VOA慢速英语2015 日本首相开始访问美国

AS IT IS 2015-04-28 Japanese Prime Minister Begins US Visit 日本首相开始访问美国

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in the United States. He plans to visit four U.S. cities and meet with President Barack Obama at the White House. On Wednesday, he will speak to a joint¹ meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Mr. Abe’s visit comes as the security and economic relationship between the two countries is changing. U.S. and Japanese officials recently amended² defense³ guidelines to give Japan more responsibility for its own defense. This is the first time those rules have been changed since 1997.

Evan Madeiros is Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council. He says the new defense guidelines will expand Japan’s position in the alliance. He says they also will create a way for Japan to provide additional support to the U.S. armed forces.

Kenichiro Sasae is the Japanese ambassador to the United States. He spoke⁴ recently at the Centers for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. He said the new guidelines will be followed by security legislation. Last year, Mr. Abe and his cabinet changed the official interpretation⁵, or understanding, of Japan’s constitution. The Cabinet agreed that Japan can defend itself militarily.

“For Japan, this change in our thinking on collective defense is a sea-change. It is coming after 70 years of trust, and the legislation will establish a framework for Japan to further collaborate⁶ with the United States.”

Jeffrey Kingston is a professor of Asian studies at Temple University. He works at the university’s campus in Tokyo. He says the changes in Japan’s security policy are a result of China’s growing military strength.

“Back in 1997, China’s defense budget was $10 billion. Last year, it was $144 billion and there’s been a lot of saber-rattling over disputed territories between the two countries. So, the rising China narrative⁷ and concerns about its hegemonic ambitions in Asia are pushing the United States and Japan closer. And Abe is keen to secure a U.S. commitment to back it in the event of some contingency⁸ over the disputed islands in the East China Sea.”

Professor Kingston says few Japanese agree with the decision to change Japan’s security policy. He says only 23 percent of the public supports a change, while 68 percent oppose it.

Protests by Korean-Americans are expected during Mr. Abe’s visit to the United States. They are angry that Japanese troops forced Korean women to become sexual slaves during World War II.

Words in This Story

sea change – n. a big and sudden change

framework – n. the basic structure of something

collaborate – v. to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do something

saber-rattling – n. actions and statements that are meant to frighten or threaten an enemy by suggesting the possible use of force

hegemonic – adj. ruling or dominant⁹ in a political or social context

keen – adj. feeling a strong and impatient desire to do something

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 interpretation   

n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理

参考例句：

• His statement admits of one interpretation only.他的话只有一种解释。
• Analysis and interpretation is a very personal thing.分析与说明是个很主观的事情。

6 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

7 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

8 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。

9 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。