、(that is) an important step としているでしょうか。教えていただけたら嬉しいです。  

2) the country as it seeks

it は、前の country を指すけど、なんで関係代名詞や現在分詞じゃないのでしょうか。教えていただけたら嬉しいです。  

The Japanese Olympic Committee will move to protect female athletes from having nonconsensual photographs of a sexual nature snapped while they compete, an important step forward for the country as it seeks to create solidarity with and among victims of sexual abuse.

vocabulary 

solidarity = 連携

body  = 団体

surreptitious　= secretly (マイナスイメージ)

buttocks = お尻

unsolicited = 未承諾

genitals = 性器

spectators =  onlooker

spectators は見る人、 audience は聴く人　（these words are used interchangeably）

demonstrated = ここでは、proved (reveal, certify) thatの使い方

voyeuristic = 盗撮

penal regulations = 刑事規則

invasion of privacy = プライバシー侵害

disrepute = 不評 (the state of being held in low esteem by the public)

incessant = ceaseless, unceasing, constant... 

ordinances = 条例

has fallen prey = 獲物になる

defamation = 名誉棄損

slander = 中傷

breaches = 違反

take the lead = 主導権をとる

Record 96,000 households receive gov't support for rent amid pandemic 

vocabulary

amid = surrounded by , in the middle of (前置詞)

fiscal = 財政

displaced workers

incurred = 発生した

breakdowns = 内訳

closures = 閉鎖

Tokyo reports 284 new coronavirus cases
vocabulary

tally　＝集計

Man dies after being found bleeding from knife wounds on Chiba street

vocabulary

bleeding = 出血する

pronounced = 宣言動詞は pronounce the man dead とかける

6 teenage boys involved in pickup truck crash in Kagawa; 2 dead

vocabulary

Asian stocks follow Wall St lower as stimulus hopes fade

vocabulary

faded = 薄れた

Treasury Secretary = 財務長官

far apart = 遠く，はなれて

congressional = (とくにアメリカの) 国会の

Consumer spending = 個人消費

another nail to the coffin = 棺桶にくぎをさす（死を促す）

shed = 落ちる

veterans = ベテラン

rally = 集会

dispersed = 散らせる

propel　＝ push, move forwards （プロペラ→促進させる)

lackluster = lacking in vitality

Tokyo reports 481 new coronavirus cases（11/26）

Summary

The tokyo metropolitan government said that 481 new cases of COVID19 were reported, which has the highest age group in their 20s.

Sentence

vocabulary 

tally = a current score or amount

SoftBank Hawks sweep Yomiuri Giants for Japan Series title (11/26)

Summary

The Japanese baseball season ended resulting that the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks won and seeped Giants in four games in the best-of-seven series.

Sentence

They have now won the last four titles, six of the last seven, and seven of the last 10.

The Hawks have become a dynasty in Japan. 

おしゃ表現= ソフトバンクは日本で王朝ほど大きな存在となった

vocabulary 

cut back = reduce something, typically expenditures

the clinching game =　接戦

dynasty = 王朝

concession stands were open = 売店が開いていた

concession = a thing that is granted, especially in response to demands; a thing conceded.　/ the right to use land or other property for a specified purpose

subdued = 落ち着いた

Gov't to extend travel subsidy program until around June (12/03)

Summary 

The Japanese Government will stipulate the extension of GOTO travel campaign until around June next year, which is its domestic travel subsidy campaign aimed at stimulating the economy amid the COVID -19 pandemic. 

Sentence

Vocabrary

the plan is aimed at ~~~

boosting the economy amid the novel coronavirus pandemic = in the middle of  (コロナ渦中の日本経済)

late January ⇔ early january

those with underlying health conditions = 
underlying (adjective) =significant as a cause or basis of something but not necessarily manifest or obvious. 基本的なとか

the capital using the scheme = an officially organized plan or system

how the pandemic will play out = happens or develops

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party = the ruling party (与党) , opposition party (野党)

its junior coalition partner = 政党の連合

an alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states.

travel demand to nosedive =
a steep downward plunge

increase the discount rate for trips made on weekdays to level off demand at weekends = If a rate or amount levels off, it stops rising or falling and stays at the same level: 平滑化する

Japan set to ban sales of new gasoline cars in mid-2030s: reports (12/03)

Summary

Japanese government set 2050 as the goal of being carbon-neutral country by aiming at the increase of the share of  low-emission cars sold to 50-70% by 2030 and banning sales of new gasoline cars in around 15 years' time.

Sentence

Vocabrary

carbon neutrality = the state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict, disagreement, impartiality

carbon-neutral 

カーボンニュートラル＝炭素排出量と炭素吸収量を等しくする概念

排出が多い場合をカーボンネガティブ，反対をカーボンポジティブ

Berlin district to keep 'comfort women' statue for now　(12/06) 

Summary

A Berlin district mayor aims to leave a statue depicting sex slaves by Japan as it is in spite of the request of  removing the state from Japanese Government.

Sentence

that 節内が原型をとるとき．

仮定法現在（アメリカでは原型，イギリスではshould, shall）

意味としては，将来のことをした方がいいと思うとき．

要求や提案・命令などの動詞（require, demand, insist, suggest など）や必要・緊急などを意味する形容詞（necessary, essential, crucial など）のあとの that節 は should を伴っています。

今週の動きと関係なしに，von Dasselは政治的な願いを表明した．そこで，彼は，その像は8月中旬に終わる許容機関の残りの期間そのままにされることを望むとした．

Independently of this week's motion, von Dassel has expressed a “political wish” that the statue be left standing for the remainder of the permitted period, which ends in mid-August, the district said.

Vocabrary

in broader terms 　広義でって

euphemistically [juːfəˈmɪstɪkli] = 婉曲的に

depicting = illustrating

Mitte district = ミッテ地区

Mitte's district assembly = ミッテ区議会

Japanese Embassy = 日本大使館

follow-on memorial = 追悼記念

Korean women were lured = さらわれて

Japanese military-run brothels = 日本軍経営の風俗

it has settled the issue with repatriations (送還) = 送還で解決した．

strain = 緊張を張りつめる, ピリピリさせる．

Japan boosts AI funding to match lonely hearts　12/8

sentence

vocabrary

its flagging birthrate = becoming weaker:

help match lonely hearts  = help + (目的語) + 動詞の原型

conjure = to make something appear by magic, or as if by magic:

suitors　＝a man who wants to marry a particular woman

日本語で求婚者とか

in the next fiscal year = 会計に使われる年　つまり　翌年度

to back local authorities 

to give support to someone or something with money or words

Japan's fertility rate = birthrate

fertility = the quality of being able to produce young or fruit:

the ballooning cost of welfare. 

ballooning  = to quickly increase in size, weight, or importance]

Panasonic to start trial home delivery by self-driving robot in February (12/8)

sentence

vocabrary

to showcase = 披露する

public-private sector panel = 官民によるパネル（会議，委員会）

reworking = 手直し

Doctor arrested for sexually molesting nurse during medical examination (12/9)

sentence

vocabrary

Police allege that  = to say that someone has done something illegal  Usually to describe legal matters.

groped the clinic's nurse  = to touch someone's body in order to get sexual pleasure, usually when the person does not like it:

denied the charge = 容疑を否認する

According to the warrant = an official document, signed by a judge or other person in authority, that gives the police permission to search someone's home, arrest a person, or take some other action:

quoted him as saying = 彼のことばを借りるなら，

examine the woman's lower back =背中の低いとこで，腰

Study links Go To Travel campaign to increased COVID-19 symptoms (12/9)

sentence

vocabrary

dismal reading = sad and without hope: 

going bust = If a company goes bust, it is forced to close because it is financially unsuccessful:

(a woman's breasts, or the measurement around a woman's breasts and back:)

The subsidy program may be incentivizing those = to make someone want to do something: /ɪnˈsen.t̬ə.vaɪz/ like encouraging 

Suga has been seen a key backer

Even so  = despite what has just been said:

the nation has weathered the pandemic　＝　to deal successfully with a difficult situation or a problem:

Most Japanese firms say government unlikely to meet carbon neutrality goal by 2050: poll (12/10)

sentence

"We must make efforts to meet the target, or corporate Japan's competitive edge would go into a decline,"

単純に，or が等位接続詞として，文＋文をつなぐ

vocabrary

underscoring the challenges = to underline = to emphasize

marking a major shift = to making a major shift, make it possible to recognize

has pledged = to make a formal promise to do something:

on a net basis = 純額ベースで

純額とは，

a precision machinery maker = 精密機械メーカー

in that time-frame

in the near-term = the opposite of in long run/ term

bring A into line with = bring sth into line (with sth)

to make something the same as or similar to something else:

Hunter Biden facing federal investigation over 'tax affairs' (12/10)

vocabrary

tax affairs = affair is a matter or situation that causes strong public feeling, usually of moral disapproval:

his financial dealings that dogged his father's campaign  = to follow someone closely and continuously:

the president-elect's transition office = 次期大統領移行局

profiting off his political connections = Profit off sounds more negative like you are taking advantage of someone for profit

利益のために利用する．

unsubstantiated charges of corruption = unsubstantiated is not supported by facts:　

charge = a formal police statement saying that someone is accused of a crime

corruption is illegal, bad, or dishonest behaviour, especially by people in positions of power

The transition team = 次期大統領移行局

to emerge stronger = become storonger?

U.S., Japan warn China on 'coercion, destabilizing behavior'(03/17)

sentence

The joint statement called again for Pyongyang's "complete denuclearization" warning North Korea's arsenal "poses a threat to international peace and stability".

warning that 節かな？

The joint statement issued Tuesday specifically references the "importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,"

reference 動詞としても使われる．

"My job is to make sure that we are as ready, as fast as we can possibly be to face any challenge that would face us or the alliance," he added.

as ここのasの意味はなんだろ 

vocabrary

coercion = 強制

 destabilizing behavior =　不安定化させる動き 

diplomatic and defense= 外交と防衛

bolstering their alliance= 地域の協力を強める

shore up regional alliances = 地域の協力を強める

dispute  = compete for; strive to win.
( ex. the two drivers crashed while disputing the lead)

aggression to get its way = 侵略，凶暴性

the coup in Myanmar = クーデターinMyanmar

repressing peaceful protesters = 平和的なプロテスターを抑圧する

he declined to comment = コメントを控える

the latest bombastic pronouncement from North Korea = 大げさな声明

To date = 現在まで

to dispatch the two top officials = 派遣する

Blinken and Austin set out = 出発する

we will hold China accountable = 中国に説明性を負わせる

islets = small island

status quo　= 問題提起的な現状

Tokyo Olympics hit by yet another scandal over demeaning comments（03/19）

sentence

When the International Olympic Committee awarded Japan the games 7 1/2 years ago(IOCが7年半前に日本にthe games=オリンピックを授与したとき), Tokyo billed itself as "a safe pair of hands." It has evolved into anything but that (東京はそれ以外のなにかになった = そんな影もない).

7年半前に国際オリンピック委員会が日本にオリンピックを授与したとき、東京は「安全なペア」と言っていました。しかし、今ではそれどころではありません。

bill = to describe sth as being sth

a safe pair of hands = 頼りになる人，手堅い人

vocabrary

demeaning = degrading

hit by = ふりかかる

yet = even at this stage or time:

setback = something that happens that delays or prevents a process from developing: such as problem, difficulty,  issue

in just over four months = 4ヶ月あまりで

dogged  (adjective) =  determined to do something, even if it is very difficult:

all of this converges as the Olympic torch relay starts next week from northeastern Japan = 情報が集まってきた

venture = an activity or plan of action, often in business, that involves risk or uncertainty:

crisscross (verb)= to move or exist in a pattern of crossing lines:

buffeted = 

UK /ˈbʊf.eɪ/ US /bəˈfeɪ/　a meal where people serve themselves different types of food:

UK /ˈbʌf.ɪt/ US /ˈbʌf.ɪt/　(of wind, rain, etc.) to hit something repeatedly and with great force: = hit[verb] 

snake-bitten = Being unable to success, having bad luck

plummet = to fall very quickly and suddenly:

deputy director = a person who is given the power to do something instead of another person, or the person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organization: 副所長

further ˈfɝː.ðɚ/ = to develop or make progress in something: = promote

step down = resign

bribery scandal = 贈収賄スキャンダル

handover = 引き継ぎ　the giving of control of or responsibility for something to someone else:

one year to go あと一年

Sasaki's "Olympig" reference was an obvious play on the word "Olympic." = もじる/ダジャレ

take off = to suddenly start to be successful or popular: 話題になる

embarrassed = ahamed

tender[verb] = to make a formal offer

they were quite concerned = 懸念していた．

japan has attributed about 8,700 deaths to the virus. = 日本は8700の死をウイルスによるものとした．

doomed to fial = certain to fail, die, or be destroyed: