VOA标准英语2009年-Japanese PM Quits Party Leadership After S

Japan's prime minister is clearing the way for a new party, and a new leader, to set the nation's political agenda. The center-left opposition¹ party that swept a nationwide legislative² vote is now planning how to use its commanding majority to reshape politics in Japan.

Prime Minister Taro³ Aso exercised his only real option Monday after Sunday night's resounding⁴ rebuke⁵ at the polls. He says he accepts responsibility for the defeat, and is resigning as head of the Liberal Democratic Party.
　
Yukio Hatoyama stands after a press conference in front of a white board full of red rosettes attached on victorious⁶ candidates' names, in Tokyo, early Monday, 31 Aug 2009

Sunday's election gave the LDP 119 out of the 480 seats up for grabs in Japan's lower house, which selects the country's prime minister. The Democratic Party of Japan surged to a 308-seat majority, all but confirming party leader Yukio Hatoyama as the country's next leader.

Hatoyama says it has taken a long time, but the opposition has at last reached the starting line. At long last, he says, they are able to create a new kind of politics that will fulfill⁷ the expectations of the people.

Sunday's vote is viewed here not so much as an embrace of the DPJ, but as a rejection⁸ of the LDP. The conservative party has controlled Japan's legislature almost without interruption for 55 years. Many voters accuse the LDP of being out of touch, and of failing to manage Japan's worst recession since the Second World War.

Hatoyama and his DPJ have promised consumer-oriented assistance such as child-support payments to help families, and vow⁹ to overhaul¹⁰ structures that favor corporations.

In foreign policy, Hatoyama pledges tighter integration¹¹ with East Asia.

South Korean Foreign Ministry¹² spokesman Moon Tae-young expressed Seoul's willingness to work with Mr. Hatoyama. He says South Korea places high value on the fact that Japan's Democratic Party has emphasized the importance of South Korea-Japan relations.

The DPJ is expected to maintain a firm policy line on North Korea, especially on the issues of the North's nuclear weapons programs and Japanese citizens abducted¹³ by North Korean agents.

A White House statement issued Sunday says Washington is confident that the United States' partnership¹⁴ with Japan "will continue to flourish."

Mr. Hatoyama has signaled he will seek to make the U.S. relationship less central to Japan's decision-making. Professor Gerald Curtis, a specialist in Japanese politics for decades at Columbia University, says some change is to be expected.

"This election was not only about changing the party in power. It also involves pretty substantial generational shift," said Curtis. "There are going to be a lot of young people in the government; they don't remember the war, they don't remember the occupation, they don't necessarily believe Japan needs to have a special relationship with the United States."

Hatoyama is expected to be formally elected prime minister in a special session of parliament, which must be held within 30 days.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 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。

3 taro   

n.芋，芋头

参考例句：

• Main grain crop has taro,corn,banana to wait.主要粮食作物有芋头、玉米、芭蕉等。
• You celebrate your birthday with taro,red bean and butter.用红豆、芋头和黄油给自己过生日。

4 resounding   

adj. 响亮的

参考例句：

• The astronaut was welcomed with joyous,resounding acclaim. 人们欢声雷动地迎接那位宇航员。
• He hit the water with a resounding slap. 他啪的一声拍了一下水。

5 rebuke   

v.指责，非难，斥责 [反]praise

参考例句：

• He had to put up with a smart rebuke from the teacher.他不得不忍受老师的严厉指责。
• Even one minute's lateness would earn a stern rebuke.哪怕迟到一分钟也将受到严厉的斥责。

6 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

7 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

8 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

9 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

10 overhaul   

v./n.大修，仔细检查

参考例句：

• Master Worker Wang is responsible for the overhaul of this grinder.王师傅主修这台磨床。
• It is generally appreciated that the rail network needs a complete overhaul.众所周知，铁路系统需要大检修。

11 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

12 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

13 abducted   

劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展

参考例句：

• Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that she was abducted. 侦探尚未排除她被绑架的可能性。
• The kid was abducted at the gate of kindergarten. 那小孩在幼儿园大门口被绑架走了。

14 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。