particularly; only; in the case of
soon; shortly; before long; nearly; almost
House of Representatives election; lower house election
judgment; judgement; divination; judgement
to delay; to put off; to procrastinate
opening (a new store, golf course, runway, etc.); open; frank; open (car, collar, tournament, etc.)
opposition party; political opposition; opposition
to insert; to include; to incorporate; to cut in (printing)
initiative taken by bureaucrats in the drafting of government policies and bills (rather than by politicians)
banter; raillery; ridicule; teasing; making fun of
as a matter of fact; to tell the truth
Nagata-chō (Japan's political center; equiv. of Downing Street)
influence; clout; leverage
(not) ever; (not) by any means; (not) in the least; (not) in any way; (not) at all
small; little; slight; below average (in degree, amount, etc.); low (e.g. sound); soft (e.g. voice)
bureau director; office chief
personnel affairs; human affairs; human resources; HR
top brass; upper echelon; higher-ups; top management; upper reaches; top of the pile
kind; courteous; intimate; (arch.) becoming intimate; (arch.) having an intimate relationship (sometimes esp. a homosexual relationship)
Japanese citizen; Japanese citizens
(those) who are; (that) which is; in the capacity of
boy; juvenile; young boy; youth; lad
belonging; ascription; attribution; reversion; return; restoration
our country; our land; one's own country
using as an intermediary; through
effective control (over territory); working control
nationality; citizenship; nationality (ship, airplane, etc.); registration; flag
for the time being; for the present; immediate; present; for some time (after); current account
while; even though; despite
external; foreign (e.g. relations); public (e.g. image)
territorial right; dominion
claim; insistence; assertion; advocacy; emphasis; contention
thinking; thought; idea; notion; intention; plan
may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
people (of a country); nation; citizen; national
announcement; publication; presenting; statement; communique; making known
official announcement; proclamation
to delay; to postpone; to put off; to slow down; to hold up; to retard