Japan: lawyer Atsumi Harasawa elected mayor of Yokohama, ahead of the resigned former mayor

Les voix sont les résultats définitifs de Jiji ; certains articles reprennent des chiffres provisoires.

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.

Selon Jiji Press, elle a obtenu 552 207 voix, loin devant Atsushi Fukuyama (230 418).

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”.

Il s’est représenté, a présenté des excuses et mis en avant son bilan, dont l’aide aux frais d’accouchement.

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.

Il y avait sept candidats ; la participation est de 45,56 %, contre 41,64 % à la précédente élection.

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”.

Atsumi Harasawa était soutenue par les antennes départementales du PLD, d’Ishin et du Parti démocratique pour le peuple, ainsi que par les conseillers municipaux du Komeito.

The passive means “is done” or “is being done”. It is formed with être + past participle, which agrees with the subject in gender and number (la mesure est adoptée / les mesures sont adoptées). The agent is introduced by par (or de). In the news it is common when the event, rather than the actor, is the focus (est prévu / est annoncé / est connu).

Selon Jiji Press, elle a obtenu 552 207 voix, loin devant Atsushi Fukuyama (230 418).

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.

Résultat de l’élection municipale de Yokohama du 18 octobre, organisée après la démission de l’ancien maire, mis en cause pour harcèlement moral.

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.

Dans son QG, elle a déclaré vouloir « placer le regard des citoyens en premier ».

Dans means “in, inside” for places, but also for a scope such as a system or period. With future time, dans deux jours means “in two days”. In the article’s example, check what it is “inside” and which scope it marks. Identify the value of dans in the passage.

Il s’est représenté, a présenté des excuses et mis en avant son bilan, dont l’aide aux frais d’accouchement.

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.

Lors de l’élection du 18 octobre, l’avocate Atsumi Harasawa (59 ans, sans étiquette), novice en politique, a été élue maire de Yokohama.

Le is masculine singular, la feminine singular and les plural. Before a vowel or a silent h, singular le and la become l’. The definite article points to something already known or a general concept, so look at the context.

時事通信によると、得票は552,207票で、2位の福山敦士氏（230,418票）に大きな差をつけました。

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.

山中氏は再び立候補し、謝罪したうえで、出産費用の助成などの実績を訴えました。

“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.

18日に投開票された横浜市長選で、無所属新人で弁護士の原沢敦美氏（59）が初当選しました。

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.

前の市長がパワハラで辞職したことによる選挙でした。

“〜すること” treats an action or content like a noun. The particle after it (が・を・は…) shows its role in the sentence. “ことができる” is a fixed combination meaning “can”.

18日に投開票された横浜市長選の結果です。

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.

立候補は7人で、投票率は45.56％と、前回の41.64％を上回りました。

は shows what the sentence is about; an explanation of that topic follows. は and が are not always interchangeable: contrast and the way information is placed change.