VOA慢速英语2016--将继续修改宪法

AS IT IS 2016-07-12 Japan to Move Slowly on Amending² Constitution After Election 将继续修改宪法

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is claiming victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections.

His Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) coalition³ won a two-thirds majority in Japan’s upper house of parliament. The LDP won 56 of 121 seats up for election. Its coalition partner, Komeito, won 14 seats.

The upper house is known as the National Diet. Only half the seats in the 242-seat diet are up for election every three years.

The two main issues during the election campaign were the economic policies of Shinzo Abe, known as Abenomics, and calls to change Japan’s pacifist constitution.

The ruling coalition already controls the lower house of parliament. The coalition needed Sunday’s victory to capture a two-thirds majority in both houses. That ‘supermajority’ and a simple majority in a nationwide referendum are required to amend¹ the constitution.

The prime minister said the Japanese people will decide on the question of amending the constitution if a special election is called.

Abe would like to change article 9 of the document. Article 9 stops Japan from going to war to settle international disputes involving the state.

The public is largely divided over calls to amend the constitution. Some opinion polls indicate most people disagree with talk of a more active military.

Abe’s supporters say Japan needs a stronger and less restricted military to answer possible threats from other countries in East Asia. They say countries like China and North Korea are increasing their military power and nuclear activities.

China and other areas that suffered under Japanese occupation in World War II have expressed concern about calls to change the constitution. They warn that Japan could again become an aggressive military power if the document is amended⁴.

China’s official news agency Xinhua published a commentary on the Japanese election Monday. It expressed alarm about Abe’s power expanding and possible changes to the constitution. The commentary said Japan’s militarization will not help Japan or its neighbors.

More about economy

The prime minister announced on Monday that he plans to increase government spending in the country as a way to fuel economic growth.

Abe did not state the size of the spending program. But there are reports that it could total $100 billion.

The leading measure of Japanese stock prices rose on Monday, hours after the ruling coalition’s victory. The Nikkei 225 was up close to four percent. The Topix index of all first-section shares climbed 3.79 percent.

Words in This Story

pacifist – adj. a feeling that war and violence are wrong

diet – n. the legislative⁵ body of certain countries

referendum – n. an event in which the people of a county or state vote for or against a law that deals with a specific issue

poll – n. an activity in which several or many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what most people think about something

alarm – n. worry, fear or concern

1 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

2 amending   

改良，修改，修订( amend的现在分词 )； 改良，修改，修订( amend的第三人称单数 )( amends的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Amending acts in 1933,1934, and 1935 attempted to help honest debtors rehabilitate themselves. 一九三三年，一九三四年和一九三五年通过的修正案是为了帮助诚实的债务人恢复自己的地位。
• Two ways were used about the error-amending of contour curve. 采用两种方法对凸轮轮廓曲线进行了修正。

3 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

4 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

5 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。