Japan: the consumption tax cut bill enters debate on 20 October

La question du financement est un point suivi de près par l’opposition.

Être 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.

Ils ont confirmé leur volonté de le faire adopter pendant la session actuelle, en écoutant l’opposition et en lui demandant son soutien.

The 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”.

Selon la NHK, les dirigeants du PLD et d’Ishin se sont rencontrés le 19, à la veille de l’entrée en discussion du texte.

The passé composé of a pronominal verb (se + verb) always uses être as auxiliary (il s’est diffusé / elles se sont réunies). Se changes with the subject: me, te, se, nous, vous. The past participle usually agrees with the subject in gender and number.

Le 19, Sanae Takaichi a déclaré, à propos du financement de la baisse, qu’elle allait « poursuivre la révision des dépenses et des recettes ».

The imparfait describes states, background, habits and actions in progress in the past (il était, elle avait, ils pensaient). Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons, and add -ais / -ais / -ait / -ions / -iez / -aient. If the passé composé gives “the event itself”, the imparfait paints “the situation at the time”.

Ils ont confirmé leur volonté de le faire adopter pendant la session actuelle, en écoutant l’opposition et en lui demandant son soutien.

The gerund means “while doing”, “by doing” or “when doing”. Its form is en + present participle (-ant). Take the nous form of the present, drop -ons and add -ant (faire → faisant). The subject is normally that of the main clause. It shows things happening at the same time, or the means.

Selon la NHK, les dirigeants du PLD et d’Ishin se sont rencontrés le 19, à la veille de l’entrée en discussion du texte.

Selon 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.

« 審議入り » désigne le début de l’examen d’un texte au Parlement, qui n’équivaut pas à son adoption.

Qui continues a description of the person or thing just mentioned (“the one that does…”). Because qui is itself the subject of the next verb, do not repeat the subject. The verb agrees with the noun qui refers to.

Le projet de baisse de la taxe sur les produits alimentaires entre en discussion à la Chambre des représentants le 20 octobre.

Le 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.

Les réactions du 19 et la déclaration de la Première ministre.

Et joins not only words but also groups of nouns and whole clauses. Spot the two elements playing the same role to break up a long sentence. Et does not necessarily express cause and effect.

NHKによると、法案の審議入りを前に、自民党と日本維新の会の幹部が19日に会談しました。

As 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.

高市首相は19日、減税の財源について、「歳出と歳入の見直しを進める」と述べました。

As in “予算について”, it shows the topic to be talked about or explained. In the form “〜についての報道”, の is added so that the group qualifies the following noun.

NHKによると、法案の審議入りを前に、自民党と日本維新の会の幹部が19日に会談しました。

In “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.

参議院では、自民党と立憲民主党の国会対策委員長が会談し、審議の進め方を話し合ったと伝えられています。

と takes the content that is reported or explained. In “改定する方針だと報じました”, “改定する方針だ” is what the report said. Separating the content from who said it and how makes long sentences easier to read.

今の国会での成立を目指し、野党の意見を丁寧に聞いて協力を求める方針を確認しています。

The て-form links actions in a series, in order or as a reason. In “確認して、出発する” the relation is judged from the content. In “〜ている” it can show an action in progress or a continuing state.

食料品の消費税を下げる法案が、20日に衆議院で審議入りします。

A explains noun B that follows. It is not only possession: the relation can be belonging, target, content and more. In “政府の案” and “年金の税控除”, read the relation from the context.