オリンピックに向けて、職場で開かれている英語研修。毎週の宿題は、英字新聞から記事を一つ選んで読解すること。
今日選んだのは、「君が代」斉唱の際、土井たか子が慎重に姿を消した件。担当記者が持論を自由に展開しており、英字新聞だからこそ書ける記事なのかもしれない。

The Liberal Democratic Party held its convention at a Tokyo hotel earlier this month. The meeting reportedly began with the singing of the traditional national anthem, “Kimigayo.”  This was quite natural as a Japanese ritual.  On the final day of the sumo tournament, for example, all stand to sing the national anthem before the awarding of the winner’s banner.  This is natural because a chorus of “Kimigayo” precedes any formal, official or traditional events.

• con・ven・tion [ kənvénʃən ] 定期総会
• re・pórt・ed・ly [ rɪpˈɔɚṭɪdli ] 伝えられるところによれば
• rit・u・al [ rítʃuəl] 儀式
• ban・ner [ bˈænɚ ] 旗じるし
• pre・cede [prɪsíːd] …を先導する、The band preceded the parade. 楽隊はパレードを先導した.

 

But Takako Doi, chairwoman of the Social Democratic Party, which is allied with the LDP in the latter’s minority administration, appeared at the convention only after the LDP’s “party song” had been sung following the singing of “Kimigayo.”   It was quite strange to me when I learned about this  the Jan. 18 evening edition of the Sankei Shimbun.

• lat・ter [ lˈæṭɚ ] 　<比較級> later は「時間がより遅い」latter は「順序がより後の」　<最上級> latest 「時間が最新の」last 「順序が最後の」
• ad・min・is・tra・tion [ədmìnəstréɪʃən] 管理、統治、当局
• evening edition　夕刊

Doi is a Japanese citizen. But she was – probably deliberately – absent at the time “Kimigayo” was sung because she does not recognize it as the national anthem.  According to a public opinion poll conducted by the Cabinet in 1975, only 9 percent of the Japanese did not then think “Kimigayo” was the national anthem.  I think the number of  like-minded people is even smaller today, 22 years later.

• de・lib・er・ate・ly [dɪlíb(ə)rətli ] 慎重に
• poll [ póʊl ] 世論調査
• con・duct [kάndʌkt ]〈業務などを〉処理する　conduct one’s business affairs. 業務を行なう.
• like-minded　同士の

Obviously,  the overwhelming majority of Japanese recognize “Kimigayo” as the ntional anthem.  So I thought that Doi was being rude to the people who elect politicians.  In fact, I wondered if she is qualified to represent the people in politics.  But this attitude is representative of the SDP.

• ob・vi・ous・ly [ άbviəsli ] 明らかに
• o・ver・whelm・ing [ òʊvɚ(h)wélmɪŋ ] 圧倒的な
• rude [ rúːd ] 失礼な
• qual・i・fied [ kwάləfὰɪd ]  免許を受けた　a qualified doctor 有資格医師.　 <叙述的用法の形容詞 . 〔+to do〕…する資格を持って　He’s qualified to be a lawyer. 彼は弁護士をする資格がある
• rep・re・sent・a・tive [rèprɪzénṭəṭɪv ] 代表的な　a representative sample 典型的なサンプル.<叙述的用法の形容詞 /  +of+(代)名> …を代表して，Notre Dame is representative of Gothic architecture. ノートルダムはゴシック建築を代表する建物である.