Japan: Arata Takebe chosen to succeed Kazuo Yana at Agriculture
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The Prime Minister explains her choice on 15 October, after Kazuo Yana’s departure.
In this article
What has changed
According to FNN, Sanae Takaichi explained on 15 October the choice of Arata Takebe to succeed Kazuo Yana, who resigned. Our previous article described a situation still open; this appointment is a development.
Why this choice?
The Prime Minister highlights his experience as vice-minister and his knowledge of agricultural administration. This is her assessment, not an already established record in the new role.
What area?
The ministry covers agriculture, forestry, fisheries and food. The Prime Minister says she asked for stronger food security and the use of new technologies.
Appointment and justice
A change of minister is a political and administrative decision. It is distinct from an investigation or a judgment on suspicions. We confirm the announcement of the choice, without stating here the time of the appointment ceremony.
Learn the grammar
French grammar
Learn sentence patterns and usage from the article’s own sentences.
01The present indicative
est / sont + attribute (noun, adjective, prepositional phrase)
Un changement de ministre est une décision politique et administrative.Key pointsÊtre in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.
02The passé composé
present of avoir + past participle
Selon FNN, Sanae Takaichi a expliqué le 15 octobre le choix d’Arata Takebe pour succéder à Kazuo Yana, démissionnaire.Key pointsThe passé composé is the most common past tense, used for “did” and “has done” — actions completed in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary avoir (a / ont…) in the present + a past participle. Past participles of -er verbs end in -é (annoncer → annoncé); learn the irregular ones (faire → fait, prendre → pris, voir → vu). In the negative, ne … pas wraps the auxiliary (n’a pas annoncé). In the news it reports facts that have already happened, such as “announced” or “voted”.
03Pronominal verbs
se / s’ + verb
Il s’agit de son appréciation, pas d’un bilan déjà établi de la nouvelle fonction.Key pointsA pronominal verb is used with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous) before the verb. It can mean “do to oneself”, “be done” or “do to each other”. In the news, se traduire (to result in), se tenir (to take place), s’agir de (to be a matter of) and se diffuser (to spread) are frequent. The pronoun changes with the subject (il se tient / ils se tiennent / je me souviens).
04Citing a source with selon
selon + noun / organisation
Selon FNN, Sanae Takaichi a expliqué le 15 octobre le choix d’Arata Takebe pour succéder à Kazuo Yana, démissionnaire.Key pointsSelon means “according to”. Put a person or organisation after it as the source. It separates facts the writer checked directly from what another body or report said. Citing a source does not turn a forecast into an accomplished fact.
05Purpose with pour
pour + infinitive
Selon FNN, Sanae Takaichi a expliqué le 15 octobre le choix d’Arata Takebe pour succéder à Kazuo Yana, démissionnaire.Key pointsThis is the purpose, “in order to…”. Put the base form of a verb after pour. The purpose stated here is separate from whether the effect was actually achieved.
06The construction il s’agit de
il s’agit de + noun / infinitive
Il s’agit de son appréciation, pas d’un bilan déjà établi de la nouvelle fonction.Key pointsIt explains what something is about: “it is a matter of…”. The il is not a particular man but a formal subject of this construction. The negative il ne s’agit pas de means “this is not about…”.
07Dates and their prepositions
le + 日付 / du … au …
La Première ministre explique son choix le 15 octobre, après le départ de Kazuo Yana.Key pointsLe 15 octobre means “on 15 October”. Distinguish the le before a date from the le that marks a weekly habit like a weekday. Du is de + le and au is à + le, so decide the meaning from the verb and period expressions around them. Their role depends on the group: a range of dates, the date of a bulletin or another complement.
Japanese grammar
Understand the structure and usage from the text.
01Citing a source: によると
noun + によると
FNNによると、高市首相は15日、辞任した簗和生氏の後任の農林水産大臣に、武部新氏を起用した理由を説明しました。Key pointsAs in “LCPによると”, it shows where the information comes from. What that source reported follows. It is used differently from “私にとって”, which gives one’s own opinion.
02Rejecting an interpretation
〜わけではない / 〜という意味ではない
今後の政策の成果が既に確認されたという意味ではありません。Key pointsThese forms limit and deny an interpretation: “it does not necessarily follow” or “that is not what is meant”. They do not necessarily deny every fact in the sentence. Read what is being denied together with the earlier part.
03Polite negation and plain form
〜ではありません / 〜ではない
今後の政策の成果が既に確認されたという意味ではありません。Key pointsThey negate a noun and similar content. “ではありません” is the polite form and “ではない” the plain form. “成立ではありません” shows that it cannot be said to have been concluded.
04Qualifying a noun with に関する
noun + に関する + noun
農林水産省は、農業・林業・漁業や食料に関する行政を担います。Key pointsAs in “税控除に関する採決”, it explains what the following noun relates to. It is close to “about” and is common in headlines and descriptions.
05Giving examples with など
noun / expression + など
首相は、武部氏に農林水産副大臣などの経験があり、行政に詳しいことを起用の理由として挙げました。Key points“暴言など” gives “abusive language” as one example. It is not necessarily a closed list of only the things named. It also helps when reading the scope of a news story.
06The polite past ました
verb stem (連用形) + ました
昨日の記事では進退が確定していない段階を紹介しましたが、その後、人事が進みました。Key pointsIn “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.