LDP wants to cut 31 proportional-representation seats in the House of Representatives: majority and opposition debate on NHK

Les dates d’annonce, des faits et de vérification sont distinctes.

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.

Le 25 octobre, sur l’émission dominicale de NHK, le Parti libéral-démocrate a demandé l’adoption d’un projet de loi supprimant 31 sièges de la proportionnelle à la Chambre des représentants.

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”.

L’opposition est partagée entre compréhension et objections.

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).

Le PLD a proposé de supprimer 31 sièges de la proportionnelle et, si les partis s’accordent, de déposer un projet de loi dans la session en cours pour le faire adopter.

A 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).

Dans l’extrait consulté, les positions de chaque parti ne sont pas détaillées.

Normally ne and pas wrap the verb. Before a vowel, ne becomes n’. Check which part of the sentence the negation covers. Ne … plus means “no longer”.

Selon NHK, les responsables de la coordination parlementaire de la majorité et de l’opposition à la Chambre des représentants ont débattu, dans l’émission dominicale, de la réduction du nombre de députés.

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.

Le 25 octobre, sur l’émission dominicale de NHK, le Parti libéral-démocrate a demandé l’adoption d’un projet de loi supprimant 31 sièges de la proportionnelle à la Chambre des représentants.

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.

Le PLD a proposé de supprimer 31 sièges de la proportionnelle et, si les partis s’accordent, de déposer un projet de loi dans la session en cours pour le faire adopter.

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.

La Chambre des représentants combine circonscriptions uninominales et proportionnelle (explication générale de JAPANITIES).

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.

法案の細かい中身、今の国会の終わる日、採決の予定は、確認できた記事では、分かりませんでした。

予定 is a plan, 見込み a forecast and 方針 a course of action or intention. None of them asserts that something has already been carried out. Note the difference from expressions such as “決まりました”.

自民党は、比例代表の議席を31減らす案について、各党が合意できたら、今の国会に法案を出して、成立をめざす考えを示しました。

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.

自民党は、25日のNHK「日曜討論」で、衆議院の比例代表の議席を31減らす法案の成立を、求めました。

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.

NHKは、25日、「日曜討論」に、衆議院に議席を持つ、与党と野党の「国会対策委員長」らが出て、衆議院の議員の数（定数）を減らす話し合いをしたと伝えました。

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.

「国会対策委員長」は、国会の運営について、ほかの党と話し合う役の人です。

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.

野党には、理解を示す声と、異論の両方がありました。

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.