PREVIOUS NHKayoubi!
These are the previous NHKayoubis from weeks ago. The original page was getting cluttered and was likely taking a bit of time to load, so I moved the older ones here.
All articles come from "NHK: Newsweb Easy." |
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5/13/13 - 橋下市長「慰安婦は必要だった」
日本維新の会の共同代表である橋下徹大阪市長が13日「慰安婦は必要だった」という妄言を吐き出した。 この日大阪市庁で開かれた記者会見で橋下市長は「(太平洋戦争当時)日本軍は当時、銃弾が行き来する状況で命をかけた。精神的に神経が高ぶっていた彼らに慰安婦制度が必要だったことは誰でもわかること」と話した。 さらに橋下市長は「当時の歴史を調べてみれば、日本軍だけでなく色々な国の軍隊で(慰安婦を)活用してきた」として「なぜ日本の慰安婦だけが世界的に議論されているのか」として反論した。 彼は「日本が国家的なレベルで慰安婦を強制的に動員したと世界が非難しているけれども、2006年(第1次安倍内閣時期)の閣議決定で慰安婦強制動員の証拠がないとしている」として「日本が不当に侮辱されているという点をしっかり主張しなければならない」と話した。 それと共に橋下市長は「自分の意志に反して慰安婦になった方もいるだろう。これは戦争の悲劇の結果だ。この人たちには優しい気持ち、優しい言葉で接しなければならない」と言及した。 これと共に橋下市長は「侵略に学術的な定義がないということは、首相が話したそのままだ」として安倍首相を支持した。 橋下市長は2003年のある放送で「日本人が中国で売春行為をするのは公的開発援助(ODA)と同じようなもの」という発言をして物議をかもしたことがある。また昨年8月にも「慰安婦が(日本軍に)暴行・脅迫にあって引きずられて行ったという証拠はない」として「あるならば韓国が出せば良いだろう」と話して韓国をはじめとする周辺国の反発を買った。 石原慎太郎・前東京都知事とともに日本維新の会の共同代表をつとめる橋下市長は“首相の器”として論議されるほど最近の日本政界に浮上した若い政治家だ。維新の会は最近、改憲発議要件を定めた憲法96条の改正を積極的に支持して集団的自衛権行使の容認を主張するなど日本の右傾化の先頭に立っている。 |
5/13/13 - Mayor Hashimoto: "'Comfort Women' Were Necessary"
On the 13th, The Japanese Restoration Party's Joint Representative, the Mayor of Osaka Mr. Hashimoto Tooru spewed these harsh words: "The comfort women were necessary". Today, at an open press conference at the Osaka City Hall, Mayor Tooru Hashimoto said "The Japanese military (at the time of the Pacific War) were risking their lives with bullets going this way and that. Everyone knows that the system of 'comfort women' was necessary for the mentally exhausted and high-strung soldiers." Moreover, saying that "if you look at that time period of history, it wasn't just Japan's military, but many countries armies were utilizing (comfort women)", he argued "why is it that only Japan's 'comfort women' are being discussed?" He said "Japan has been accused by the world of forcing the women on a national level, but, in 2006 (during Abe's first administration), a cabinet meeting found no evidence that the women were forced... we must firmly state the point that Japan has been wrongfully insulted". At the same time he said "There were probably those who became 'comfort women' against their will. That's the tragedy of war. We must connect kindly with these women with gentle words and gentle spirits." "It's as the Prime Minister said: regarding invasion, there is no academic definition."*, he said, supporting Prime Minister Abe. In a 2003 broadcast, Mr. Hashimoto caused a stir by taking the floor and stating that "Japanese people partaking in prostitution in China is the same thing as 'official development assistance'". And then again in August of last year he earned the anger of neighboring countries, starting with Korea, by saying that "there is no evidence that the women were dragged out (by the Japanese military) by force or threat... If there were [any evidence], it would be nice of Korea to present it". Serving as a joint representative for the Japanese Restoration party with the previous governor of the Tokyo metropolitan area, Mr. Ishihara Shintarou, Mr. Hashimoto, is a young politician who has emerged in the world of Japanese politics. He has even been discussed as a "vessel of the prime minister". The Restoration Party is Japan's leading right-leaning political party that has recently been actively working to do things like amend article 96 of the Japanese Constitution, which establishes how to amend the constitution, and insist on the acceptance of [Japan's] right to collective self-defense. *I'm not quite sure I got this quote correct. |
5/13/13-「2012年度の経常収支 黒字が今まででいちばん少なくなる」
財務省は、2012年度の日本と外国との貿易やお金のやり取りについて発表しました。それによると、外国との輸出や輸入、旅行などの「貿易・サービス収支」は9兆4759億円の赤字でした。赤字は前の年度より78.9%増えて、1985年度から今まででいちばん多くなりました。 赤字が増えた理由の一つは、ヨーロッパなどの経済が悪いため、ヨーロッパや中国などへの輸出の金額が少なくなったことです。また、ドルで輸入する燃料などは円安のため、円で計算すると高くなりました。 利子や給料などで、外国から入ったお金と外国に払ったお金の差の「所得収支」は、前の年度より5.1%増えて、14兆7245億円えんの黒字でした。外国にある日本の会社がもうけたお金が増えたためです。 「貿易・サービス収支」と「所得収支」、それに外国への経済援助なども入れた「経常収支」は4兆2931億円の黒字でした。黒字は前の年度より43.6%少なくなって、今まででいちばん少なくなりました。 |
5/13/13 - "The F.Y. 2012 Account Balance, the Lowest Profit Yet"
The [Japanese] Ministry of Finance has released the 2012 Fiscal Year Foreign Trade and Monetary Exchange [data]. According to the information, imports, exports and traveling related "Balance of goods and services" was a loss of 9,475,900,000,000 yen. The loss increased by 78.9% since last year, and is at the greatest amount since 1985. One of the reasons for the increases in losses is because of the weak European economy, and decreased exports to places like Europe and China. Also, when calculating the price of imported fuels from dollars to yen, the price appears larger due to the weakened yen.* The difference in the income balance between the amount of money entering Japan from foreign countries and leaving Japan through salaries and interest has increased by 5.1% over last year, to a profit of 14,724,500,000 yen. This is due to the amount of money that Japanese companies in foreign countries earned increasing. The "Current Account", when is when you add the amount of foreign aid given into the "Balance of Goods and Services" and the "Income Balance", was a 4,293,100,000 yen profit. This profit was 43.6% less than last fiscal year, and was the lowest on record. *due to the US Dollar being the world's reserve money, other countries have to calculate their costs in a strange way. |
5/13/13-「航空会社の会長が賭けに負けて飛行機の中でサービス」
ヴァージン・アトランティック航空のブランソン会長は大金持ちで有名で、イギリス王室から勲章ももらっています。12日、ブランソン会長はマレーシアのエアアジアという航空会社の客室乗務員(=飛行機の中で客の世話をする人)になって、オーストラリアからマレーシアへの飛行機に乗りました。 ブランソン会長は化粧をして、スカートの制服を着ていました。そして、笑顔で客に安全に避難する方法を説明したり、飲み物を配ったりしました。 ブランソン会長は3年前、エアアジアのフェルナンデスCEO(=最高経営責任者)と自動車のF1レースでどちらの会社のチームが勝つか賭けをしました。負けたほうが客室乗務員になると決めていたので、ブランソン会長は約束を守ったというわけです。 賭けに勝ったフェルナンデスCEOも客としてこの飛行機に乗っていました。ブランソン会長はフェルナンデスCEOのひざの上にジュースをわざと何回もこぼしました。 フェルナンデスCEOは「ブランソン会長のサービスは、とてもひどかったです」と言いました。ブランソン会長が、「客室乗務員になることは長い間の夢ゆめでしたが、きょうで終わりでしょう」と言うと、客たちも笑っていました。 |
5/13/13 - "Airline Company CEO Loses Bet, Has to Give Service Inside Airplane"
Virgin Atlantic's company president, Richard Branson, is rich and famous, and has even been awarded a medal* from the English Royal Family. On the 12th [however], he became a member of the cabin crew (people who help customers inside airplanes) for the Malaysian airline company "Air Asia" and rode from Australia to Malaysia. He put on make-up and was wearing a uniform with a skirt. And, with a smiling face, he explained the procedures for how to safely evacuate [the plane], and serve drinks. Three years earlier, Branson made a bet with Air Asia's CEO, Mr. Fernandez, about which F1 racing team would win. They decided that the loser had to become a member of the cabin crew. Branson was fulfilling his promise. The winner of the bet, Mr. Fernandez, was also on the plane, but as a customer. Branson repeatedly spilled juice on Fernandez' lap on purpose. Fernandez said that "Branson's service was very terrible". When Branson told everyone that "becoming a flight attendant has been a dream [he has] had for a long time, and that dream ends today", the customers laughed. *He was knighted. |
5/13/13-「福島県立医科大学, 被ばくした人を十分治療できるようにする」
東京電力福島第一原子力発電所では、原子炉を無くすための作業や原発の周りの放射線の量を少なくする除染を行っています。これらの作業をする人は、短い時間でたくさんの放射線を受ける「急性被ばく」の危険があると言われています。 このため、福島県立医科大学は、被ばくしてひどい症状の人も、大学の病院で治療できるようにすることを決めました。 大学の病院では、ことしの終わりごろまでに、被ばく専門の医師を5人くらい入れたり、世界で最も新しい設備を作ったりして、準備をします。大学では専門の講座を新しく作って、医師の教育をします。 菊地臣一学長は、「福島ま第一原発の事故では、被ばくした人が運ばれてきましたが、専門の医師や設備が十分でなかったため、別の所に運ばなければならないことがありました。これから、福島県で被ばくの治療がしっかりできるようにしたいです」と話しています。 |
5/13/13 - "Fukushima Medical University Aims to Provide Sufficient Treatment for those Exposed [to radiation]"
The decontamination of the nuclear pile and the amount of radiation contamination around the nuclear reactor at Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima #1 nuclear power plant is underway. There is a worry that the people who are doing the work will be exposed to a large quantity of radiation in a short period of time. Due to this [concern], the Fukushima Medical University has decided to make it so that people who are exhibiting severe radiation symptoms will be able to get treatment. The university's hospital will prepare by doing things like enlisting* five new radiation-exposure specialists, and building some of the world's newest equipment to prepare all by the end of this year. It will also create a course for this specialty and will have education to become a doctor. Kikuchi Shinichi, the president of the school, said "Due to there not being enough specialty doctors and equipment when the people exposed to the radiation at the Fukushima #1 plant accident, it was necessary to transport the people to a different site. From now on, we want to be able to firmly handle nuclear exposure problems here in Fukushima Prefecture". *Did you know that 入れる can be translated as "enlist"? |
5/2/13-「将棋の里見香奈さん 女性では初めて5つのタイトル」
里見香奈さんは、将棋の6つの女流タイトル(=将棋のプロの女性の称号)のうち、女流名人、女流王位、女流王将、倉敷藤花の4つを持っています。 5つ目のタイトルを取るために、女王のタイトルを持っている上田初美さんと試合を行いました。2回続けて勝ったあと、1日、大阪で3回目の試合を行いました。 試合は終わるころになって里見さんが勝ちそうになりました。そして、上田さんが負けたと言って終わりました。 里見さんは3回続けて試合に勝ったため、女王のタイトルを取りました。日本の将棋の歴史では初めて女性で5つのタイトルを持つことになりました。 里見さんは、島根県出雲市出身の21歳で、平成16年(2004年)に12歳で将棋のプロになりました。積極的に速く戦うため、「出雲のイナズマ」と呼ばれています。 里見さんは「大勢の人たちが応援してくれて、試合に勝つことができてうれしいです」と話していました。 |
5/2/13- "Ms. Kana Satomi: The First to [Get] 5 Women's Shyougi Titles"
Ms. Kana Satomi has four of the six "Female Titles" of Shyougi (the female shyougi pro titles*): Female Expert (Meijin), Female Throne, Female King, and "Kurashiki Touka"**. To take the 5th title, she carried out a match with Ms. Hatsumi Ueda who holds the ’Queen Title’. After winning twice in a row, she met for the third match in Oosaka on the first. It was becoming the end of the match and it had come to be that Ms. Satomi would win. Then, Ms. Ueda said that she lost, and the game was over. Due to winning the three matches in a row, she took the title of "Queen". This is the first time in the history of Shogi that a woman has captured five of the titles. Ms. Satomi, who is 21 years old and who came from Izumo-city in Shimane-prefecture, became a professional Shyougi player when she was 12, in 2004 (The 16th year of the Heisei). Due to her quick, active play, she is called "Izumo Inazuma" [Izumo Lightning]. Ms. Satomi said "I'm very happy that so many people came to cheer for me that I could win!" *The word titles in the article is the usage of the title as in "Chief of Staff" or "Assistant Director". I know NOTHING about Shyougi, but it seems as though the players are ordained titles as they win matches. **Sorry, I just have no idea what this is. It seems to have something to do with the name of the match that the girls involved played with. |
5/2/13-「原子で作った世界でいちばん小さいアニメーション」
世界でいちばん小さいアニメーションをアメリカの会社「IBM」が作りました。 これは「少年と原子」という名前のアニメーションで、男の子がボールやトランポリンで遊ぶ様子を点で描ています。1つの点は、物の形を作るいちばん小さい粒=原子です。 アニメーションの背景の大きさは、縦が25ナノメートル(=0.000025mm)、横が45ナノメートル(=0.000045mm)で、とても小さいです。 原子は部屋の中など普通の温度の中では動いています。このアニメーションを撮るときは、原子が動かないように、背景をー268℃まで冷たくしました。そして、顕微鏡で見ながら、とても細い針で原子を少しずつ動かして撮りました。 アニメーションは、原子を使った記録媒体(=データを記録するもの)について研究している4人が作りました。2週間かかりました。 アニメーションを作った人は「世界の学生や子どもたちに、原子というものがあることを知ってほしいと思います」と話しています。これはいちばん小さいアニメーションの世界記録になりました。 |
5/2/13 - "The World's Smallest Movie, Made From Atoms"
The American company IBM has made the world's smallest cartoon. The cartoon is "A Boy and His Atom", and is a scene of a boy playing with a ball and a trampoline illustrated using dots. The dots, which are atoms, are the smallest [possible] grains used to make shapes. The size of the background is very small at a 25 nanometer height (0.0000025 mm) by a 45 nanometer width (0.000045 mm). At room temperature, atoms are generally moving. In order to film the movie, they made the background -236 Celsius to keep the atoms from moving. Further, while looking through the microscope, they filmed the video while using a very fine needle to move the atoms little by little. The cartoon was made by four people who were researching recording media tools that use atoms*. It took two weeks. The people who made the movie said "We wanted to teach children and students about the things called 'atoms'." The animation has become the smallest recorded animation in the world. *After translating, the parentheses are almost entirely unnecessary. |
5/2/13-「超高層ビル とても大きな地震で20分も揺れる可能性」
日本には超高層ビル(=15階以上または100m以上あるようなとても高いビル)が2500もあります。 防災科学技術研究所の研究グループは、南海トラフ(=東海地方から西日本の太平洋側の海の底にある谷のような場所)でとても大きな地震があった場合の超高層ビルのゆっくりした揺れについて計算しました。 研究グループによると、最もひどい場合、東京や大阪、名古屋では、地面の揺れが10分以上続きます。超高層ビルの上では揺れがもっと大きくなって、長く続く可能性があります。 工学院大学の久田嘉章教授は、東京都新宿区にある29階建ての大学のビルがとても大きな地震でどう揺れるか、コンピューターで調べました。 その結果、地震から3分あとで、いちばん上の29階でビルが揺れる幅は、いちばん大きい場合で2m88cmになりました。 このビルでは、揺れる幅がおととしの東日本大震災の時の約5倍になって、20分以上揺れ続ける可能性があります。このため、柱とはりをつないでいる所の形が変わって、壁や天井などが壊れたりすることも考えられます。 久田教授は「棚などを動かないようにして、けがをする人を出さないようにすることが必要です。大きく揺れないように建物を強くすることも必要です」と言っています。 |
5/2/13 - "Super High-Rise Buildings Might Shake In A Powerful Earthquake for 20 Minutes"
In Japan, there are at least 2500 high-rise buildings (tall buildings that are taller than 15 stories / are at least 100 meters in height). A research group from the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention have been calculating about the sway of super high rise buildings in the event of a major earthquake on the Nankai Trough. According to the research group, in the case of a terrible earthquake, places like Tokyo, Oosaka, and Nagoya, the ground-shaking can continue for over 10 minutes.The shaking at the top of the building is much bigger, and there's a possibility it would last longer. The school of engineering's Professor Yoshiaki Hisada studied how much the 29 story college building in Tokyo's Shinjyuku would shake using computer models. The results show that three minutes after an earthquake, the width of the shaking of the tallest story of the building was, in the biggest case, 2.88 meters. In the Great East Japan Earthquake 2 years ago, there's a possibility that the building would shake about 5 times wider and for longer than 20 minutes. Due to this fact, we can imagine a situation where the shapes of the areas where timber and pillars connect might change and alter, and the walls and ceilings etc. might break. Professor Hisada says that "Making it so that shelves won't move, or that injured people won't be expelled (from the building) is important. Making buildings that won't shake strongly is also important." |
4/19/13 - 「牛丼の値段を下げる 店の競争が厳しくなる」
牛丼(=煮た牛肉をごはんの上にのせた食べ物)の店を出している会社「吉野家」は、18日から普通の大きさの牛丼の値段を100円下げて280円にしました。2月にアメリカから牛肉を輸入するときの決まりが変わって、牛肉を安く買うことができそうだと考えたためです。 東京の有楽町の吉野家では、午前10時に店員が「今から280円です」と知らせると、客が店に入って牛丼を頼んでいました。 吉野家では、BSEという病気の牛が見つかってアメリカから牛肉を輸入することができなくなったときも、安いオーストラリアなどの牛肉を使かわないで、値段を下げませんでした。また、コンビニの弁当などを買う人も増えたため、ことし2月までの1年間は赤字になりました。 吉野家では、安すい値段で客を30%多くして、黒字にしたいと考えています。 牛丼の店を出す会社はほかにもありますが、売り上げはあまり増えていません。吉野家は今回、「すき家」や「松屋」と普通の大きさの牛丼の値段が同じになりました。このため、牛丼の店の競争はまた厳しくなっています。 吉野家の安部修仁社長は「多くの人ひとは給料がまだ増えていないため、生活が苦しいと思っています。客は値段を安くしてほしいと思っています」と話しています。 |
4/19/13 - Gyuudon Prices Decrease, Trouble for the Competition
Starting on the 18th, the Gyuudon chain store "Yoshinoya" (Gyuudon is a food where boiled [slices of] beef are placed on top of rice) lowered the price of the "normal large gyuudon" by 100 yen to 280 yen. With the change in the decision about [government regulations of] American beef imports, it seems that buying beef is cheaper. At a Yoshinoya in Tokyo's Yuurakuchyou at 10 am, when the store clerks explained that "From now, it will be 280 yen", the customers entered the store and were ordering gyuudon. At Yoshinoya, even when Mad Cow's Disease was discovered, and beef was unable to be imported, [the company] didn't use cheap beef from places like Australia, and didn't lower their prices. Also, due to the [number of] people buying bentous at convenience stores increasing, [Yoshinoya] was 'in the red' for a year until February. At the Yoshinoya, they're thinking they would like the cheap price to increase the number of customers by 30% and get them 'in the black'. There are other gyuudon chain stores, but their earnings aren't going up much. This time, Yoshinoya's regular sized gyuudon's price have become the same as places like "Sukiya" and "Matsuya". On account of this, the competition in gyuudon shops is once again strict/tight. Yoshinoya's Company President, Shyuuji Abe said that "I think that, because many people's salary still haven't increased, their livelihoods have suffered. I think that customers want prices lowered." |
4/15/13 - 「鳥インフルエンザ 北京で4歳の男の子も感染」
中国では上海市や江蘇省などで、先月の終わりごろから、H7N9型の鳥インフルエンザウイルスに感染する人が増えていて、亡くなった人もいます。 13日、北京市でも初めて、7歳の女の子が感染していることが分かりました。女の子の両親は生きた鳥を売る仕事をしているため、関係のある人などを北京市が調べました。その結果、14日夜、4歳の男の子が感染していることが分かりました。 この男の子は高い熱が出たり、肺炎になったりはしていませんが、北京市はこの男の子を入院させて詳しく調べています。 これで、中国でH7N9型の鳥インフルエンザウイルスに感染した人は全部で61人になって、この中の13人が亡くなりました。 これまでは、上海市とその周りの地方で感染する人がほとんどでした。しかし、北京市や内陸にある河南省でも感染した人が見つかったため、中国政府は感染する人が中国全体に広がらないように、とても気をつけています。 |
4/15/13 - 4 year-old Beijing Boy Becomes Infected with Bird Flu
Since the end of last month, in Chinese places like Shanghai City and Jiangsu Province, the number of people becoming infected by the H7N9 Bird Flu Virus has been increasing; some people have even died. It's known that, on the 13th, Beijing as well had its first [case with] a 7 year-old girl being infected. On account of her parents' jobs - selling live chickens - Beijing searched for people who might have had a relationship [with them; customers, perhaps]. The results: On the night of the 14th, they came to know* that a 4 year-old boy became infected. The boy isn't exhibiting** a fever, nor is he showing signs of pneumonia, but Beijing is forcing him to stay in a hospital and is being studied in detail. With this, in China, 61 people have become infected by the H7N9 Bird Flu Virus. Of these, 13 have passed away. The majority of the infected people were [in] the area of around Shanghai. But, due to infected people being discovered in Beijing and the more inland Henan Province, the Chinese government is taking care that the number of people infected doesn't spread to the whole Chinese population. *I chose to translate 分かりました as "came to know" instead of "it is known" due to the その結果 that came before it. **出る means "leave", but also "appear", or "come out". I chose to use the "show" idea for this sentence. 熱が出る" generally means "have a fever". One can also use ある as the verb. |
4/11/13 -「1万4000年前 魚を料理していた可能性」
日本とイギリスの研究チームは、日本の縄文時代はじめの遺跡13か所から見つかった土器(=土を焼いて作った食器など)を調べました。 その結果、約1万4000年前の北海道の「大正3遺跡」と、約1万2000年前の福井県の「鳥浜貝塚」で見つかった土器に付いていた、食物が焦げたものから、魚などの油の成分が見つかりました。 「大正3遺跡」は海から遠い場所にあります。この遺跡で見つかった土器は、川に戻って来たサケを料理した可能性があります。 この研究はイギリスの科学雑誌「ネイチャー」の電子版(=パソコンなどで読む本)で発表されました。何を料理していたのか、成分まで調べた研究の中では世界で最も古い資料だと言われています。 研究チームの、新潟県立 歴史 博物館の西田泰民さんは、「土器を使い始めたころから、魚なども料理していたことが分かりました。これは、縄文時代の人が何を食べていたかを考える大切な資料になります」と話しています。 |
4/11/13 - 14,000 Years Ago, [Humans] Likely Cooked Fish
A Japanese and English research team studied stone tools (things like dishes made by baking clay*) that were found at 13 different sites that came from the beginning of Japan's Jyomon Period. The results [showed] constituents of fish oils were found from burned food that was attached to stone tools from both the ~14,000 year old "Taishyo-3 Ruins" in Hokkaidou and the ~12,000 year old "Torihama Shell Midden"** in Fukui Prefecture. The Taisho-3 Ruins exist in a place far from the ocean. There is a possibility that the earthenware that was found there [was used] to cook salmon returning to rivers from the ocean. The research was published in the digital version (a book that's able to be read on things like computers) of the English science magazine "Nature". It's said that this is the oldest information in the world regarding studies of what the ingredients of what people ate. Nishida Yasutami, a member of the team from the Niigata Prefecture Established Natural History Museum, stated "From the time that [people] first used tools, we know that they were eating fish. This will become important information [when] thinking about what the people of the Jyoumon Period ate *土・つち can mean anything related to soil. It is most likely "clay" in this instance. *"Shell Midden" is a new term for me, too. |
4/11/13 -「秋田犬と遊ぶプーチン大統領の写真」
秋田県は、ロシアと経済や観光の交流を増やしたいと考えて、去年7月、プーチン大統領に秋田犬をプレゼントしました。秋田県は、日本海を挟んでロシアと向かい合っているからです。 この秋田犬とプーチン大統領だが一緒に写っている写真が、初めて、テレビなどに出ました。 プーチン大統領は犬が好きで、秋田犬には「ゆめ」という名前を付けています。 「ゆめ」は、去年7月は体の大きさが約50cmの子犬でしたが、1歳になって大きくなりました。 写真には、「ゆめ」が別の犬と一緒に、雪の中で大統領と遊んでいるところが写っていて、大統領と仲良しのようです。 |
4/11/13 - A Picture of President Putin Playing with [his] Akita Dog
Thinking it would help increase tourism and economic interaction with Russia, Akita Prefecture gave [the Russian] President Putin an Akita dog last July. This is because Akita Prefecture and Russia face each other over the Japanese Sea. A picture showing the dog and the president* playing together appeared for the first time on such news outlets as T.V. President Putin likes the dog**. He gave it the name "Yume"***. Yume, who was only about 50cm last July, has gotten big. The picture shows Yume playing with another dog and the president in the snow -- it seems they are good friends! *I had to resist saying "the two dogs"... but I digress! **This COULD mean "He likes dogs", but it more likely is talking about the specific dog ***Like all names, I left it in its natural state. The dog's name means "Dream". |
4/10/13 - 「ことしの夏の電力は足たりる予想」
沖縄電力以外の9つの電力会社は、ことしの夏の電力が足りるかどうかを予想しました。そして、経済産業省の委員会は、9日の会議でこの予想を発表しました。それによると、電力をいちばん多く使う8月が、3年前の2010年のようにとても暑くなった場合でも、日本中で6.3%、作る電力が使う電力より多くなる予想です。 作る電力が使う電力よりどのくらい多いかについて、北海道電力と中国電力は、10.5%と予想しています。これは9つの電力会社でいちばん高い割合です。東京電力は6.7%です。関西電力は、9つの電力会社でいちばん割合が低くて、3%と予想しています。この中には大飯原子力発電所の3号機と4号機で作る電力も入いっています。 電力会社は、火力発電を増やしたり、会社や家庭でいつも節電をするようになってきたりしたため、電力が足たりる予想になったと言いっています。 政府は、ことしの夏なつの節電のお願いをどうするか決めることにしています。しかし、今回の予想で電力が足りることが分かったため、細かい目標は出さないで、家庭や会社に節電してほしいと言うことになりそうです。 |
4/10/13 - This Summer's Electric Power Forecast
Nine power companies other than the Okinawa Power are predicting whether this summer's power supply will be sufficient. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's committee announced the prediction in their meeting on the ninth. According [to the meeting], the prediction is that, even if August, which is month that people use the most energy, gets really hot like it was 3 years ago in 2010, there will be 6.3% more energy produced throughout all of Japan than will be used. Regarding the how much energy will be produced more than will be used, Hokkaidou Energy and Chyuugoku* Energy are predicting a 10.5% [surplus]. This is the highest of the nine companies' predictions. Tokyo Power's is 6.7%. Kansai Power is predicting 3%, the lowest percentage of the of the nine power companies'. Within this, the power made by the Ooi Nuclear Power Plant's #3 and #4 reactors are included**. The electrical power companies are saying that the predictions are saying that the power will be sufficient due to how companies and homes have come to always be acting in a way to save energy and how the power companies are increasing fossil fuel energy production.*** The government is deciding how to ask people to save energy this summer. But, it seems that, due to knowing that the predictions say the energy will be sufficient, the government won't release a detailed plan [of action]; they'll say that they want households and companies to conserve energy. *No, it's not "Chinese Energy". There is a region in Japan called "Chyuugoku", as in "the middle of the country. You might be surprised to learn that it's actually very far to the west of Japan. This is because of the history of Japan - the first center of power was in the western area. ** This has, apparently, been an issue. See here. ***I translated this in a way to help you with comparing the Japanese and English for your own translations. Sorry if it's a bit confusing -- if you're translating, you should be able to see it easier with this translation. |
4/9/13 - 「福島第一原子力発電所汚染水おせんすいが漏もれる」
東京電力福島第一原子力発電所では、今月3日から5日の間に、地下のタンクから、放射性物質(=放射線を出す物質)で汚れた汚染水が120t以上漏れているのが見つかりました。このため、東京電力は、このタンクにある約1万3000tの汚染水を別の二つのタンクに入れる作業を続けています。 七日には、隣の別のタンクでも汚染水が漏れていることが分かりました。汚染水はタンクの上のほうから、一番多い場合で約3Lもれた可能性があると東京電力は考えています。このため、このタンクにある1万t以上の汚染水の中の約2000tを別のタンクに入れることにしています。 東京電力は、全部で7つあるタンクの中の24か所で一日に二回ぐらい調べるなど、汚染水が漏れていないか厳しく管理することにしています。 しかし、地下水が流れてきているためタンクの汚染水は増え続けています。そして、その汚染水が漏れたため、今までより汚染水の管理が難しくなっています。 東京電力は汚染水が漏れないようにするにはどうしたらいいか、急いでもう一度考える必要があります。 |
4/9/13 - "Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: Leaking Water"
It was discovered that the Tokyo Electric Power's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was leaking over 120 tons of contaminated, radioactive (a substance that emits radiation) water between April 3rd and April 5th, from an underground tank. On account of this, TEP is continuing the operation of transferring the 13,000 tons of polluted water into two different tanks. On the 7th [of this month], it became known that the tank next to the leaking one was also leaking polluted water. TEP thinks that the water might have leaked, at most, 3 liters from the top-area of this tank. Due to this, they decided to transfer about 2,000 tons of the total 10,000+ tons of polluted water to a separate tank. TEP is strictly monitoring whether or not the tanks are leaking by checking 24 points [of concern] in each tank twice a day. However, because the ground water is flowing, the polluted water in the tank continues to increase. Further, on account of the polluted water leaking, it will be more difficult than it has been up until now to monitor the polluted It is very important that TEP quickly rethinks what they should do to keep the polluted water from leaking. |
In this article, the 'particle' ため is used quite frequently. Its usage in this articles is almost exclusively the "on account of", or "due to this", usage.
4/1/13 - 「犯罪を防ぐために銀行の窓口の確認が厳しくなる」
The government has said to banks to use driver's licenses and passports to verify whether or not the person at the front bank window is the correct person, from the second year of the Heisei (1990). This was to protect against incidents of people doing things like deceptively taking money, or making accounts to use for crime.
From the 1st, adapting to the rules of the world, the process of identification will become more strict.
For example, up until now, if one is transferring (that is, sending money to another account) over 100,000 yen, or if depositing or withdrawing over 2,000,000 yen, the banker is the one who checks whether you are who you claim to be. From now on, in addition to this, they will ask questions such as what work you do and for what purpose you're transferring the money. It's the same if you're making a new account from a bank teller window.
The government is thinking that, by doing this, they wish to find what kind of transfers and other banking activity are in connection to crime.
The Japanese Bankers Association stated that "with the laws changing, confirming [identities] at the bank teller windows has increased [and this will be annoying], we ask for everyone's understanding and cooperation".
The government has said to banks to use driver's licenses and passports to verify whether or not the person at the front bank window is the correct person, from the second year of the Heisei (1990). This was to protect against incidents of people doing things like deceptively taking money, or making accounts to use for crime.
From the 1st, adapting to the rules of the world, the process of identification will become more strict.
For example, up until now, if one is transferring (that is, sending money to another account) over 100,000 yen, or if depositing or withdrawing over 2,000,000 yen, the banker is the one who checks whether you are who you claim to be. From now on, in addition to this, they will ask questions such as what work you do and for what purpose you're transferring the money. It's the same if you're making a new account from a bank teller window.
The government is thinking that, by doing this, they wish to find what kind of transfers and other banking activity are in connection to crime.
The Japanese Bankers Association stated that "with the laws changing, confirming [identities] at the bank teller windows has increased [and this will be annoying], we ask for everyone's understanding and cooperation".
4/1/13 - 「中国鳥インフルエンザ「H7N9型」で2人が亡くなる」
The Chinese Government announced that two men have passed away in Shanghai after becoming infected by a type of bird-flu that, until now, had not been confirmed to infect humans.
The two men that passed away were an 87 year old and a 27 year old. The two both had fever, [exhibited symptoms like] Pneumonia, and passed away last month. Well researched results from after they died, on March 30th, found that the two had been infected by the H7N9 form of Bird Flu Virus.
Also, it was found that a 35 year old woman was also infected by the same form of the virus. She has terrible pneumonia, and is still undergoing treatment.
Until now, there had been reports of people becoming infected by the H5N1 Bird Flu Virus. However, the WHO said that this was these were the first cases of the H7N9 Virus being transmitted to humans.
People in the three people's families [and people who are close to them] have not been infected. Again, it has not been confirmed whether or not this virus can be transmitted from human to human. China is investigating how the three became infected and how strong the virus' ability to infect humans is.
The Chinese Government announced that two men have passed away in Shanghai after becoming infected by a type of bird-flu that, until now, had not been confirmed to infect humans.
The two men that passed away were an 87 year old and a 27 year old. The two both had fever, [exhibited symptoms like] Pneumonia, and passed away last month. Well researched results from after they died, on March 30th, found that the two had been infected by the H7N9 form of Bird Flu Virus.
Also, it was found that a 35 year old woman was also infected by the same form of the virus. She has terrible pneumonia, and is still undergoing treatment.
Until now, there had been reports of people becoming infected by the H5N1 Bird Flu Virus. However, the WHO said that this was these were the first cases of the H7N9 Virus being transmitted to humans.
People in the three people's families [and people who are close to them] have not been infected. Again, it has not been confirmed whether or not this virus can be transmitted from human to human. China is investigating how the three became infected and how strong the virus' ability to infect humans is.
3/29/13 - 「介護福祉士の試験に合格した外国人は少しだけ増える」
Using the Economic Partnership Agreements (some agreements made between [Japan] and other countries, regarding things like people's immigration and training for the purpose of economic cooperation), people from Indonesia and the Philippines are coming to Japan.
322 of such people took a "Caregiver Test" in January of this year. Then, on the 28th, there was an announcement of who passed.
Of the 322 people, 128 people passed. This is a rate of 39.8%, which is only a 1.9 point increase from last year.
The people who came through the EPA have difficulty reading and writing Japanese, so, this year's test[s?] had furigana attached to the kanji for all the problems. The length of time for the test was also increased by 50%, however the percentage of people who passed didn't go up by much.
The percentage of people who passed the test, adding in Japanese people as well, totals 64.4%. It is understood that those who come through the EPA are able to pass the test.
In order to continue [working] as a caregiver, the people must pass the Caregiver Test within 4 years of coming to Japan. The government expects that even those who didn't pass this time - perhaps their test's points were just not enough - will be able to stay in Japan for another year longer.
Difficulties I ran into while translating:
I found these sentences to be strange.
日本に1年長くいることができる - "Be able to 1-year-longly stay in Japan." This means "will be able to stay another year" That 長く was tripping me up.
EPAで来た人たちはなかなか合格できないことが分ります - "The people who came through the EPA understand the stuff of not-able-to-pass quite well." This one REALLY pissed me off. The は particle comes after EPAで来た人たち, and yet they are NOT the subject who is thinking. The 分かります refers to the people reading the article, and everyone in general. "It's understood that the people who come through the EPA are unable to pass".
Using the Economic Partnership Agreements (some agreements made between [Japan] and other countries, regarding things like people's immigration and training for the purpose of economic cooperation), people from Indonesia and the Philippines are coming to Japan.
322 of such people took a "Caregiver Test" in January of this year. Then, on the 28th, there was an announcement of who passed.
Of the 322 people, 128 people passed. This is a rate of 39.8%, which is only a 1.9 point increase from last year.
The people who came through the EPA have difficulty reading and writing Japanese, so, this year's test[s?] had furigana attached to the kanji for all the problems. The length of time for the test was also increased by 50%, however the percentage of people who passed didn't go up by much.
The percentage of people who passed the test, adding in Japanese people as well, totals 64.4%. It is understood that those who come through the EPA are able to pass the test.
In order to continue [working] as a caregiver, the people must pass the Caregiver Test within 4 years of coming to Japan. The government expects that even those who didn't pass this time - perhaps their test's points were just not enough - will be able to stay in Japan for another year longer.
Difficulties I ran into while translating:
I found these sentences to be strange.
日本に1年長くいることができる - "Be able to 1-year-longly stay in Japan." This means "will be able to stay another year" That 長く was tripping me up.
EPAで来た人たちはなかなか合格できないことが分ります - "The people who came through the EPA understand the stuff of not-able-to-pass quite well." This one REALLY pissed me off. The は particle comes after EPAで来た人たち, and yet they are NOT the subject who is thinking. The 分かります refers to the people reading the article, and everyone in general. "It's understood that the people who come through the EPA are unable to pass".
3/26/13 - 「北朝鮮に拉致された人の家族会ができてから16年」
In 1997, the families of people who were abducted by North Korea made a 'family reunion group' that began to take action to quickly help abducted children and siblings from North Korea. March 25th, 2013 (Yesterday) is the 16th anniversary since the first such a family reunion was made.
During this time, five abductees have [been able to] return home to Japan. However, it is not known what has happened to any others. The average age of the parents of the abductees has become over 86. The eldest is a Mr. Ichikawa Jyuuichi's father, Mr. Taira, who has become 98 years old.
However, on account of North Korea's relations with the rest of the world becoming worse due to things like North Korea's third nuclear missile test last month, negotiations between it and Japan have ceased to take place.
A representative of the group, Mr. Iitzuka Shigeo, the older brother of the abductee Ms. Taguchi Yaeko, said that "I want you really think about the fact that, for us, we don't have much time. It's not that the government should only think about the conditions of the world's countries, but also to somehow find opportunities to negotiate with North Korea".
In 1997, the families of people who were abducted by North Korea made a 'family reunion group' that began to take action to quickly help abducted children and siblings from North Korea. March 25th, 2013 (Yesterday) is the 16th anniversary since the first such a family reunion was made.
During this time, five abductees have [been able to] return home to Japan. However, it is not known what has happened to any others. The average age of the parents of the abductees has become over 86. The eldest is a Mr. Ichikawa Jyuuichi's father, Mr. Taira, who has become 98 years old.
However, on account of North Korea's relations with the rest of the world becoming worse due to things like North Korea's third nuclear missile test last month, negotiations between it and Japan have ceased to take place.
A representative of the group, Mr. Iitzuka Shigeo, the older brother of the abductee Ms. Taguchi Yaeko, said that "I want you really think about the fact that, for us, we don't have much time. It's not that the government should only think about the conditions of the world's countries, but also to somehow find opportunities to negotiate with North Korea".
3/25/13 - 「 高い物を買わされないように被害をなくすアプリを作つくる」
The Number of young people who have accidentally bought expensive things by people they have gotten to know through Facebook and other such programs is increasing. For this reason, Tokyo-To* is making a new app [It's actually a game] that warns people by displaying warning information while they play the game.
Once the app is started, a screen that says "An Announcement from Tokyo-To" pops up. Then, it introduces the user the deceitful ways that one would accidentally buy expensive things, and what to do after accidentally purchasing impossibly expensive things, and other such problems. Also, when you start the game, on the top of the screen, new information appears, and warns you [about such scams].
According to Tokyo, there are about 16,000 cases a year relating to the purchases of young people. Recently, they're saying that there is a lot of harm being done by people accidentally purchasing things like books to solve problems [Self-help books?] and cosmetic tools from people they've met through online programs like Facebook.
You can download this free game application onto your smartphone on from the 25th [of March, 2013].
Notes
The Number of young people who have accidentally bought expensive things by people they have gotten to know through Facebook and other such programs is increasing. For this reason, Tokyo-To* is making a new app [It's actually a game] that warns people by displaying warning information while they play the game.
Once the app is started, a screen that says "An Announcement from Tokyo-To" pops up. Then, it introduces the user the deceitful ways that one would accidentally buy expensive things, and what to do after accidentally purchasing impossibly expensive things, and other such problems. Also, when you start the game, on the top of the screen, new information appears, and warns you [about such scams].
According to Tokyo, there are about 16,000 cases a year relating to the purchases of young people. Recently, they're saying that there is a lot of harm being done by people accidentally purchasing things like books to solve problems [Self-help books?] and cosmetic tools from people they've met through online programs like Facebook.
You can download this free game application onto your smartphone on from the 25th [of March, 2013].
Notes
- 買わされる can have two meanings: (1) be made to buy, or (2) Accidentally buy. I've chosen to use "accidentally buy", because it's much more likely that this is the case from my own experience.
- This apparently is not to mean the entirety of Tokyo, but rather the "Bureau of Citizens and Cultural Affairs, which exists in Tokyo. I found this out by doing a few Google searches
- Also, apparently this isn't even an "all-encompassing" app -- it's just a game that teaches you about the scams. It apparently doesn't function while playing other games. The NHK article doesn't quite make this clear.
- If you watch the video on the top of the screen, it's funny because, apparently, one of the ways scammers try to trick people into buying things is through "English Conversation School" advertisements. FEAR THE ENGLISH.
3/19/13 - 「建築けんちくのノーベル賞しょう」に伊東いとう豊雄とよおさん
The American "Pritzker Prize" is the greatest architectural award there is; it is even called the "Architectural Nobel Prize" [by some]. On the 17th, the Pritzker Prize review committee announced that they would present this year's award to the world famous Japanese citizen, Toyoo Itou. Mr. Itou is 71 years old.
Mr. Itou designed buildings such as the "Za Kouenji" public theater in Tokyo's Suginami district, and the "Sendai MediaTeck", which has libraries and more, in Sendai. Further, he thought a place should be built for people who were affected by the Great Eastern Earthquake's [this is the 3/11/11 earthquake with the giant tsunami] damage so that they could gather, relax and be comfortable. So, he designed "Houses for Everyone" that were built in place's such as Iwate-ken's Rikuzentakata city.
The review committee stated that "We award Mr. Itou this prize for his over 40 years work of designing wonderful buildings, and the constant though that he has given towards the potential of architecture." Further, regarding his actions at the areas destroyed by the earthquake, "Mr. Itou's strong sense of responsibility towards society is wonderful", the committee said.
Mr. Itou told NHK over the phone that "I was delighted to be told how nice it is my buildings are thought to be happily used by everyone. I want to continue making more buildings that will aid [allow them to relax and take relief] people after being hurt by disasters".
*Issues that I had translating this piece were the usage of "ゆっくりできる" regarding people who were damaged by the earthquake. 「集まってゆっくりできる場所」 and the sort. This apparently is equivalent to "be able to relax" or "be able to be comfortable", such as in "ごゆっくりしてください"
The American "Pritzker Prize" is the greatest architectural award there is; it is even called the "Architectural Nobel Prize" [by some]. On the 17th, the Pritzker Prize review committee announced that they would present this year's award to the world famous Japanese citizen, Toyoo Itou. Mr. Itou is 71 years old.
Mr. Itou designed buildings such as the "Za Kouenji" public theater in Tokyo's Suginami district, and the "Sendai MediaTeck", which has libraries and more, in Sendai. Further, he thought a place should be built for people who were affected by the Great Eastern Earthquake's [this is the 3/11/11 earthquake with the giant tsunami] damage so that they could gather, relax and be comfortable. So, he designed "Houses for Everyone" that were built in place's such as Iwate-ken's Rikuzentakata city.
The review committee stated that "We award Mr. Itou this prize for his over 40 years work of designing wonderful buildings, and the constant though that he has given towards the potential of architecture." Further, regarding his actions at the areas destroyed by the earthquake, "Mr. Itou's strong sense of responsibility towards society is wonderful", the committee said.
Mr. Itou told NHK over the phone that "I was delighted to be told how nice it is my buildings are thought to be happily used by everyone. I want to continue making more buildings that will aid [allow them to relax and take relief] people after being hurt by disasters".
*Issues that I had translating this piece were the usage of "ゆっくりできる" regarding people who were damaged by the earthquake. 「集まってゆっくりできる場所」 and the sort. This apparently is equivalent to "be able to relax" or "be able to be comfortable", such as in "ごゆっくりしてください"