Sample newspaper article

日本の高齢者の体力は、男性も女性も向上を続けていると、10月11日にスポーツ庁が発表した2014年度の調査が示した。腹筋、片足立ち、握力などを含む一連の体力測定で、75-79歳の年齢グループは60点満点中男性で35.34点、女性で35.14点だった。どちらも、同庁の調査が高齢者を対象にし始めた1998年以来過去最高だった。65-69歳の男性は42.56点、70-74歳の女性は39.05点で、どちらも過去最高だった。文部科学省はこの体力向上は、高齢者の中で健康意識が高まっていることに起因しているとした。「運動する習慣は、高齢者が健康でいるために重要だ」と文科省の職員は述べた。 (Oct. 12)

Words and phrases

日本の (Nihon-) in Japan; 高齢者 (kōreisha) elderly people; 体力 (tairyoku) physical fitness; 男性 (dansei) men; 女性 (josei) women; 向上 (kōjō) improving; 続けて (tsuzu-) continuing; スポーツ庁 (supōtsuchō) sports ministry; 発表した (happyō-) released; 年度 (nendo) fiscal year; 調査 (chōsa) survey; 示した (shime-) showed; 腹筋 (fukkin) sit-ups; 片足立ち (kata’ashida-) standing on one foot; 握力 (akuryoku) gripping; 含む (fuku-) including; 一連の (ichiren-) a series of; 体力測定 (tairyoku sokutei) tests of physical strength; 年齢 (nenrei) age; 満点中 (mantenchū) out of a total; 対象 (taishō) covering; 始めた (haji-) began; 以来 (irai) since; 過去最高 (kako saikō) highest; 文部科学省 (Monbu Kagakushō) Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; 健康意識 (kenkō ishiki) health consciousness; 高まって (takamat-) growing; 起因して (ki’in-) attributed to; 運動 (undō) exercising; 習慣 (shūkan) habit; 重要だ (jūyō-) important; 職員 (shokuin) official; 述べた (no-) said

Sample radio or television report

Nihon-no kōreisha-no tairyoku-wa, dansei-mo josei-mo kōjō-o tsuzuketeiru-to, 10-gatsu 11-nichi-ni supōtsuchō-ga happyō-shita 2014-nendo-no chōsa kekka-ga shimeshi-mashita. Fukkin, kata’ashidachi, akuryoku-nado-o fukumu ichiren-no tairyoku sokutei-de 75-kara 79-sai-no nenrei gurūpu-wa 60-ten mantenchū dansei-de 35.34-ten, josei-de 35.14-ten deshita. Dochira-mo dōchō-no chōsa-ga kōreisha-o taishō-ni shihajimeta 1998-nen irai kako saikō-deshita. 65 kara 69-sai no dansei-wa 42.56-ten, 70-kara 74-sai-no josei-wa 39.05-ten-de, dochira-mo kako saikō-deshita, Monbu Kagakushō-wa kono tairyoku kōjō-no kekka-wa, kōreisha-no naka-de, kenkō ishiki-ga takamatteiru-koto-ni ki’in-shite iru-to-shimashita. “Undō-suru shūkan-wa, kōreisha-ga kenkō-de iru-tame-ni jūyō-da“-to Monkashō-no shokuin-wa nobemashita.

Translation

The physical fitness of elderly people in Japan is continuing to improve both for men and women, a survey for fiscal 2014 released on Oct. 11 by the sports ministry showed. In a series of tests of physical strength including sit-ups, standing on one foot and gripping, in the 75-79 age group, men scored 35.34 points and women 35.14 points out of a total 60. Both were the highest on record since the ministry survey began covering senior age groups in 1998. Men aged 65-69 scored 42.56 and women aged 70-74 registered 39.05, also record highs. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology attributed the strong showings to growing health consciousness among elderly people. “The habit of exercising is important for elderly people to stay healthy,” a ministry official said.

Conversation between acquaintances

A: Nihon-no kōreisha-no tairyoku-wa, dansei-mo josei-mo kōjō-o tsuzuketeiru-sō-desu-ne.

(I heard that the physical fitness of elderly people in Japan is continuing to improve, among both men and women.)

B: Kōreisha-no kenkō ishiki-ga takamatteiru-kara desu-ne.

(It’s because of growing health consciousness among elderly people, isn’t it?)

Conversation between a husband and wife

H: Undō-suru shūkan-wa, kōreisha-ga kenkō-de iru-tame-ni jūyō-rashii.

(The habit of exercising seems to be important for elderly people hoping to stay healthy.)

W: Ashita-kara undō hajimemashō.

(Let’s start exercising tomorrow.)

(No. 1280)