今日の英和対訳天声人語（おじさん的英語習得法、若い君ならもっと簡単かも。）

Tourists must not be allowed to ruin Shiretoko

　僕は英辞郎を使って英語を読みまくり、インターネットラジオのNHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースで時事英語を聞きまくってます。（＾＾；また、VOAでヴォイスレコーダーにDLしたMP3音声とテキストも楽しんでます。
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

Tourists must not be allowed to ruin Shiretoko

07/21/2005

One of the senryu humorous poems that appeared in The Asahi Shimbun on Tuesday gave me a wry smile: "Drunks and merrymakers/ Stay away from the hills of Shiretoko."

2005年07月20日（水曜日）付
【天声人語】

　昨日、本紙の「朝日川柳」に載っていた一句に笑いを誘われた。〈飲んで騒いで丘に上るな知床の／さいたま市　岸保宏〉。笑いといっても、苦い笑いである。

Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula has been named a World Natural Heritage property by UNESCO.

The senryu poem by Yasuhiro Kishi, a resident of Saitama, raises concerns about the consequences of Shiretoko's new status.

Just like Kishi, many people must have taken the news as a mixed blessing. Environmental contamination caused by sharply increasing tourist traffic has been a problem for two natural properties earlier placed on the World Heritage list: Yakushima island south of Kagoshima Prefecture and the Shirakami mountain area straddling Aomori and Akita prefectures.

　北海道の知床がユネスコの世界自然遺産に決まったが、単純には喜べない思いをした人も少なくなかったのではないか。先に遺産に登録された鹿児島県の屋久島や、青森・秋田両県の白神山地では、観光客の急増で汚染が懸念されている。

The U.N. heritage convention calls for the protection of areas' cultural heritage and nature from the threat of damage and destruction, because the sites are deemed treasures of humanity.

One thing we must keep in mind is that when the Japanese government recommended that Shiretoko be put on the World Heritage list, it effectively promised to the world that it would not let the peninsula's nature be damaged or destroyed.

　世界遺産条約は、自然と文化を人類全体の宝物とし、損傷、破壊などの脅威から保護することをうたっている。日本政府が登録を推薦したということは、損傷や破壊をしないと世界に約束したことになる。

In the 1980s, a campaign was organized to oppose the felling of trees in Shiretoko's state-owned woodland. It marked the start of persistent conservation efforts involving many people, which finally bore fruit last week when the UNESCO World Heritage Committee designated the peninsula as a heritage site.

Japan bears heavy responsibility for continuing conservation efforts. The benefit of the designation is that it offers a chance for us to take a new look at the nature of our country from a global perspective.

　知床では、８０年代に国有林伐採への反対運動が起きた。それから今回の登録まで、長い道のりだった。数多くの人たちの力がよりあわされて、大きな実を結んだ。これからも自然を保ち続けてゆく責任は重いが、日本の自然を世界遺産という「地球の目」で見直すのはいいことだろう。

The international conference to found UNESCO was held in London in the fall of 1945, following the end of World War II. In a speech, Clement Attlee, then prime minister of Britain, stated that wars began in the minds of men.

　ユネスコ（国連教育科学文化機関）を設立するための会議は、第二次大戦が終結した６０年前の秋に、ロンドンで開かれた。アトリー英首相は、演説の中で「戦争は人の心の中で生まれるもの」と述べた。

This statement found its way into the UNESCO Constitution, which famously declares in its preamble that "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed."

What does this mean specifically? Considering what the Constitution says, the implication is clear: If wars are to be avoided, countries need to have a good knowledge of one other.

My hope is that the untouched nature of Shiretoko will become the cornerstone of peace in the minds of people.

　これが、ユネスコ憲章の前文の有名な一節となった。「戦争は人の心の中で生まれるものであるから、人の心の中に平和の砦（とりで）を築かなければならない」。戦争を繰り返さないため、世界の各国は互いをよく知る必要がある、との反省が込められている。知床の自然もまた、心の砦の礎になるようにと願う。

--The Asahi Shimbun, July 20(IHT/Asahi: July 21,2005)

No more overnight fun on business trips

　僕は英辞郎を使って英語を読みまくり、インターネットラジオのNHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースで時事英語を聞きまくってます。（＾＾；また、VOAでヴォイスレコーダーにDLしたMP3音声とテキストも楽しんでます。
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

No more overnight fun on business trips

06/28/2005

It was agreed during the latest Japan-South Korea summit to increase daily shuttle flights between Tokyo and Seoul to eight from August. This means business travelers won't have to stay overnight in either capital.

2005年06月27日（月曜日）付
【天声人語】

　日韓の首都を結ぶシャトル便が８月から毎日８便に増える。先日の日韓首脳会談で決まった。いよいよソウルが東京からの日帰り出張圏に入る。

It means one can depart from Haneda Airport in the morning, arrive at Kimpo International Airport before noon, get one's work done in Seoul and return that evening. This is certainly welcome. But it also means no more fun overnight stays to unwind while on such trips.

　朝、羽田をたち、昼前に金浦空港に着く。ソウルで仕事を済ませ、夜には東京へ戻る。その便利さは歓迎したい。だが「せめて１泊くらいは」と願うのも人情だろう。せっかくの出張なのだから。

Even officials in feudal Japan looked forward to a breather when away on business. Toshiakira Kawaji, commissioner of finance of the Tokugawa government in the late Edo Period (1603-1867), was known as a stern, no-nonsense bureaucrat. When he led a group of officials on a business trip to the Omi region (present-day Shiga Prefecture), his entourage had to abide by his strict orders-don't sleep in, never accept gifts, and decline wining and dining. But when it was time to head home, even Kawaji softened like any mortal. Instead of going straight back, he allowed himself and his party a detour to Ise Shrine, the fun tourist spot of that era.

　昔の人も出張には息抜きを期待した。堅物で知られた幕末の勘定奉行、川路聖謨（としあきら）の近江出張に随行した武士たちは、川路の厳命に悲鳴を上げた。朝寝するな、進物は返せ、酒食の接待は断れ。それほどお堅い奉行でもやはり人の子である。帰路は一行で遠回りして、伊勢参りなど満喫している。

I see nothing wrong with a little rest and recreation after a mission has been accomplished. But when it's all R&R and no work, that's a different story.

In winter 2003, a veteran Bureau of Environment official of the Tokyo metropolitan government enjoyed ocean fishing off Nagasaki, where he was supposed to be testing the performance of an exhaust gas purifying device developed by Mitsui & Co. Instead of heading for the test site, the official went fishing at the invitation of his Mitsui hosts.

　帰りの遠回りくらいならよいが、仕事を放り出して遊んだとなれば話は別だろう。東京都環境局のベテラン職員はおととしの冬、出張先の長崎市で海釣りに興じた。三井物産が開発した排ガス浄化装置の性能を試験するはずだったのに、誘われると足は試験場に向かわず、沖でさおを振った。

Mitsui secretly falsified the test documents, which resulted in substandard exhaust gas purifiers being installed in Tokyo buses and trucks. Three Mitsui employees were arrested this month on suspicion of fraud. The punishment for the Tokyo government official was a three-month suspension from work, which is to expire at the end of this month.

　三井側はこっそり試験結果を改ざんし、性能の劣る装置が都営バスやトラックに取り付けられた。関与した社員ら３人は今月、詐欺の疑いで逮捕されている。都職員は停職３カ月の処分を受け、今月末まで謹慎中という。

Today, any major city in Japan can be reached within one day, which means less of that special sense of anticipation that used to come with overnight business trips.

An ultra-supersonic plane under development in the United States is said to be capable of eventually connecting East Coast cities and Tokyo in one hour.

A business trip to New York City, and back in Tokyo before the day is over? Thanks, but I would rather pass.

　今や主な都市なら日本中どこでも日帰りできる時代である。その分、泊まりがけ出張の妙味は減った。米国で開発中の最速機なら、将来は東京と米東部が１時間で結ばれるそうだ。ニューヨークですら日帰りかと思うと、出張する気もなえてしまう。

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 27(IHT/Asahi: June 28,2005)

Pride, mass psychology fuel China protests

　僕は英辞郎を使って英語を読みまくり、インターネットラジオのNHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースで時事英語を聞きまくってます。（＾＾；
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

Pride, mass psychology fuel China protests

04/20/2005

Shanhaiguan, the east terminal of the Great Wall of China, is located along the Gulf of Bo Hai about 300 kilometers east of Beijing.

With steep terrain, it was an area where crucial battles were fought in ancient times. The barrier built there was viewed as China's most strategic.

2005年04月19日（火曜日）付
【天声人語】

　万里の長城の東の起点・山海関は、北京の東約３００キロの渤海沿いにある。地勢の険しい古来の兵争の地で、「天下一の関所」とも言われた。

In 1995, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, then Chinese President Jiang Zemin gave an interview to The Asahi Shimbun in Beidaihe, a famous resort near Shanhaiguan where he was staying.

Asked about China's patriotic education policy for young people, Jiang replied that it was aimed at fostering a correct perception of history and ensuring that people would not forget what they had learned.

He gave assurances that China had no intention of sowing discord in its relations with Japan.

　第二次大戦後５０年にあたる９５年の終戦の日の直前、江沢民主席は、山海関近くの滞在地・北戴河で、本社と会見した。青年を対象に進めている愛国主義教育については、こう述べた。「歴史を正しく認識し、忘れないように教育することにあり、両国に不和をもたらす意図は全くない」

Ten years since then, one fears that anti-Japanese demonstrations may lead to discord. Demonstrators chanted the slogan ``not guilty for being patriotic'' to justify their mob violence, and mocked Japan with the epithet of ``little Japan.''

The derogatory epithet reminded me of what struck me when I once looked out over the sea from Shanhaiguan.

　それから１０年後の今、中国から声高に届く、愛国主義の行動に罪はないという「愛国無罪」には、両国の不和にまでつながりかねない危うさを感じる。そしてもう一つ、デモ隊が日本を見下して言う「小日本」については、山海関から海を望んだ時の思いがよみがえってきた。

Shanhaiguan is the place where the Great Wall, stretching all the way from the west, finally joins the sea. The Japanese archipelago is too far to the east to see from there.

But for anyone aware that he is looking out from the edge of Eurasia, the world's largest land mass, Japan would seem like a string or a rope floating in the ocean.

　山海関は、西から延々と続いてきた万里の長城が、ついに海に入る地点だ。その海のはるかかなたには、見えはしないが日本列島がある。ユーラシアという世界最大の幅を持って横たわる陸地から望むと、地理地形の上からは、列島は大海に浮かぶ細いひもか縄のようにも思われる。

It is not hard to imagine that people proud of China's long history and culture had a sense of superiority over Japan.

As I gazed from Shanhaiguan, it struck me that half a century would be too short to heal or erase the humiliation of being invaded and ruled by Japan and the traumas inflicted during the occupation.

　中国の長い歴史と文化を誇る人たちが、日本に対して、ある種の優越感を覚えたことは、想像に難くない。その日本に侵略され支配されたという屈辱と、負わされた傷とは、半世紀ぐらいで癒えたり消えたりするものではないとも思われた。

Behind shouts of ``little Japan'' on the streets, one senses a warped perception about China's greatness and mass psychology at work.

Would a young man loudly shout the slogan when he comes to be alone, away from an anti-Japanese demonstration?

　街頭での「小日本」の裏には、屈折した大国意識と群集心理が感じられる。群衆から、例えばひとりの青年に戻った時にも、声高に「小日本」と言うのだろうか。

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 19(IHT/Asahi: April 20,2005)

Freedom to travel a right to be enjoyed by all

　僕は英辞郎を使って英語を読みまくり、インターネットラジオのNHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースで時事英語を聞きまくってます。（＾＾；
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

Freedom to travel a right to be enjoyed by all

04/12/2005

Miyako Okamura of Kyoto can walk no more than 3,000 steps a day. She cannot carry anything heavier than 2 kilograms. Lifting a suitcase, even for a second, is out of the question. Staircases are her most difficult hurdle.

Yet, she travels alone overseas almost every year.

2005年04月11日（月曜日）付
【天声人語】

　京都に住む岡村美弥子さんは１日に３千歩しか歩けない。重さ２キロ以上のものは持ち運びできない。スーツケースなどは、一瞬たりとも持てない。階段は大の苦手だ。それでも毎年のように１人で海外に出かける。

Six years ago, when Okamura was in her 40s and working for a travel agency as a tour conductor, she was diagnosed with hip disease and fitted with an artificial joint in her right hip.

Although she had to give up her job, she decided nothing would stop her from traveling for pleasure.

　股関節の病気で、右足に人工関節を入れたのは４０代だった６年前だ。そのころ旅行会社で添乗員などの仕事をしていた。旅の仕事はできなくなったが、遊びでは行けるはずだ。そう思って工夫をこらす。

The strategy she worked out was this: First she calls a taxi, and asks the driver to carry her suitcase to the car. At the airport, she uses a baggage trolley as a walker. If there is a chance she may have to use a ramp to deplane at her destination, she arranges with airport personnel to have a lift waiting for her. Upon arrival at her hotel, she asks a valet to place her suitcase in a position that will make for easy opening and closing.

　スーツケースは自宅からタクシーの運転手に運び出してもらう。空港では台車につかまって歩く。到着地にタラップがありそうなら、リフト車で降ろしてくれるよう頼んでおく。ホテルの部屋では、開け閉めしやすいようにスーツケースを置いてもらう。

``In the past, an overseas trip was a bit of a risky gamble for people with disabilities,'' said Iichiro Kusanagi of Japan Tourism Marketing Co.'s Universally Designed Tourism Center. ``Nowadays, many people with disabilities go wherever they want to go, not just where they can go.''

Indeed, airports and train stations are today better equipped to aid people with disabilities, and airline companies and travel agencies have also gotten better at serving customers with special needs.

　「かつて障害のある人の海外旅行は冒険だった。今は、行けるところではなく行きたいところへ、と望む人も多くなった」と言うのはＪＴＭバリアフリー研究所の草薙威一郎さんだ。空港や駅が使いやすくなり、航空会社や旅行会社の受け入れ態勢もかなり整ってきたという。

It was 10 years ago that the Tourism Policy Council of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport noted, ``Everyone has a right to travel ... . The freedom to travel is of special value to people whose movements are restricted, such as those with disabilities and the elderly.''

It depends on each person's type or degree of disability, but perhaps the ``right to travel'' is finally becoming real.

　「すべての人には旅をする権利がある」と政府の観光政策審議会が提言したのは１０年前だった。「旅をする自由はとりわけ障害者や高齢者など行動に不自由のある人々にも貴重」と述べていた。障害の種類や度合いによって違いはあるだろうが、やっと「旅の権利」が現実のものになりつつあるということか。

Okamura would like to go to Mongolia this summer, but is still undecided. ``If suburban roads are bad, my artificial hip won't stand a chance. It is vital that I check such details before I go,'' she said.

　岡村さんはこの夏、モンゴルに行こうかどうか迷っている。「郊外への道が悪いと、人工関節がもたない。その見きわめが欠かせないのです」

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 11(IHT/Asahi: April 12,2005)

Faraway islands need tsunami info, support

　僕は英辞郎を使って英語を読みまくり、インターネットラジオのNHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースで時事英語を聞きまくってます。（＾＾；
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

Faraway islands need tsunami info, support

04/01/2005

In the immediate aftermath of Monday's giant earthquake off Sumatra, panic reportedly broke out in many communities. Fearing a tsunami, people scrambled pell-mell for higher ground, according to reports.

2005年03月31日（木曜日）付
【天声人語】

　スマトラ島沖の地震では、住民が各地でパニックに陥ったと報じられた。地震後、津波を恐れた人たちが焦って高台を目指し混乱したという。

A panicked crowd can lead to tragedies, like people being trampled to death. But what drives people into a panic cannot always be blamed simply on ``irrational behavior.''

　パニックは、時には群衆による圧死などの惨害をもたらす。しかし、人々のパニックへの傾きを、単純に「不合理な行動」とは言えない。

When the deployment of theater nuclear weapons was an issue in the Netherlands during the Cold War, the Dutch people reportedly fell into a panic over a radio program about a hypothetical scenario in which a nuclear bomb had been dropped on an air force base.

It was a case of their real fear of a possible nuclear attack being amplified out of proportion by a radio narration of an imaginary scene.

I think the panic this triggered was only natural, if not inevitable.

　冷戦の頃、戦域核兵器の配備がとりざたされていたオランダで、住民がパニックに陥ったという。きっかけは、空軍基地に原爆が投下された場合を想定したラジオ番組だった。「いつか核攻撃があるかもしれない」という現実の不安と、仮定の世界のラジオ番組とが重なってしまったのだが、人々が混乱するのはむしろ自然で、無理からぬものだったと思う。

In Sumatra, people's fear of a killer tsunami coming their way must have been quite intense. Depending on the nature of the jolt, their fear was fully founded. Scrambling to get as far away as possible from the coast made much sense. The question, though, was whether they were guided by accurate, up-to-date information and appropriate evacuation instructions.

　スマトラの場合も、大津波襲来への不安はかなり大きかっただろう。地震の起き方によっては、それも十分ありえたのだから、ひたすら海から逃げようとしたのは理にかなっている。問題は、正確な情報の速やかな伝達と、住民への的確な指示があったかどうかだ。

This time around, the Japan Meteorological Agency was swift in faxing tsunami information to the quake-affected nations. It had learned a hard lesson from the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster.

In some nations such as Indonesia, however, there were apparently problems with the way alerts were issued and what people were told to do.

　今回は、気象庁が素早く各国へ津波情報を発し、大津波の時の苦い経験が、情報の支援では生きた。しかしインドネシアなどでは、警報の発令と伝達や住民への指示に問題があったようだ。

Marco Polo, who landed on Sumatra about 700 years ago, noted an ``abnormal situation that would surprise you all.'' In ``The Travels of Marco Polo'' (a Japanese translation available in Toyo Bunko paperback from Heibonsha), he pointed out that: ``Because this land lies so far south, you can see neither the Polaris nor the Big Dipper in the sky.''

I want plenty of support, as well as information, to make it to those faraway southern islands on the equator.

　約７００年前にスマトラに上陸したマルコ・ポーロが『東方見聞録』（東洋文庫）に記す。「皆さんをびっくりさせるに違いない異常な事態がある……この土地がはるか南方に位しているため、北極星も北斗七星も共に見えない」。はるか赤道直下の島々へ、情報だけでなく支援も厚く届けたい。

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 31(IHT/Asahi: April 1,2005)

Indonesia prepares to bury more `martyrs'

　僕は英辞郎を使って英語を読みまくり、インターネットラジオのNHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースで時事英語を聞きまくってます。（＾＾；
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

Indonesia prepares to bury more `martyrs'

03/31/2005

In the Islamic world, bodies are interred, not cremated, perhaps in line with the belief in resurrection in the next world.

Usually, bodies are cleaned and draped with unbleached cloth before they are put in coffins.

2005年03月30日（水曜日）付
【天声人語】

　イスラム圏では遺体は土葬される。来世での再生を信じる教えからか、火葬にはしない。遺体は浄（きよ）められ、生成りの布で覆われ、棺（ひつぎ）に納められる。

The procedure is different in the case of earthquake or tsunami victims. They are buried in the clothes they wore when they died, with nothing done to remove traces of injury or bloodstains.

While it may sound odd to outsiders, Islam is said to attach a special meaning to deaths in a natural disaster.

　地震や津波で亡くなった場合は作法が異なる。死の際の着衣のまま、傷や血の跡も消さないで葬られる。むごいようだが、イスラムの世界では、天災の犠牲者は特別な意味を持つという。

When people die in a natural disaster, not of illness or old age, they are treated as ``martyrs,'' regardless of whether they are infants or very old. They are held to be as noble as those who have lost their lives in jihad. Even without being cleaned, they become figures that are very much respected.

　病気や老衰でなく、天変地異で亡くなると、幼児でも老人でも殉教者として扱われる。たとえば聖戦ジハードで命を落とした殉教者と高貴さにおいて同列で、そのままでも十分に清らかだという。

I learned this much about Muslims when I visited Sumatra in Indonesia early in February to cover the aftermath of the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster.

The stench of death still hung in the air in villages of Aceh province. Hundreds of bodies were being recovered every day. I saw piles of black plastic bags filled with corpses on a roadside.

　以上の知識は先月初め、インドネシアのスマトラ島で取材したときに教わった。訪れたアチェでは、村々にまだ死臭が漂い、毎日数百もの遺体が掘り出されていた。黒いポリ袋に入れられた骸（むくろ）が、道ばたに積まれていたのを覚えている。

On Monday night, a full three months later, Sumatra was hit by another giant earthquake.

``Last night, everyone had an illusion that a tsunami was coming,'' Yusdar Zakaria, 46, a local university professor, told me over the telephone. ``All members of my family moved to the room on the uppermost floor and spent the night there until dawn,'' he added.

According to Zakaria, the sounds of cars fleeing to higher ground and numerous motorcycle collisions made the town a noisy place until the early hours of Tuesday.

　津波の襲来から３カ月しかたっていないスマトラ島を再び大地震が襲った。「ゆうべはだれもが津波の幻に取りつかれた。家族みんなで最上階の部屋に移って夜を明かした」。地元の大学教授ユスダル・ザカリアさん（４６）は電話口で話した。市街地では、高台へ逃げる車やバイクの衝突事故が未明まで続いたという。

Many Indonesians had probably dropped their guard when thinking about another Big One striking. They no doubt thought they could rest easy since a disastrous temblor had hit in December.

It turned out that the next Big One struck before the bodies of the tsunami victims were all recovered.

Residents of the stricken areas must be overcome by a sense of powerlessness.

In areas where Muslims outnumber Christians, the coming days will see an increasing number of funeral processions for new ``martyrs.''

　あれほどの大地震の後だから、もう心配はない。そう楽観していた人が少なくなかったはずだ。津波による遺体の回収もまだ終わっていなかった。被災地の人々はいま、無力感に沈んでいることだろう。キリスト教徒もいるが、イスラム教徒の多い地域では、新たな「殉難者」たちを送る葬礼が本格化していく。

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 30(IHT/Asahi: March 31,2005)

Tange set himself huge task in difficult times

　僕は英辞郎を使って英語を読みまくり、インターネットラジオのNHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースで時事英語を聞きまくってます。（＾＾；
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

Tange set himself huge task in difficult times

03/25/2005

Foro Romano in central Rome is a cluster of ruins dating back to the old Republic. The nearby City Hall is said to have been built over the Tabularium, the ancient hall of records.

2005年03月24日（木曜日）付
【天声人語】

　ローマの中心部にあるフォロロマーノには、古代ローマの都市遺跡が立ち並んでいる。そばのローマ市の庁舎も、古代のタブラリウム（記録保管所）の上に築かれていると聞いた。

When the current Tokyo metropolitan government buildings were going up, I mentioned to the head of Rome's municipal museum department that the Tokyo government was abandoning its 30-year-old buildings for new premises that would cost more than 100 billion yen.

He remarked, ``It is fun, and a good thing too, to be able to fix and maintain a building built by your grandfather and his grandfather.''

Japan, however, has a tradition of constantly replacing old buildings. In fact, the new Tokyo metropolitan government headquarters came to symbolize that attitude.

　東京の都庁舎が建て替えられる頃、ローマ市の美術館局長に「東京では、築３０年ほどの庁舎を捨て、千数百億円かけて新庁舎を建てるところです」と話したことがある。答えはこうだった。「おじいさんや、そのまたおじいさんがつくったものに手をかけて暮らすのは、楽しく、よいことです」。建物がどんどん新しいものに変わる日本を、都庁舎は象徴していた。

Kenzo Tange, who designed both the old and new Tokyo government buildings, died Tuesday. In ``Tange Kenzo'' published by Shinkenchiku-sha, author Terunobu Fujimori, also an architect, described the architect as ``someone who gave form to the Showa Era (1926-1989).'' Indeed, Tange's works symbolized particular times in post-World War II Japan.

　新旧の都庁を設計した丹下健三さんが亡くなった。『丹下健三』（新建築社）を著した藤森照信さんが「昭和という時代に形を与えた人」と述べていたが、戦後の、その時々の日本を象徴する作品を残した。

Fujimori once asked him: ``You have studied the works of many architects of all periods around the world. Who do you think is the greatest?'' Tange answered, ``Le Corbusier (Charles-Edouard Jeanneret-Gris) and Michelangelo.''

　藤森さんが、丹下さんに尋ねた。「世界の古今の建築家の仕事をたくさん見てこられて、誰が一番と思われますか」。「……ル・コルビュジエとミケランジェロですね」

Tange was a high school student under the old school system in Hiroshima when he came across the work of Le Corbusier, acclaimed as one of the fathers of modern architecture, featured in a magazine in a library. The architect left such a tremendous impact on the young Tange that he decided to go into the profession himself.

He later recalled in ``Ippon-no Enpitsu-kara'' (From one pencil), published by Nihon Keizai Shimbun, ``I was completely taken by his style that was devoid of any decorative element but decidedly beautiful in a severe way.''

　近代建築の祖の一人とされるコルビュジエには、旧制広島高校時代に図書館の雑誌で出会う。衝撃を受け、建築家を志した。「装飾的なものを一切取り払いながらも、凛（りん）とした美しさを持つその設計に、私はすっかりほれ込んでしまった」（『一本の鉛筆から』日本経済新聞社）。

Perhaps Tange always sought that kind of beauty even when designing massive contemporary structures. And perhaps he understood better than anyone what a tremendously difficult quest that was in our times.

　現代の巨大建築であっても、必ずどこかに凛とした美しさを込めようとしていたのだろうか。この時代に、それを求め続けることの途方もない難しさを、誰よりも味わっていたのかもしれない。

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 24(IHT/Asahi: March 25,2005)

Glass houses no match for surprise temblors

　僕は英辞郎を使って英語を読みまくり、インターネットラジオのNHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースで時事英語を聞きまくってます。（＾＾；
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

Glass houses no match for surprise temblors

03/22/2005

Sunday's earthquake in northern Kyushu provided another reminder that natural disaster can strike any part of Japan at any time.

According to experts, the epicenter of the quake was in the Sea of Genkai. The area had shown little seismic activity until now.

2005年03月21日（月曜日）付
【天声人語】

　やはりこの国では、大地震はどこででも起こると考えていた方がいい。昨日の九州北部を中心とする大きな地震で、改めてその思いを強くした。震源の玄界灘では、これまでは地震活動が弱かったという。

Novelist Kazuo Dan (1912-1976) spent his final years on Nokonoshima island in the Sea of Genkai. Atop a hill on this island stands a monument inscribed with his last haiku:

Howling winter winds that sound like a whistle/ Continues on many nights/ I wish to see flowers.

The neighboring island of Shikanoshima is famous for the discovery there of an ancient golden seal, a national treasure, that was believed to have been given by a Han emperor to a noble clan in Japan.

　玄界灘を望む能古島では、作家・檀一雄が晩年を過ごした。高台には、絶筆の句〈モガリ笛　いく夜もがらせ　花ニ逢はん〉を刻んだ碑があるという。隣の志賀島からは、国宝の「漢委奴国王」の金印が出土している。

These islands feed my fancy for ancient history and the sea. Television footage of the disaster showed horrendous images of homes that were destroyed. Close to the epicenter, the jolt must have been severe. I hope relief aid will arrive quickly.

　こうした古代や海のロマンに彩られた島々の中で、昨日は、何軒もの家が倒壊したすさまじい被害が映し出された島もあった。震源に近く揺れが大きかったのだろう。救援を集中させたい。

Sunday's temblor was the first since the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 10 years ago to directly hit a major city with a population of more than 1 million. Although the city of Fukuoka was spared catastrophe, the damage underscored the fragility of any contemporary metropolis. The windows of many high-rise buildings shattered, showering sidewalks below with broken glass.

Falling shards can easily kill and maim. The big cities that are sprouting up today all boast new buildings that look as if all their walls are made of glass. Together with more conventional buildings, I urge the authorities to thoroughly check them again for earthquake safety.

　今回の地震は、阪神大震災以来１０年ぶりに百万都市を直撃した。福岡では、記録的な大惨事にこそ至らなかったようだが、現代都市の弱さを見せつけられた。窓ガラスの多くが割れた高層ビルがあった。落ちるガラスは凶器となって地上の人々を襲う。近年、大都市には全面がガラス張りのような新しいビルが増えている。在来型のビルともども、揺れに対する備えを再点検してほしい。

The Central Disaster Prevention Council of the Cabinet Office released estimates last month that a major earthquake hitting Tokyo directly would kill 13,000 people and force 7 million people to evacuate their homes. The worst-case scenario puts total economic losses at 112 trillion yen, which far surpasses the national budget.

　「死者１万３千人。避難者７００万人」。先月、首都直下地震について、政府・中央防災会議が被害想定をまとめた。最悪の場合には、経済損失は国家予算をはるかに超える１１２兆円にもなるという。

Naturally, disaster relief must take priority. But I sincerely hope steps will be taken to analyze weaknesses that became evident Sunday in current countermeasures so as to enhance their effectiveness.

We must bear in mind that an earthquake will strike irrespective of whether we are prepared or we happen to live in areas that have never experienced one before.

　まずは被災地の復旧が第一だが、今回あらわになった弱点を精査し、全国で対策を進めたい。地震は、忘れていても忘れていなくても、そして、前例があってもなくても襲ってくるのだから。

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 21(IHT/Asahi: March 22,2005)

Stamp out piracy in the Malacca Strait

　天声人語を英和対訳させて読んでいます。テキストをエディタに貼り付けて、英辞郎のポップアップ訳を利用すると楽です。

　大量に英語を読むとヒアリングも向上します。NHKのラジオジャパン英語ニュースをインターネットラジオで好きな時に聞いています。
参考「こんな感じで英辞郎を使ってます」

Stamp out piracy in the Malacca Strait

03/17/2005

The second-century astronomer, mathematician and geographer Ptolemy theorized that Earth was the fixed center of the universe. The Egyptian port city of Alexandria served as the backdrop for his observations.

The scholar left behind what is known as the ``World Map of Ptolemy.'' But whether he actually drew it remains a mystery.

On the map, the Malay Peninsula, a land far away to the East, is denoted as Chryse (meaning golden peninsula), according to a Chuko paperback on legends of Zipangu, or Japan.

2005年03月16日（水曜日）付
■《天声人語》

　天動説で知られるプトレマイオスは、２世紀にエジプトのアレクサンドリアで活躍した。地理学者でもあり、本人の作かどうかは不明だが、「プトレマイオスの世界図」が残されている。そこでは、はるか東方のマレー半島はクリューセー（黄金半島）と記されている（『ジパング伝説』中公新書）。

The tugboat Idaten, with a crew headed by two Japanese nationals, was boarded by armed pirates Monday in the Strait of Malacca that runs parallel to the Malay Peninsula.

The shallow and narrow strait has a long history of piracy.

But the quake-induced tsunami last December dramatically changed the picture, apparently inducing pirates to lie low. Does Monday's attack on the Idaten (which translates as swift runner) signal that pirates are back in business?

　マレー半島に沿うマラッカ海峡で、日本人などが乗るタグボート「韋駄天（いだてん）」が海賊に襲われた。浅くて狭い海峡は、以前から海賊の被害が多発している。暮れの大地震と大津波の後は、なりを潜めていたというが、犯行を再開したのだろうか。

In the town of Malacca facing the strait, there is a knoll where the body of Saint Francis Xavier, a Spanish Jesuit famous for his missionary work in 16th-century Japan, is said to have been temporarily laid to rest.

One can get a good idea of how the town and the strait once looked to someone gazing down from this knoll by reading ``Kikyo'' (Homecoming), a novel written by Jiro Osaragi just after World War II.

　海峡に面した町・マラッカの丘には、日本で布教したフランシスコ・ザビエルの遺骸（いがい）が、一時安置されていたという。大佛次郎は、この丘からの町と海峡の眺めを、終戦直後に「帰郷」で書いた。

In the guise of a narrative on the history of Malacca by a resident Japanese painter, Osaragi says in the book: ``In the beginning, there was an indigenous dynasty. Then, the Portuguese arrived and attacked the town. They built a castle. Next came the Dutch who put the town under occupation. Later, the British put the modifying touches to the work of their predecessors. The British were succeeded by none other than the Japanese. ... I wonder what country will take over this mole-like tiny land hereafter.''

　日本人の画家に、土地の歴史を語らせ　ている。「王朝があって、そこへポルトガル人が攻め込んで来て城を作ったのを、和蘭陀（オランダ）人が来て占領し、その後で英国が手を入れたんですね。それから今度は、日本人が来て……この後は、また、どこの国が来るんでしょうかね。黒子（ほくろ）のように小さい土地だけれど」

Because of its strategic importance, the Strait of Malacca, which forms a boundary between Indonesia and neighboring Malaysia and Singapore, was the junction of routes of aggression by the major powers.

The scramble for control of the strait is long past, but piracy is still rife there-just as in the old days.

The task of finding ways to assure the safety of the strait requires a hands-on approach. This is something that Southeast Asia as a whole should embark upon, just like it did in the aftermath of the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster.

　インドネシアとマレーシア・シンガポールを隔てるこの海の要衝は、列強の侵略が交錯する場だった。その奪い合いも終わって久しいのに、昔ながらに海賊が横行している。津波の対策と同様に、東南アジア全体の目と手で、安全の道を探ってはどうか。

The time has long gone when the seas around the Golden Peninsula should be regarded as ``golden waters'' for pirates.

　「黄金半島」の周りを、海賊たちの「黄金の海」にしておく時代ではないだろう。

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 16(IHT/Asahi: March 17,2005)