05m 00s

"Consumer Prices Rise 3.6% in October, the Biggest Gain in 40 Years"

Learn Japanese from the News

Broadcast on December 19, 2022 Available until December 18, 2023

Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News." In this program we learn Japanese and more about Japan from news stories presented in simple Japanese. Today's headline is "Consumer Prices Rise 3.6% in October, the Biggest Gain in 40 Years," which was published on NEWS WEB EASY's website on November 21, 2022. Keywords include「物価(ぶっか)bukka」"consumer prices" and「電気代(でんきだい)denki-dai」"electric bill."

photo

[Transcript]

"Consumer Prices Rise 3.6% in October, the Biggest Gain in 40 Years"


 
Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."
 
Join us as we learn Japanese and about the country through Japanese news stories. Today's headline is…
 

 
10月(がつ)の物価(ぶっか)が3.6%上(あ)がる 40年前(ねんまえ)と同(おな)じぐらい上(あ)がる
"Consumer Prices Rise 3.6% in October, the Biggest Gain in 40 Years"
 
This news story was published on NEWS WEB EASY's website on November 21st.
Now, let's go over some vocab words that will help us understand what's going on.
 
物価(ぶっか)
consumer prices
 
電気代(でんきだい)
electric bill
 
Let's keep these words in mind as we listen.
 
「総務省(そうむしょう)は毎月(まいつき)、家庭(かてい)が買(か)う物(もの)や利用(りよう)するサービスの値段(ねだん)を調(しら)べて、物価(ぶっか)がどのぐらい変(か)わったか発表(はっぴょう)しています。10月(がつ)の物価(ぶっか)は、1年前(ねんまえ)と比(くら)べて3.6%高(たか)くなりました。物価(ぶっか)が前(まえ)に3.6%上(あ)がったのは、40年(ねん)8か月前(げつまえ)の1982年(ねん)2月(がつ)でした。
物価(ぶっか)が上(あ)がった大(おお)きな原因(げんいん)は、多(おお)くの食料品(しょくりょうひん)の値段(ねだん)が上(あ)がったことです。食料品(しょくりょうひん)は、原料(げんりょう)が高(たか)くなったり、円(えん)が安(やす)くなったりして、1年前(ねんまえ)より5.9%高(たか)くなりました。ほかには、電気代(でんきだい)が20.9%、ガス代(だい)が20%、携帯電話(けいたいでんわ)が16.5%、エアコンが13.3%上(あ)がりました。」
 
According to the internal affairs ministry, the consumer price index for October rose 3.6% from a year ago. A weaker yen and high material costs have pushed up inflation to a 40-year high.
 

 
Now we'll break down a few sentences from the story that contain helpful expressions and keywords.
 
Let's start with the following sentence.
 
物価(ぶっか)が前(まえ)に3.6%上(あ)がったのは、40年(ねん)8か月前(げつまえ)の1982年(ねん)2月(がつ)でした。
 
The last time consumer prices rose 3.6 percent was in February 1982, 40 years and 8 months ago.
 
The phrase 物価(ぶっか)が上(あ)がった, means "consumer prices have risen." When prices go down we say 物価(ぶっか)が下(さ)がった.
In this context 上(あ)がる means "go up," or we can also say 高(たか)くなる, which means "become more expensive." 下(さ)がる means "go down," but we also say 安(やす)くなる— "become cheaper."
 
The word 前(まえ)has a number of meanings. In today's story 前(まえ)refers to an earlier point in time. So 40年前(ねんまえ)means "40 years earlier than the present time."
 
Let's say you run into someone you've previously met. To jog their memory you might say 3年前(ねんまえ)に会(あ)いました "We met three years ago." If you don't remember exactly when you met, you can say 前(まえ)に会(あ)ったことがあります or "We've met before."
 
OK, let's move on to our next sentence.
 
ほかには、電気代(でんきだい)が20.9%、ガス代(だい)が20%、携帯電話(けいたいでんわ)が16.5%、エアコンが13.3%上(あ)がりました。
 
In addition, electric bills rose 20.9 percent, gas bills rose 20 percent, cellphone bills rose 16.5 percent, and air conditioner bills rose 13.3 percent.
 
代(だい)is short for 代金(だいきん), which means "charge" or "price," and refers to the amount of money you have to pay for both goods and services.
 
OK, that's all for today.
 
In Japan's case, the price of daily necessities is rising faster than wage increases. Let's hope the government can provide incentives for businesses to increase wages.
 
Tune in next time for more!
 

Program Outline