福田内閣改造と党3役刷新

Fukuda reshuffles Cabinet, LDP leaders
（ Japan Times ）

To boost his acutely low popularity, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda
reshuffled his Cabinet and Liberal Democratic Party executives
Friday, replacing 13 of his 17 ministers.

Former Foreign Minister Taro Aso, who last year vied against Fukuda for the LDP presidency, and thus the prime ministership, was again named party secretary general, a post he briefly held under Fukuda's predecessor.

But whether Fukuda's bid will succeed still remains a question mark, because many Cabinet members are old-timers with experience and competence but may have little voter appeal.

Fukuda said his new team will concentrate on pushing policies forward, denying once again the possibility of holding a general election in the near future.


【 まずは準備運動 】

・boost　押し上げる、高める
・acutely　鋭く、激しく
・predecessor　前任者
・competence　能力、資格
・deny　否定する、否認する


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注目の選挙で民主党が自民党を破る

DPJ defeats LDP in key election
( Japan Times )

The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan defeated the ruling
Liberal Democratic Party by a wide margin in Sunday's House of
Representatives by-election in Yamaguchi Prefecture against the
backdrop of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's unpopular policies over road tax and elderly medical care issues.

The victory of Hideo Hiraoka, 54, in the first national-level election under the seven-month-old Fukuda administration is expected to raise doubts about the prime minister's leadership, while emboldening the DPJ to step up its pressure on Fukuda to call for an early general election.


【 まずは準備運動 】

・defeat　撃破する、敗北させる
・margin　ふち、へり、（程度などの）差;　　　　
・backdrop　垂れ幕、背景
・administration　管理、経営、政府
・embolden　大胆にする、勇気づける


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国会開幕、福田首相が施政方針演説

Fukuda opens Diet, lays out his agenda
( Japan Times )

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda vowed Friday to start Diet discussions on the establishment of a permanent law that would authorize the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces overseas to engage in peace operations so that Japan can fulfill its duties as a "peace-cooperating nation."

"A peaceful and stable international society is a precious asset to Japan and Japan must do whatever it can to cooperate," Fukuda said during his policy speech that kicked off the 150-day ordinary Diet session. "In order to act swiftly and effectively to participate in international peace operations, I will start considering the so-called general law.


【 まずは準備運動 】

・establishment　設立、設定
・dispatch　発送、派遣
・fulfill　遂行する、果たす、満たす
・asset　資産の一項目、価値のあるもの
・cooperate　協同する、協力する
・kick off　キックオフ、始まる、始める
・swiftly　すみやかに


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守屋前次官、収賄容疑で逮捕へ

Moriya faces defense-favors bribe charge
( Japan Times )

Tokyo prosecutors are in the final stage of building a bribery case against former Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya, who was repeatedly entertained by a trading house executive arrested earlier this month, investigative sources said Tuesday.

The special investigative squad of the Tokyo District Public
Prosecutor's Office believes Motonobu Miyazaki, 69, a former executive of defense equipment trader Yamada Corp. now under arrest for suspected embezzlement, bribed Moriya, 63, with paid golf outings and other entertainment in exchange for favorable business treatment, the sources said.


【 まずは準備運動 】

・bribe　わいろ（を贈る）
・charge　容疑
・entertain　楽しませる、もてなす
・investigative　調査の
・squad　分隊、一組（の人々）
・suspect　疑う、怪しむ
・embezzlement　使い込み、着服
・favorable　都合のよい、有利な


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小沢氏、民主党代表にとどまる

Ozawa to stay on as DPJ president
No more talk of forming a grand coalition with LDP-New Komeito bloc
( Japan Times )

Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa on Tuesday reversed his earlier decision to step down and pledged to remain the leader of the largest opposition force.

DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama, who spent the day cajoling the party's rank and file into uniting behind Ozawa, met with him in the evening to persuade him to stay on.

Emerging from the meeting, Hatoyama quoted Ozawa as telling him, "I feel ashamed to say this, but I would like to do my utmost again" as the party's leader.


【 まずは準備運動 】

・reverse　逆にする、裏返す
・persuade　説き伏せる、説得する
・ashamed　恥じて
・utmost　最大限度、極限


● 解説ザブ〜ン！