2010年12月より当カテゴリー(social affairs)では、英語ニュースの中から時事英語を取り上げ、「話題の言葉を英語でどう表現するか」を学びます。英検２級から準１級レベルの方にちょうどいいと思います。 Protecting the cranes(12/25/2010) Breakdown of FY2011 expenditures(12/25/2010) Japan shakes up Russian diplomacy(12/24/2012) ・in the wake of (～を受けて) ・catch someone off guard (人の不意を突く) ・dismiss the Japanese ambassador to Russia (日本のロシア大使を更迭する) ・well-versed in Russian affairs (ロシア事情に精通している). ・bolster information-gathering on Russia (ロシアに関する情報収集を強化する) ・pending issues(懸案) ・the row over the Russian-held islands (ロシアが占有する列島をめぐる紛争) ・hold talks with～(～と会談を行う) Kan asks Sunrise Party to join coal (12/24/2010)
Resignation of Prime Minister(6/2) Screening Round 2(5/25) Vocabulary for screening Foot-and-mouth disease |
Japanese mother astronaut on Board Marking the end of Shuttle  Space shuttle Discovery has completed its mission to carry equipment and supplies up to ISS, ferry the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. The role it played is, out of question, something to deserve much applause. I couldn’t help, however, but remember some setbacks; Colombia and Challenger claimed the victims of 14 astronauts. It is said that a winner will be Russia after the shuttles’ retirement. I don’t want Japanese government to be engaged in the race of space development. Partly because Japan is no match for Russia, but mainly because I don’t see any advantage of exploring space investing enormous sum of tax money. What’ the point of space project? To preserve the earth as it is or to find another source of energy in the moon or Mars? Whatever it may be, the fact remains up to now Japanese people have enjoyed no benefit from it. Some scientists entitled with Nobel prize might say we should judge from a long-term perspective but they have never given us specific answer of when and how. It seems to me their arguments get nowhere and they have fallen into the world of self-complacency. Have I gone too far? |
| From acrimonious to win-win President Obama and President Medvedev signed a nuclear arms control treaty, which is an important milestone for nuclear security and nonproliferation and for the world. With increasing concern on Iran, North Korea, Pakistan and India, who claimed their right to possess nuclear weapons, the international community have been heading for slashing the number of warheads and ballistic missiles. I'm so much glad to see the two leading countries come to realize the stupidity of having insignificantly huge number of nuclear arsenal in the age of post-cold war. Russia is reported to start to dismantle nuclear submarine and warhead at a huge expense. Isn't it ironic that business depression ailing the world seems to direct people to getting back to normal. Everything looks like going smooth, however, a real enemy for Mr. Obama is waiting back at home, the Senate to ratify the new treaty. Issue at Deadlock Most people expect to see the settlement on the issue of relocating the U.S. Marine Corp's Futenma Air Station in Okinawa and not surprisingly the democratic party seems have given up presenting its alternative site by the end of May. Prime Minister said he had his own plan in mind. We could never be convinced just by words until he offered something concrete, though. We know it's not that easy to find the alternative site for the current U.S. basis neither outside nor inside Okinawa. This matter poses a lot of pain and suffering on those involved . Yet we don't know see why Democratic party leader once told U.S, president to trust him over the issue with no feasible solution. Pushing back the matter gets us nowhere or rather it results in getting things much more perplexing. He should have learned it from history. |
Hatoyama portrayed as low profile I'm quite disappointed to hear Japan's Prime Minister missed an opportunity to appeal its commitment to nonproliferation of nuclear weaponry at the nuclear summit. I know his primary concern this time was not something of nuclear proliferation but the settlement of relocating Futenma Marine Air Station on Okinawa. Yet Japan should recognize its role to play as one of the post-war era's strongest anti-nuclear voices on the international stage. Japan hasn't expressed its clear stance over the role U.S. nuclear weapons should play in defending the country; what would the government do if Japan was threatened? On one hand, the government points out Japan's three nonnuclear principles were designed to keep its citizens safe from the threat of nuclear use and Japan has relied on U.S. nuclear weapons on the other. I believe the time has come that Japan should make much more visible and concrete effort to contain nuclear proliferation, especially because of the threat from terrorist. Things Ironic U.S. and Russia agreed to reduce its nuclear weaponry not just because they wish for the world peace but because they fear the threat from terrorism. The two countries have refused to throw away the lethal weapons totally relying on its deterrence. They’ve had their own way but now can’t afford to assume a self-importance. They found the common interest to pursue and common enemy to fight against; it is terrorism. Irregular products are being displayed on the wagons at supermarkets at low prices, not just because they don’t want to waste food but because of failure of the crops in consequence of more rain, lower temperatures and less sunlight than usual. Why not sell irregular products or rather why not buy them? People can’t see the right course of action unless they are pressed by something external factors. They seem to forget to make a sensible decision on whether it is good for them and our mother nature. We need to start all over again. We need to learn from the past. #16 Raise Fresh Questions One of my acquaintances is slated to travel to Europe on the coming successive holidays. It is, however, at the mercy of Icelandic volcano. Airspace above the continent would be carved into three zones; one closest to the volcano where air traffic would be completely restricted, another zone with partial flight restrictions, and a third zone, free of ash, where flights could resume completely. The issue has entered on a new phase and there rises fresh questions. －To fly or not to fly, safe or not safe.－ Is there any danger after all to fly through the ash cloud, which contains high levels of silica, a glasslike dust? Some airlines reported their test flight saw no damage to their planes. The chances are that some companies producing coating material will develop a device which could ward off any glasslike particles, which is the major culprit of the current problem. There comes a new business chance. Lay Judge System ( part Ⅰ)  I stand for the new judge system, under which six lay judges try serious criminal cases with three professional judges to decide whether a defendant is guilty and hand down a sentence. It is a good chance to open the doors to the stale old courtrooms and we should let the fresh air in, that is, lay judges bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to the trial. Before this system was introduced, the trials had been conducted in a closed room with the result that prosecutors got convictions 99.9 percent of the time. In the trials transparency and justice count most and now we should open the courtroom up to citizen participation. Lay judge system offers us to play a vital role in seeing that justice is being served. As one of judges we help question defendants, decide verdicts, and mete out sentences in certain criminal proceedings. Lay Judge System ( part Ⅱ) I admit that there need be some modifications to this new system. For example, the death penalty should be decided not by majority vote but by unanimous one. As for strict confidentiality requirement, lay judges can be fined a maximum of 500,000 yen or imprisoned for up to six months if they disclose details of a case. These punishments are excessive and lay judges should be exempted from such penalties. Cambodia  What do you know about Cambodia? You may say,"It's one of ASEAN nations. It's famous for Angkor Wat and King Sihaouk." It's true, however, more important Cambodia has been designated the third most landmined country in the world, attributing over 60,000 civilian deaths and thousands more maimed or injured since 1970 to the unexploded land mines left behind in rural areas. Mr. Ryoji Takayama, a former defense official, has been devoting his life to removing land mines in Cambodia. His motto is "To help the people rebuild thier country for themselves without relying on foreign aid. He is engaged in reconstruction assistance digging wells and building schools to lifting inhabitants from poverty and the risk of landmines. We are so proud of Mr. Takayama not just he is from Ehime prefecture but he acting in a spirit of noblesse oblige. I am writing this journal as I've heard that one of the leading figures of Battaban county in Cambodia is coming to Matsuyama to promote the relationship with Ehime. |
