Welcome to Coto Radio, a Japanese learning podcast by Coto Japanese Academy, Japan’s No. 1 Japanese language school. Each episode, our host combines captivating storytelling with engaging conversations, all delivered in clear, natural Japanese.

Today, Nagai-sensei and Hidari-sensei from Coto Academy take on a puzzling question: why is voter turnout in Japan so low? In the 2024 general election, for instance, The Japan News reported that only about 48% of teenagers cast their ballots. Overall turnout for single-seat constituencies was just 53.85%. Even more surprising, Minato Ward, Tokyo’s central ward with nearly 200,000 residents, saw a turnout of only 30%. What’s behind these numbers?

While their conversation began lightheartedly with personal goals and daily habits, it naturally expanded into civic responsibility, political engagement, and the importance of keeping promises, both in life and politics. Here’s a deeper look at the main themes of the episode.

1. Personal Goals: Small Steps, Big Impact

The hosts started by sharing their personal goals for the year. Hidari-sensei writes yearly objectives in her journal, focusing on “treasuring every single day, ”a philosophy inspired by the idea that if today doesn’t exist, neither will tomorrow. Her approach emphasizes mindfulness and the value of consistent effort.

On the other hand, Nagai-sensei took a humorous approach, sharing his goal of waking up early and doing sit-ups daily. Despite his efforts, he joked that his body hasn’t changed due to lockdowns and his love for beer. “The moment I stopped exercising, my stomach went soft and flabby!” he says.

They concluded that consistency matters. Whether it’s fitness, studying Japanese, or pursuing hobbies, what counts is not just starting but following through, even when the results aren’t immediate.

2. Japan’s Low Voter Turnout

The discussion then moves to the central topic: Japan’s low voter turnout. In Minato Ward, eligible voters number around 180,000 to 200,000, but only about 60,000 actually voted in 2024. The hosts explore several reasons for this phenomenon. Young people in Japan, like in many other countries, tend to show limited interest in politics, but another key factor is the exclusion of foreigners. Even those who have lived in Japan for decades, work full-time in Japanese companies, and have children in Japanese schools cannot vote without Japanese citizenship.

Nagai-sensei compared this to the U.S., where even celebrities like Taylor Swift encourage voter participation, illustrating how numbers matter in elections. The hosts emphasized that having the right to vote is meaningful, and exercising it is crucial.

3. Keeping Promises: Personal and Political

The Japanese word 果たす (hatasu), which means to fulfill a promise or commitment, was a highlight. The conversation then turns back to Minato Ward’s mayor, Seike, who has promised improvements in childcare, welfare, and disaster preparedness. While emphasizing Minato as an “international city full of love,” the mayor has not strongly focused on supporting foreign residents in disaster planning.

Politicians often fail to keep promises after elections, which may contribute to low voter motivation. Nagai-sensei humorously linked this concept to his daily life: staying committed to sit-ups, dieting, and even his beer habits!

Hidari-sensei explained せめて (semete), meaning “at least,” as a way to encourage small but meaningful efforts. Both hosts reinforced that following through, whether on personal goals or civic duties, is essential. They wrapped up by reminding listeners of Michael Jordan’s words: “Success comes from persisting through failure.”

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New Vocabulary from The Podcast

What new Japanese words might you hear while listening to the podcast? Check out the vocabulary you might encounter along the way.

Japanese	Romaji	English Translation
腹筋	fukkin	abdominal muscles / sit-ups
筋トレ	kintore	muscle training / strength training
～以外	~igai	except ~ / other than ~
変化（する）	henka (suru)	change / to change
（数字）飛ばし	(suuji) tobashi	skipping (numbers)
繰り返し／繰り返す	kurikaeshi / kurikaesu	repetition / to repeat
プラスマイナスゼロ	purasu mainasu zero	plus-minus zero / break-even
選挙	senkyo	election
～長（村長、町長、市長、区長、議長）	~chou (sonchou, chouchou, shichou, kuchou, gichou)	head of ~ (village mayor, town mayor, city mayor, ward mayor, chairman)
投票（する）	touhyou (suru)	vote / to vote
～率	~ritsu	rate / percentage
政治	seiji	politics
興味・関心	kyoumi / kanshin	interest / concern
権利	kenri	right / privilege
防災対策	bousai taisaku	disaster preparedness measures
果たす	hatasu	to fulfill / to carry out a promise

New Grammar From the Podcast

Along the way, the teachers introduced some new Japanese grammar. Find the full list of new grammar points below.

Japanese	Romaji	English Translation
～たとたん～	ta totan	as soon as ~ / the moment ~
～たくても…ない	~takute mo…nai	even if you want to ~, cannot
せめて～（だけ）	semete~(dake)	at least ~ / at minimum

Useful Japanese Phrases From the Podcast

Beyond vocabulary and grammar, here are some handy expressions you can start using immediately.

Japanese	Romaji	English Translation
目標を立てる	mokuhyou o tateru	to set a goal
よく（それで）「～」って言えるね！	yoku (sorede) “~” tte ieru ne!	You really can say “~” (given the circumstances)!
バリバリ働く	baribari hataraku	to work energetically / full-on
AだけにB	A dake ni B	fitting / appropriate for A (because of A)

Podcast Transcript

Below is a transcript of an episode of Coto Radio, a podcast presented by Coto Academy available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. We recommend listening to it in its original form for the full effect. The transcript has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Nagai-sensei:
どうもこんにちは！
Doumo konnichiwa!
Hello!

Cotoラジオをお聞きいただきましてありがとうございます。
Coto rajio o okiki itadakimashite arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you very much for listening to Coto Radio.

Cotoでレッスンしている学習者の皆様そして世界中の日本語学習者の皆様こんにちは！
Coto de ressun shite iru gakushuusha no minasama soshite sekaijuu no nihongo gakushuusha no minasama konnichiwa!
Hello to all the learners studying at Coto, and to Japanese learners all over the world!

お元気でしょうか!?
Ogenki deshou ka!?
How are you doing!?

日本で一番スポーツとビールが好きな日本語教師Nagaiです。
Nihon de ichiban supootsu to biiru ga suki na nihongo kyoushi Nagai desu.
I’m Nagai, the Japanese teacher who loves sports and beer more than anyone else in Japan.

学校で、もし会ったら、「ハーイMr.Nagai」と声をかけてください！
Gakkou de, moshi attara, “Haai Misutaa Nagai” to koe o kakete kudasai!
If you see me at school, please say, “Hi, Mr. Nagai!”

どうぞよろしくお願いします！
Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
Nice to meet you and thank you for your support!

こちらのプログラムでは、日本のニュースや生活の中の話題について、できるだけ簡単な日本語を使って、できるだけナチュラルな話し方とスピードで先生たちといっしょに会話をしていきます。
Kochira no puroguramu de wa, Nihon no nyuusu ya seikatsu no naka no wadai ni tsuite, dekiru dake kantan na nihongo o tsukatte, dekiru dake nachuraru na hanashikata to supiido de sensei-tachi to issho ni kaiwa o shite ikimasu.
In this program, we talk about Japanese news and topics from daily life using simple Japanese as much as possible, speaking naturally and at a comfortable speed with the teachers.

日本語の会話が上手に聞き取れない！！くやしい！という方はぜひ、楽しいリスニングのテキストだと思って、フォローしてみてください。
Nihongo no kaiwa ga jouzu ni kikitorenai!! Kuyashii! To iu kata wa zehi, tanoshii risuningu no tekisuto da to omotte, fooroo shite mite kudasai.
If you have trouble understanding Japanese conversations, don’t worry! Think of this as a fun listening text and follow along.

ちょ～っと語彙は難しいかもしれませんが、途中で先生が説明してくれる時間もあるので、リラックスして最後までお聞きください！
Chou~tto goi wa muzukashii kamo shiremasen ga, tochuu de sensei ga setsumei shite kureru jikan mo aru node, rirakkusu shite saigo made okiki kudasai!
Some vocabulary may be a bit difficult, but the teachers will explain things along the way, so relax and listen to the end!

さて、今日も私といっしょにお話してくれるのはOfficial Assistantの左先生です、よろしくお願いします！
Sate, kyou mo watashi to issho ni ohanashi shite kureru no wa Official Assistant no Hidari-sensei desu, yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
Now, joining me for today’s conversation is Official Assistant, Hidari-sensei. Welcome!

Hidari-sensei:

はい、OAの左です！よろしくお願いしまーす！
Hai, OA no Hidari desu! Yoroshiku onegaishimaasu!
Yes, I’m Hidari from OA! Nice to be here!

Nagai-sensei:
OA！いいですね！よろしくお願いします！
OA! Ii desu ne! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!
OA! Sounds good! Thank you!

・・・さあ、2024年もあっという間に半分が過ぎております。
Saa, 2024 nen mo attoiuma ni hanbun ga sugite orimasu.
Wow, half of 2024 has already passed in the blink of an eye.

Hidari-sensei:
ほんとうですね～。早いですね～。
Hontou desu ne~. Hayai desu ne~.
Yes, that’s true. Time flies, doesn’t it?

Nagai-sensei:
先生、今年の目標は、何かたてましたか？何か、これをするぞ！　できるようになるぞ！…みたいなものは？
Sensei, kotoshi no mokuhyou wa, nanika tatemashita ka? Nanika, kore o suru zo! Dekiru you ni naru zo! … Mitaina mono wa?
Teacher, have you set any goals for this year? Something like, “I will do this!” or “I will achieve this!”?

Hidari-sensei:
私は毎日日記をつけているんですが、毎年日記帳の最初のページに今年の目標を書くんです。
Watashi wa mainichi nikki o tsukete iru n desu ga, maitoshi nikkichou no saisho no peeji ni kotoshi no mokuhyou o kakun desu.
I keep a daily journal, and every year I write my goal for the year on the first page. 

今年は「一日一日を大切にする」と書きました。「今日がなければ明日はない」ですから、「今をがんばろう」という意味です。
Kotoshi wa “Ichinichi ichinichi o taisetsu ni suru” to kakimashita. “Kyou ga nakereba ashita wa nai” desu kara, “ima o ganbarou” to iu imi desu.
This year, I wrote, “Treasure every single day.” The idea is, “If today doesn’t exist, tomorrow won’t either,” so we should do our best now.

Nagai-sensei:
ポジティブでいいですね～。
Pojitibu de ii desu ne~.
That’s very positive!

僕はですね・・・、もう、「早起き」です！
Boku wa desu ne…, mou, “hayaoki” desu!
As for me… it’s simply “waking up early”!

早起きしてトレーニング！　これです！
Hayaoki shite toreeningu! Kore desu!
Wake up early and do training! That’s it!

Hidari-sensei:
早起き⁉　シンプル！
Hayaoki!? Shinpuru!
Waking up early!? Simple!

なんか、小学生の夏休みの目標みたいですね～…。
Nanka, shougakusei no natsuyasumi no mokuhyou mitaina desu ne~…
It’s kind of like an elementary school summer vacation goal…

で、トレーニングは、何のトレーニングを？
De, toreeningu wa, nan no toreeningu o?
So, what kind of training?

Nagai-sensei:
あの…これもシンプルに、腹筋です。シットアップ。
Ano… kore mo shinpuru ni, fukkin desu. Shitto appu.
Ah… also simple: sit-ups.

まあ、1日30分だけなんですけど…。回数だと30回を10セット。
Maa, ichinichi sanjuppun dake nan desu kedo… Kaisuu da to sanjuu kai o juusetto.
Well, only 30 minutes a day… 30 reps for 10 sets.

毎朝。水曜日以外。週に6回です。土日もがんばって6時に起きてやってます。
Maiasa. Suiyoubi igai. Shuu ni 6 kai desu. Donichi mo ganbatte rokuji ni okite yatte masu.
Every morning. Except Wednesday. Six times a week. Even on weekends, I wake up at 6 to do it.

Hidari-sensei:
おお～、筋肉のトレ―ニング、「筋トレ」ですね。
Ooh~, kinniku no toreeningu, “kintore” desu ne.
Oh! Muscle training—“kintore,” right?

で、そのトレーニングの効果はどうですか？
De, sono toreeningu no kouka wa dou desu ka?
So, how’s the effect of that training?

Nagai-sensei:
これがですね、なんと！
Kore ga desu ne, nanto!
Well, you know what!

全く体の形が変わっていません。変化なし！！
Mattaku karada no katachi ga kawatte imasen. Henka nashi!!
My body shape hasn’t changed at all. No change!!

Hidari-sensei:
ええ！、うそでしょ！
Ee! Uso desho!
What!? No way!

よくトレーニングしてるって言えましたねー！
Yoku toreeningu shiteru tte iemashita ne~!
I can’t believe you could even say you’ve been training!

Nagai-sensei:
いや、待ってください！ただし！ただしですよ！　いいですか？
Iya, matte kudasai! Tadashi! Tadashi desu yo! Ii desu ka?
No, wait! But! But really! Is that okay?

この、「変化が無い」というのは、かなりポジティブな結果なんです。僕にとって。
Kono, “henka ga nai” to iu no wa, kanari pojitibu na kekka nan desu. Boku ni totte.
This “no change” is actually quite a positive result—for me.

Hidari-sensei:
そうは思えないですけど…。
Sou wa omoenai desu kedo…
I can’t really see it that way…

Nagai-sensei:
まあ、聞いてください！
Maa, kiite kudasai!
Well, listen to me!

Hidari-sensei:
はい、まあ聞きますけど…。
Hai, maa kikimasu kedo…
Okay, I’ll listen…

Nagai-sensei:
ありがとうございます。コロナで…
Arigatou gozaimasu. Corona de…
Thank you! During COVID…

ロックダウンしましたよね。いろんな所で。
Rokkudaun shimashita yo ne. Ironna tokoro de.
There was a lockdown, right? Everywhere.

Hidari-sensei:
はい。お店も閉まってしまいましたね～。
Hai. Omise mo shimatte shimaimashita ne~.
Yes. Even the shops had to close.

Nagai-sensei:
それまで、コンスタントにプールで泳いでいたし、週末はバスケットボールの練習にも参加していたので、かなり運動してたんです。
Sore made, konsutanto ni puuru de oyoide ita shi, shuumatsu wa basukettobooru no renshuu ni mo sanka shite ita node, kanari undou shite ta n desu.
Until then, I had been swimming consistently in the pool, and on weekends, I joined basketball practice, so I was exercising quite a lot.

だから毎日毎日大好きなビールを飲んでいても、お腹がブヨーンって大きくなったり階段上るのが大変になったりしなかったんです！
Dakara mainichi mainichi daisuki na biiru o nonde ite mo, onaka ga buyoon tte ookiku nattari kaidan noboru no ga taihen ni nattari shinakatta n desu!
So even though I drank my beloved beer every single day, my stomach didn’t get bloated, and climbing stairs wasn’t difficult!

1段飛ばしで上ってましたから。ひょいひょい。
Ichidan tobashi de nobottemashita kara. Hyoi hyoi.
I was even skipping steps when going up the stairs. Effortless.

Hidari-sensei:
あ～なるほど。
Aa~ naruhodo.
Ah, I see.

たくさん動いていたのに、急に何もしなくなったから…。
Takusan ugoite ita no ni, kyuu ni nani mo shinaku natta kara…
Even though you were moving a lot, you suddenly stopped doing anything…

Nagai-sensei:
そう！それが、体育館が使えなくなって、運動をやめた途端、めちゃめちゃお腹がぷよぷよになっちゃったんですよ！
Sou! Sore ga, taiikukan ga tsukaenaku natte, undou o yameta totan, mecha mecha onaka ga puyopuyo ni nacchatta n desu yo!
Exactly! Once the gym became unavailable and I stopped exercising, my stomach instantly got really soft and flabby!

２年くらいずっと。
Ni nen kurai zutto.
For about two years straight.

Hidari-sensei:
ではここで、先に「～た とたん」…の説明しておきましょうか。
Dewa koko de, saki ni “~ta totan”… no setsumei shite okimashou ka.
Shall we take a moment to explain “~ta totan”?

はい、何かをした「途端」は、前のactionが終わった後すぐに、次の何か 自分で controlできないことが起こった、だ・か・ら、びっくりした！
Hai, nanika o shita “totan” wa, mae no action ga owatta ato sugu ni, tsugi no nanika jibun de control dekinai koto ga okotta, da-ka-ra, bikkuri shita!
When you use “~ta totan,” it’s used to describe when immediately after doing something, something happens that you cannot control—so you are surprised!

…という気持ちのときに使います。
…To iu kimochi no toki ni tsukaimasu.
It’s used for expressing that kind of feeling.

Nagai-sensei:
ありがとうございます！そうですね。この最後の「びっくりした」の気持ちがわかってないな～っていうミスは結構よく見ますよね。
Arigatou gozaimasu! Sou desu ne. Kono saigo no “bikkuri shita” no kimochi ga wakattenai na~ tte iu misu wa kekkou yoku mimasu yo ne.
Thank you! Yes, exactly. I often see learners make the mistake of not really understanding the feeling behind “bikkuri shita” at the end.

Hidari-sensei:
そうですね。例えば、「私は家に帰ったとたん水を飲んだ。」とか。「私はシャワーを浴びたとたん寝た。」というふうに、自分がコントロールしたことだから、本当はびっくりしないはずなのに、「とたん」を使ってしまう学習者がいますよね～。
Sou desu ne. Tatoeba, “Watashi wa ie ni kaetta totan mizu o nonda.” Toka. “Watashi wa shawaa o abita totan neta.” To iu fuu ni, jibun ga control shita koto dakara, hontou wa bikkuri shinai hazu na no ni, “totan” o tsukatte shimau gakushuusha ga imasu yo ne~.
Exactly. For example, some learners say, “Watashi wa ie ni kaetta totan mizu o nonda” or “Watashi wa shawaa o abita totan neta.” Because these are things you controlled yourself, you shouldn’t actually be surprised, but some learners still use “totan” incorrectly.

みなさん気を付けましょう～！
Minasan ki o tsukemashou~!
Everyone, be careful!

Nagai-sensei:
はい。僕は、もう本当にお腹がぷよぷよになってびっくりしたので　使いました！
Hai. Boku wa, mou hontou ni onaka ga puyopuyo ni natte bikkuri shita node tsukaimashita!
Yes. I really was surprised when my stomach became flabby, so I used it!

運動をやめた途端、お腹がぷよぷよになった！
Undou o yameta totan, onaka ga puyopuyo ni natta!
The moment I stopped exercising, my stomach went soft and flabby!

わお！コントロールできませーん！！
Wao! Control dekimasen!!
Wow! I have no control!!

Hidari-sensei:
はい、…で、それで…？
Hai,… de, sorede…?
Yes… so, what happened then?

Nagai-sensei:
あ…。　そう！でも、ビールはやっぱり飲みたいじゃないですか。
A… Sou! Demo, biiru wa yappari nomitai ja nai desu ka.
Ah… right! But you still want to drink beer, don’t you?

だから、お腹をぷよぷよにしないでビールを飲む方法はないかといろいろ考えた結果…あのー
Dakara, onaka o puyopuyo ni shinaide biiru o nomu houhou wa nai ka to iroiro kangaeta kekka… Ano~
So, I thought about ways to drink beer without getting a flabby stomach… and well…

Hidari-sensei:
腹筋・・・と！
Fukkin… to!
Sit-ups… right!

Nagai-sensei:
そういうことです。
Sou iu koto desu.
Exactly.

だから、毎日リバウンドしてるんですよ。腹筋→ダイエット→ビール→リバウンド…の繰り返し。
Dakara, mainichi ribaundo shiteru n desu yo. Fukkin → daietto → biiru → ribaundo… no kurikaeshi.
So, every day I rebound—sit-ups → diet → beer → rebound… it’s a cycle.

ですから、「プラスマイナス０」にするために、腹筋が必要になった…という話です。
Desu kara, “purasu mainasu zero” ni suru tame ni, fukkin ga hitsuyou ni natta… to iu hanashi desu.
That’s why sit-ups are necessary to keep it all balanced—plus/minus zero.

Hidari-sensei:
よくわかりました。とにかく、何でも、ちゃんと自分でやろうと決めたことを続けているのは素晴らしいと思います。
Yoku wakarimashita. Tonikaku, nandemo, chanto jibun de yarou to kimeta koto o tsudzukete iru no wa subarashii to omoimasu.
I understand. Anyway, it’s wonderful that you continue whatever you decide to do by yourself.

Nagai-sensei:
ありがとうございます！
Arigatou gozaimasu!
Thank you!

Nagai-sensei:
えー、決めたこと、言ったことを続ける！
Ee, kimeta koto, itta koto o tsudzukeru!
Yes—continue what you decided and what you said!

…って本当に大事なことなんです。日本語の勉強もそうです皆さん！
…Tte hontou ni daiji na koto nan desu. Nihongo no benkyou mo sou desu minasama!
This is really important. The same goes for studying Japanese, everyone!

Nagai-sensei:
そうです。
Sou desu.
That’s right.

それがね、港区でその投票権を持っている人が、今までだいたい18万～20万人いたそうです。
Sore ga ne, Minato-ku de sono touhyoken o motte iru hito ga, ima made daitai 18-man ~ 20-man nin ita sou desu.
You see, in Minato Ward, there have been about 180,000 to 200,000 people with voting rights.

でその～…前の武井区長が初めて区長になった時の選挙が、平成16年2004年…これが25.8%。
De sono~… mae no Takei kuchou ga hajimete kuchou ni natta toki no senkyo ga, Heisei 16 nen 2004 nen… kore ga 25.8%.
And back when the previous Mayor Takei was elected for the first time, in 2004 (Heisei 16), the turnout was 25.8%.

そこから、…25.7%、…22.1％、…24.2％、…30.4％、そして、今回令和6年2024年…30.6％。
Soko kara,… 25.7%,… 22.1%,… 24.2%,… 30.4%, soshite, konkai Reiwa 6 nen 2024 nen… 30.6%.
Since then, it went 25.7%, 22.1%, 24.2%, 30.4%, and this time, in 2024 (Reiwa 6), 30.6%.

これ、まず、港区ってそんなに人が住んでいるんだ！というのも驚いたんですが…ね、さすが東京の真ん中！
Kore, mazu, Minato-ku tte sonna ni hito ga sunde iru n da! To iu no mo odoroita n desu ga… ne, sasuga Tokyo no manaka!
First, I was surprised at how many people live in Minato Ward! Right in the center of Tokyo!

でも、もっと驚いたのは、ちょっとは上がりましたけど、その中の30％しか投票していないことです。20万の中の6万人。
Demo, motto odoroita no wa, chotto wa agarimashita kedo, sono naka no 30% shika touhyou shite inai koto desu. 20-man no naka no 6-man nin.
But what’s even more shocking is that only about 30% of them voted—60,000 out of 200,000.

どう思われますか、この数字？
Dou omoaremasu ka, kono suuji?
What do you think about this number?

あ～、海外にはどう思われているんでしょうかね。
Aa, kaigai ni wa dou omoarete iru n deshou ka ne.
Ah, I wonder what people overseas think about this.

この日本の選挙というか「政治」ポリティクスとかガバメントに対する興味・関心の無さ、投票率の低さってどう思われているんだろう…？
Kono Nihon no senkyo to iu ka “seiji” poritikusu toka gabamento ni taisuru kyoumi kanshin no nusa, touhyou-ritsu no hikusa tte dou omoarete iru ndarou…?
How do they view the lack of interest in Japanese elections, politics, government, and the low voter turnout…?

Hidari-sensei:
どこの国でもやはり若い人は政治に対する関心があまりないようではありますが…。
Doko no kuni demo yahari wakai hito wa seiji ni taisuru kanshin ga amari nai you de wa arimasu ga…
In every country, young people generally don’t seem very interested in politics…

最近ニュースになっていましたが、アメリカでは、歌手のTaylor Swiftがインスタグラムでファンに選挙に行こうと呼びかけたりして、
Saikin nyuusu ni natte imashita ga, Amerika de wa, kashu no Taylor Swift ga insutaguramu de fan ni senkyo ni ikou to yobikaketari shite,
Recently, it made the news that in the U.S., singer Taylor Swift encouraged her fans on Instagram to go vote,

彼女はインスタグラムで世界に3億人近くのフォロワーを持っているから、その影響力が注目されたりしていますよね。
Kanojo wa insutaguramu de sekai ni 3 oku nin chikaku no forowaa o motte iru kara, sono eikyouryoku ga chuumoku saretari shiteimasu yo ne.
She has nearly 300 million followers worldwide, so her influence is very noticeable.

数がモノを言うのが選挙ですから、選挙に行く権利をもっていれば、行くべきだと私は思いますが。
Kazu ga mono o iu no ga senkyo desu kara, senkyo ni iku kenri o motte ireba, iku beki da to watashi wa omoimasu ga.
Elections are all about numbers, so if you have the right to vote, I think you should exercise it.

それに、日本に長く住んでいる外国人の方々のように投票したくてもできない方もいるし。
Sore ni, Nihon ni nagaku sunde iru gaikokujin no katagata no you ni touhyou shitakute mo dekinai kata mo iru shi.
Also, there are foreigners living in Japan who can’t vote even if they want to.

Nagai-sensei:
そう、日本人は18歳からなので、例えば、18年間、港区にずっと住んでいるという外国人の方でもね、
Sou, Nihonjin wa 18-sai kara nano de, tatoeba, 18 nenkan, Minato-ku ni zutto sunde iru to iu gaikokujin no kata demo ne,
That’s right, Japanese citizens can vote from 18, so even a foreigner who has lived in Minato Ward for 18 years,

バリバリ日本の企業で働いて、しかもお子さんは日本の小学校中学校に通っている…なんて人でも投票はできません。
Baribari Nihon no kigyou de hataraite, shikamo okosan wa Nihon no shougakkou chuugakkou ni kayotte iru… nante hito demo touhyou wa dekimasen.
Even if they work full-time at a Japanese company and their children attend Japanese schools, they cannot vote.

Hidari-sensei:
日本の選挙に参加する権利、つまり「参・政・権」がないんですよねー。
Nihon no senkyo ni sanka suru kenri, tsumari “san-sei-ken” ga nai n desu yo ne.
They don’t have the right to participate in Japanese elections; in other words, no “sanseiken.”

日本の国籍 Nationality, citizenshipをとらないとダメなんです。
Nihon no kokuseki, nationality, citizenship o toranai to dame nan desu.
You need Japanese nationality or citizenship to vote.

Nagai-sensei:
はい、外国人の方々にも、せめて、投票権だけでも認めてくれたらいいと思うんですけど、
Hai, gaikokujin no katagata ni mo, semete, touhyouken dake demo mitomete kuretara ii to omou n desu kedo,
Yes, I think it would be good if at least voting rights were granted to foreigners,

これからの日本には必要なことなのではないかなあ…。と個人的な意見ですが。
Kore kara no Nihon ni wa hitsuyou na koto na no de wa nai ka naa… to kojinteki na iken desu ga.
It might be something Japan needs in the future… just my personal opinion.

Hidari-sensei:
はい、ここでまた、言葉の説明です！
Hai, koko de mata, kotoba no setsumei desu!
Yes, let me explain a word here!

「せめて」ですね。これも実は日本人が自然に使う言葉です。
“Semete” desu ne. Kore mo jitsu wa Nihonjin ga shizen ni tsukau kotoba desu.
It’s “semete.” Actually, it’s a word Japanese people naturally use.

あんまり満足じゃないけど、100%のsatisfactionはないけど、まあまあOK、minimumのライン。
Anmari manzoku ja nai kedo, 100% no satisfaction wa nai kedo, maa maa OK, minimum no rain.
It means, “I’m not fully satisfied, but it’s okay, at least the minimum is met.”

また、他のものはいいから、これだけはお願い！といったリクエストをする時に、よく使いますね。
Mata, hoka no mono wa ii kara, kore dake wa onegai! To itta request o suru toki ni, yoku tsukaimasu ne.
It’s often used when saying, “Other things are fine, but at least this, please!”

JLPTは、リスニング、グラマー＆リーディング、ボキャブラリー＆漢字、の３つのカテゴリーがありますけど、
JLPT wa, risuningu, guramaa & riidingu, bokyaburarii & kanji, no mittsu no kategorii ga arimasu kedo,
JLPT has three categories: listening, grammar & reading, vocabulary & kanji,

「私は漢字が苦手なので困っています～」っていう学生よくいますよね。
“Watashi wa kanji ga nigate na node komatte imasu~” tte iu gakusei yoku imasu yo ne.
There are often students who say, “I struggle with kanji and have trouble~.”

Nagai-sensei:
いますいます。
Imasu imasu.
Yes, yes, definitely.

Hidari-sensei:
そんな学生に「漢字は大変だけど、せめて20点取ろう！リスニングがパーフェクトだったらあとは大丈夫だから！！」とアドバイスすることもよくあります。
Sonna gakusei ni “Kanji wa taihen da kedo, semete 20-ten torou! Risuningu ga paafekuto dattara ato wa daijoubu dakara!!” To adobaisu suru koto mo yoku arimasu.
For such students, we often advise, “Kanji is hard, but let’s get at least 20 points! If listening is perfect, the rest will be fine!!”

長井先生は、どんな使い方しますか？「せめて…」
Nagai-sensei wa, donna tsukaikata shimasu ka? “Semete…”
Sensei Nagai, how do you use “semete”?

Nagai-sensei:
僕は、そうですね～、家で、サッカー見てる時に家族に、「ああ、チャンネル変えないで！せめてこの久保君のフリーキックだけでも見させて！」…とか、
Boku wa, sou desu ne~, ie de, sakkaa miteru toki ni kazoku ni, “Aa, channeru kaenaide! Semete kono Kubo-kun no free kick dake demo misasete!” …Toka,
Well, at home, when watching soccer, I tell my family, “Don’t change the channel! At least let me watch Kubo’s free kick!”…

居酒屋で「え？もう終わり！？時間！？せめてあと1杯だけビール頼んでいい？」とかかな～。
Izakaya de “Eh? Mou owari!? Jikan!? Semete ato ippai dake biiru tanonde ii?” Toka kana~.
Or at an izakaya, “What? Already done!? Time!? At least let me order one more beer?”

Hidari-sensei:
先生よく使ってそうですね（笑）
Sensei yoku tsukatte sou desu ne (warai)
Sensei, you seem to use it a lot (laughs).

Nagai-sensei:
言われてみれば…。確かに自然に使ってる！大事なフレーズ！
Iwarete mireba… Tashika ni shizen ni tsukatteru! Daiji na fureezu!
Now that you mention it… I do use it naturally! It’s an important phrase!

Hidari-sensei:
それで、清家（せいけ）区長は、港区の皆さんにどんなことを約束しているんでしょうか？
Sorede, Seike kuchou wa, Minato-ku no minasan ni donna koto o yakusoku shite iru n deshou ka?
So, what promises is Mayor Seike making to the people of Minato Ward?

Nagai-sensei:
はい、彼女の町作りのテーマは「愛があふれる国際都市港区！」だそうです。
Hai, kanojo no machizukuri no teema wa “Ai ga afureru Kokusai Toshi Minato-ku!” da sou desu.
Her city planning theme is “Minato Ward, an international city full of love!”

お名前が愛さんだけに。
Onamae ga Ai-san dake ni.
Fittingly, her name is Ai.

愛があふれる！いいですね～。
Ai ga afureru! Ii desu ne~.
Overflowing with love! That’s nice~.

くわしく言うと、子育てサポートと welfare サービスをよくすること、あとはビルの防災対策をレベルアップしていく！…だそうです。
Kuwashiku iu to, kosodate sapooto to welfare saabisu o yoku suru koto, ato wa biru no bousai taisaku o reberu appu shite iku! …da sou desu.
Specifically, improving childcare support and welfare services, and leveling up building disaster preparedness… that’s what she plans.

Hidari-sensei:
なるほど。「防災」…つまり、地震や火事のような災害が起きた時に、住んでいる人が安心できるような準備をしていく…ということですね。
Naruhodo. “Bousai”… Tsumari, jishin ya kaji no you na saigai ga okita toki ni, sunde iru hito ga anshin dekiru you na junbi o shite iku… To iu koto desu ne.
I see. “Disaster preparedness”… in other words, preparing so residents can be safe in case of earthquakes or fires.

Nagai-sensei:
はい。でも、国際都市！って言っているけど、あまり外国人の方々のサポートについてはアピールしていないんですよね…。
Hai. Demo, Kokusai Toshi! tte itte iru kedo, amari gaikokujin no katagata no sapooto ni tsuite wa apiru shite inai n desu yo ne…
Yes. But even though it’s called an international city, she hasn’t really emphasized support for foreigners…

ホームページとか見てみたんですけど。結局外国人はお客さんです…みたいな。
Hoomupeeji toka mite mita n desu kedo. Kekkyoku gaikokujin wa okyaku-san desu… mitaina.
I checked her website. In the end, foreigners are treated more like visitors… it seems.

Hidari-sensei:
防災マップをいろんな言語でそろえるとか、そして、そのことをちゃんと外国人のために発信するとか…、やってくれるといいですね。
Bousai mappu o ironna gengo de soroeru toka, soshite, sono koto o chanto gaikokujin no tame ni hasshin suru toka…, yatte kureru to ii desu ne.
It would be good if they prepared disaster maps in multiple languages and properly communicated this for foreigners.

Nagai-sensei:
はい、災害が来た時に外国の方々が、慌ててパニックにならないように…。
Hai, saigai ga kita toki ni gaikoku no katagata ga, awatete panikku ni naranai you ni…
Yes, so that foreigners don’t panic during disasters…

防災対策については本当に約束を果たしてほしいです。
Bousai taisaku ni tsuite wa hontou ni yakusoku o hatashite hoshii desu.
I really hope they keep their promises regarding disaster preparedness.

Hidari-sensei:
はい、「果たす」…という言葉は、言ったこと、すると決めたことを実際にその通りにする！という意味の言葉です。
Hai, “hatasu”… to iu kotoba wa, itta koto, suru to kimeta koto o jissai ni sono toori ni suru! To iu imi no kotoba desu.
Yes, the word “hatasu” means to actually carry out what you said you would do, or to fulfill a commitment exactly as promised.

「約束したら、それを果たす。」
“Yakusoku shitara, sore o hatasu.”
“If you make a promise, you fulfill it.”

「しようと決めたらそれを果たす。」
“Shiyou to kimetara sore o hatasu.”
“If you decide to do something, you follow through on it.”

Nagai-sensei:
でも、約束したのに、選挙で選ばれたとたん、やっぱりそれは無理！って約束を果たさない…そんな政治家がたくさんいるので…。
Demo, yakusoku shita noni, senkyo de erabareta totan, yappari sore wa muri! tte yakusoku o hatasanai… sonna seijika ga takusan iru node…
But even though they made promises, the moment they are elected, they say, “That’s impossible!” and don’t fulfill them… There are many politicians like that.

Hidari-sensei:
そうですね。それも投票率が低い理由の１つかもしれませんね。
Sou desu ne. Sore mo touhyo-ritsu ga hikui riyuu no hitotsu kamo shiremasen ne.
That’s right. That might be one reason why voter turnout is low.

だから、先生はしっかり果たしましょう！　腹筋！
Dakara, sensei wa shikkari hatashimashou! Fukkin!
So, Sensei, make sure to follow through! Abs exercises!

Nagai-sensei:
腹筋！？　ああ、そう、そうですね！
Fukkin!? Aa, sou, sou desu ne!
Abs exercises!? Ah, yes, right!

はい、じゃあ、えーそのために、ビールを飲み続けます！！
Hai, jaa, ee, sono tame ni, biiru o nomitsuzukemasu!!
Alright then, for that reason, I’ll keep drinking beer!!

Hidari-sensei:
なんか順番がおかしいですけど。とにかく、がんばってください！
Nanka junban ga okashii desu kedo. Tonikaku, ganbatte kudasai!
The order seems a bit off, but anyway, keep it up!

Nagai-sensei:
先生も今年は、一日一日を大切にし続けてくださいよ！
Sensei mo kotoshi wa, ichinichi ichinichi o taisetsu ni shi tsuzukete kudasai yo!
Sensei, please continue to cherish each and every day this year too!

何でも、続けるのが大事、やめないのが大事です！
Nandemo, tsuzukeru no ga daiji, yamenai no ga daiji desu!
Whatever it is, continuing is important, and not giving up is important!

バスケットボールの神様マイケル・ジョーダンも言ってました！
Basukettobooru no kamisama Maikeru Joodan mo itte mashita!
Even the basketball god Michael Jordan said!

「成功した理由は、成功するまで失敗し続けたことだった」って。
“Seikou shita riyuu wa, seikou suru made shippai shi tsuzuketa koto datta” tte.
“The reason for my success was that I kept failing until I succeeded.”

…と、いったところで、本日もお時間となりました。
…To, itta tokoro de, honjitsu mo ojikan to narimashita.
…And with that, our time today has come to an end.

最後までお聞きいただきありがとうございました！
Saigo made okiki itadaki arigatou gozaimashita!
Thank you for listening until the very end!

左先生もありがとうございました！
Hidari-sensei mo arigatou gozaimashita!
Thank you as well, Hidari-sensei!

Hidari-sensei:
はーい、ありがとうございました。
Haai, arigatou gozaimashita.
Yes, thank you very much.

Nagai-sensei:
CotoRadio For Japanese Learners お相手は、Mr.Nagaiと
CotoRadio For Japanese Learners o-aite wa, Mr. Nagai to
This is CotoRadio for Japanese Learners, with Mr. Nagai

Hidari-sensei:
OA, official assistant 左でした！
OA, official assistant Hidari deshita!
And OA, official assistant Hidari!

N/A:
それでは、じゃあ、また、次回～！！
Soredewa, jaa, mata, jikai~!!
Well then, see you next time!!

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