Hindi English Translation || Editorial || A vote for stability: On Fumio Kishida's win in Japan

A vote for stability: On Fumio Kishida's win in Japan

The vote for Fumio Kishida underlines (रेखांकित करना, ज़ोर देना) the dominance of the LDP in Japan’s politics

Defying expectations, Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) stormed (to rapidly become very successful) to an outright (प्रत्यक्ष, निश्चित, स्पष्ट) majority in the country’s parliamentary elections on Sunday. The elections were the first major test for the new Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, who took over last month amid (के बीच, संबंध में) enormous challenges. He followed the short-lived (अल्पकालिक, संक्षिप्त, लघु) tenure (कार्यकाल, अधिकार, अवधि) of Yoshihide Suga, who succeeded (सफल होना, प्रतिस्थापित करना, की जगह लेना) Shinzo Abe. Japan’s longest serving Prime Minister, Mr. Abe stepped down (त्यागपत्र देना, इस्तीफा देना, छोड़ना) in 2020 citing health reasons. Mr. Suga’s year-long term was marred (spoil, ruin, destroy, impair) by his government’s poor handling of COVID-19 and economic woes (परेशानी, कठिनाई, समस्या). Facing the lowest approval ratings (अनुमोदन, आवेदन मानांकन, स्वीकृति) of any Japanese leader in years, he resigned. Entering the election in these circumstances (परिस्थिति, स्थिति, प्रसंग), the LDP, which held 276 seats in the 465-seat House of Representatives (The Parliament of Japan (the National Diet) is made up of two houses, or chambers. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives and an upper house, the House of Councillors) before the polls, was bracing (prepare oneself for something difficult/unpleasant that is imminent (about to happen)) for a poor show, with wide expectations that it would need to rely on (पर भरोसा करना, पर विश्वास रखना, पर निर्भर होना) its coalition (गठबंधन, संघ, साझेदारी) with the Komeito party to cross the halfway mark (निशान, स्तर, चरण, बिंदु). But it coasted to victory unencumbered (not having any problem/difficulty; unaffected by, clear of) by coalition considerations (factor, issue, point, concern, aspect).

Mr. Kishida now has to deliver on a range of pressing (urgent, critical, crucial, important) challenges, including the pandemic (the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area), the economy and on the security front (a particular situation; a particular are of activity), relations with China. He has committed to bolstering (strengthen, support, reinforce/buttress) support to hospitals to ensure a far better response should Japan face another wave. On the economy front, he has put forward (propose, offer, advance, submit/present) a “new capitalism (an economic system based on private ownership; private enterprise, private ownership)” aimed at an economic revival (improvement, rallying, picking up; re-establishment, reintroduction, restoration) keeping the interests (common concerns, benefit, advantage) of the middle class as a priority. He has pledged (vow, state, promise, swear, give one’s word, give an assurance, commit oneself) to come up with (produce, put forward, present/submit) an ambitious (formidable, challenging, demanding) stimulus (impetus, boost, incentive, fillip) package this month. On foreign policy, he will have to keep in mind the wishes of his party’s conservative (right-wing, traditionalist, conventional, orthodox) bloc (alliance, association, union) which is calling for significant increases in defence spending. Those are voices (opinion, view, comment, feeling, wish, desire) he cannot ignore considering that the new leader— Mr. Kishida was also a Foreign Minister — has no real popular (public, mass, societal) support to call upon (appeal to, ask, urge) and will be beholden (indebted, obligated, under an obligation, duty-bound) to what his party wants. In the election campaign (canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group), the LDP said it would double defence spending to 2% of the GDP. China’s recent air incursions (intrusion, trespass, infiltration, obtrusion) into Taiwan were cited (उद्धृत करना, हवाला देना, प्रमाण देना) as one major reason, as also North Korea’s missile (a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile) tests. Mr. Kishida has said he will focus on shoring up (support, help, assist someone/something from ; bolster up, buttress, strengthen, fortify, reinforce, underpin something from decline) relations with Washington, and in his early days, has already reached out (contact someone to obtain/offer help/assistance/cooperation) to the leaders of the Quad. He has also spoken with China’s President Xi Jinping, with positive noises (remarks, comments) about getting relations on track. Ultimately, matters at home will decide which of his two predecessors (previous thing but that is replaced now (mechanism in this context)) Mr. Kishida ends up emulating (imitate, follow, mirror; take as a model, take as an example). Given the flagging (declining) reputation (name, character, standing, stature, status, position) of the LDP towards the end of (nd oneself (to a particular course of action in the end or eventually)) Mr. Abe’s term and through Mr. Suga’s turbulent (stormy, unstable, unsettled, tumultuous, full of ups and downs, roller-coaster, chaotic) time in office, the vote appears to be as much an endorsement (support, backing, approval) for stability as it is for his government. It also reaffirms (assert, state, assure again strongly) the LDP’s unchallenged (incontestable, undisputed, undeniable, unquestionable, definite) position in domestic politics regardless of (despite, notwithstanding, in spite of) the troubles it has faced in recent years, underlining there is no serious challenger to its continued dominance.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.underline (verb)

Hindi Meaning - रेखांकित करना, ज़ोर देना
English Meaning - emphasize, underscore, highlight.

2.outright (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रत्यक्ष, निश्चित, स्पष्ट
English Meaning - definite, unequivocal, clear, categorical, complete, total, full.

3.take over (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - कब्जा, नियंत्रण करना, नियंत्रण प्राप्त करना
English Meaning - assume control of, take control of, gain control of, take charge of, take command of.

4.amid (preposition)

Hindi Meaning - के बीच, संबंध में
English Meaning - in the middle of, surrounded by; during.

5.short-lived (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अल्पकालिक, संक्षिप्त, लघु
English Meaning - brief, short, short-term, temporary, transitory.

6.tenure (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कार्यकाल, अधिकार, अवधि
English Meaning - term, time, period, stint (in office); incumbency.

7.succeed (verb)

Hindi Meaning - सफल होना, प्रतिस्थापित करना, की जगह लेना
English Meaning - replace, take the place of, take over from, come after, follow.

8.step down (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - त्यागपत्र देना, इस्तीफा देना, छोड़ना
English Meaning - resign, quit, stand down, give up one’s job.

9.cite (verb)

Hindi Meaning - उद्धृत करना, हवाला देना, प्रमाण देना
English Meaning - refer to, make reference to, mention, allude to, point to.

10.woes (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परेशानी, कठिनाई, समस्या
English Meaning - trouble, difficulty, problem.

11.approval rating (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अनुमोदन, आवेदन मानांकन, स्वीकृति
English Meaning - a measure of people’s approval of a political leader.

12.circumstance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - परिस्थिति, स्थिति, प्रसंग
English Meaning - situation, condition, context.

13.rely on (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - पर भरोसा करना, पर विश्वास रखना, पर निर्भर होना
English Meaning - depend on; resort to, have recourse to.

14.coalition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - गठबंधन, संघ, साझेदारी
English Meaning - alliance, union, partnership.

15.mark (noun)

Hindi Meaning - निशान, स्तर, चरण, बिंदु
English Meaning - level, stage, point.

16.House of Representatives (noun)

English Meaning - The Parliament of Japan (the National Diet) is made up of two houses, or chambers. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives and an upper house, the House of Councillors.

17.brace (for) (verb)

English Meaning - prepare oneself for something difficult/unpleasant that is imminent (about to happen).

18.bad/poor show (phrase)

English Meaning - bad/poor performance.

19.mar (verb)

English Meaning - spoil, ruin, destroy, impair.

20.enormous (adjective)

English Meaning - huge, vast, great.

21.storm (verb)

English Meaning - to rapidly become very successful.

22.coast to (verb)

English Meaning - to progress or achieve success with very little effort or very easily; freewheel, cruise, glide, make progress (without much effort).

23.unencumbered (adjective)

English Meaning - not having any problem/difficulty; unaffected by, clear of.

24.consideration (noun)

English Meaning - factor, issue, point, concern, aspect.

25.pressing (adjective)

English Meaning - urgent, critical, crucial, important.

26.pandemic (noun)

English Meaning - the worldwide spread of a new disease; The illness spreads around the world and typically affects a large number of people across a wide area.

27.front (noun)

English Meaning - a particular situation; a particular are of activity.

28.bolster (verb)

English Meaning - strengthen, support, reinforce/buttress.

29.put forward (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - propose, offer, advance, submit/present.

30.capitalism (noun)

English Meaning - an economic system based on private ownership; private enterprise, private ownership.

31.revival (noun)

English Meaning - improvement, rallying, picking up; re-establishment, reintroduction, restoration.

32.interest (noun)

English Meaning - common concerns, benefit, advantage.

33.pledge (verb)

English Meaning - vow, state, promise, swear, give one’s word, give an assurance, commit oneself.

34.come up with (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - produce, put forward, present/submit.

35.ambitious (adjective)

English Meaning - formidable, challenging, demanding.

36.stimulus (noun)

English Meaning - impetus, boost, incentive, fillip.

37.bear/keep in mind (phrase)

English Meaning - take into account, consider, heed.

38.conservative (adjective)

English Meaning - right-wing, traditionalist, conventional, orthodox.

39.bloc (noun)

English Meaning - alliance, association, union.

40.call for (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - require, publicly ask/necessitate, demand.

41.voice (noun)

English Meaning - opinion, view, comment, feeling, wish, desire.

42.popular (adjective)

English Meaning - public, mass, societal.

43.call upon (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - appeal to, ask, urge.

44.beholden (adjective)

English Meaning - indebted, obligated, under an obligation, duty-bound.

45.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group.

46.Gross domestic product (GDP) (noun)

English Meaning - a measure of economic activity in a country. It is the total value of a country’s annual output of goods and services.

47.incursion (noun)

English Meaning - intrusion, trespass, infiltration, obtrusion.

48.missile (noun)

English Meaning - a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile.

49.shore up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - support, help, assist someone/something from ; bolster up, buttress, strengthen, fortify, reinforce, underpin something from decline.

50.reach out (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - contact someone to obtain/offer help/assistance/cooperation.

51.Quad/Quadrilateral (noun)

English Meaning - The ‘Quadrilateral’ is described as four democracies (the United States, Japan, Australia and India) with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.

52.noise (noun)

English Meaning - remarks, comments.

53.get back on track (phrase)

English Meaning - to return to the right direction (after a problem).

54.ultimately (adverb)

English Meaning - eventually, in the end, finally.

55.at home (phrase)

English Meaning - in one’s house/country.

56.predecessor (noun)

English Meaning - previous thing but that is replaced now (mechanism in this context).

57.end up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - find oneself (to a particular course of action in the end or eventually).