to whisper; to murmur; to rumor; to rumour
influence; clout; leverage
ordinary people; general public; public at large
reserves (esp. troops); reserve army; potential members of some group (e.g. the elderly); people at risk (e.g. of a medical condition); wannabees
underground organization; underground organisation
commissioning; entrusting (with); request; appointment (to a position)
to decorate gaudily; to overdecorate; to deck out; to embellish
dark side (of nature, town, etc.)
rationalization; justification
significant; useful; meaningful; worthwhile; valuable; of interest
secret accounts; unauthorized accounting; under-the-counter accounting
beginning and end; from beginning to end; result; outcome; dealing with something successfully
as likely as not; 50-50; even match; tie
to be lacking a trump card; to be lacking conclusive evidence
to cut down; to slay; to truncate; to round down; to omit; to discard
National Diet; legislative assembly of Japan (1947-); Imperial Diet; legislative assembly of Japan (1889-1947); legislative assembly; parliament
consultation; question; enquiry; inquiry
election campaign; political campaign; campaigning; electioneering; canvassing
donation; contribution; offering
grazing; skimming; almost touching; barely; just; narrowly
perfect; complete; flawless
former years; formerly; a few years ago
to be betrayed; to be brought to grief (by an enemy); to be given a hard time
prospects of victory; chances of success
defense; defence; protection
prosecutor general; attorney general
probability; likelihood; chances
evading blame for a transgression by pinning it on a subordinate and abandoning them; (lit.) a skink lizard's shedding of its tail
exposing; unmasking; laying bare
to escape; to make one's getaway; to manage to get away
hanger-on; follower; flunky; purse strapped round one's waist