from today's Nikkei

社会保障費伸び　「２２００億円抑制」実質見直し　来年度予算政府検討　１０００億円ねん出　一本３円　たばこ増税財源

The government decided to curb the fiscal 2009 social security spending increase by 220 billion yen and has been deliberating on how to do it. On Friday, on this issue, the government decided to get the source worth about 100 bilion yen by increaseing the tax for the tobacco.Specifically they intend to increase 3 yen per a cigarette.The remaining 120 billion yen woule be covered by reducing the government's burden for the employment insurance scheme.

in the early Meiji Period

①in the early Meiji Period と②early in the Meiji Periodはよく似ていますが、明治時代の初期の頃にといいたいときは、①を使うことになるでしょう。②はそれに似ているが、「早い時期に、明治の時代に」ということになるのでしょう。それは大正時代ではなくて明治のことだといいたいようなとき。実際はどちらを使っても同じような意味として伝わる場合が多いのも事実でしょうが、言葉的には差異がありますね。時期の説明は簡単そうで意外とマスターしにくいものです。少なくとも私の場合はそうです。しかし、「・・・・の初期」「.・・・・の中期」「・・・・後期」という表現は非常に便利である。というのは、その表現で済ますことができれば、詳細な数字の陳述を避けることが出来るからです。

要するに大雑把に表現で済ませるのであれば、それがいいのだと思います。聞かされるほうだって大雑把なほうが理解しやすいでしょう。

１９世紀半ば：in the mid-19th century, in the middle of the 19th century
19世紀のはじめ：in the biginning of the 19th century, around the biginning of the 19th century,in the early 19th century
１９世紀の後半：in the late 19th century
607年：around the year 600,around 600

from today's Nikkei

農地借用を原則自由化　農水省の改革概要　有効利用後押し　諮問会議　成長戦略の柱に

The Ministry of Agriculture,Forest and Fisheries has been deliberating on the revision of the farmland system. Concerning the issue,recently the outline of the draft revision has come to be open.According to it,renting the farmland comes to be allowed for any individual or any organization in principle. This is aimed at efficient utilization of the farmland in the coutry.This idea is also emphasized as one of the pillars in the country's growth startegy formulated by the government's council meeting for economic and fiscal policy.

around the world news

For strengthening your ability of organizing information in a proper way in English,it I think it would be a good way to make your own "around the world news","around the country news" or somethinh like that based on the information which you have already known. The lenght of the news doesn't have to be long. Even if it's short,it's all right.

Based on such thinking, I will do it today like the following.

Today's most shocking news is a terrorist attack in Munbai in India. I first heard the nerws in CNN news in the morning and was very shocked. The details is not clear but about 90 people were killed in gunmen's attack. The hostages are being held in some hotels.

With regard to the economy,China's central bank announced its biggest interest rate cut in 11 years yestarday.

Today I picked up two topics. In my opinion, two or three topics would be good enough although there is no theory but my intuition.

from today's Nikkei

太陽電池　シャープ欧州で生産　海外初　伊電力首位と合弁　総投資額１５００億円　世界首位狙う

Sharp Corporation likely will start the local production of the solar battery in Italy by setting up a joint venture with the largest electric power company in Italy named "Enel," which is also ranked the second largest power company in the whole Europe.This the first case that a Japanese company does the production of the solar battery overseas. The total amount of investment is expected to be about 150 billion yen.The plant which is made in Italy will be the world's largest level and is expected to begin its operation in 2010.

The solar battery's demand has been expanding despite the worldwide economic recession because it does not emit carbon dioxide (co2) when generating electricity.Under these circumstances, Sharp,which is now the second largest solar battery maker in the world, aims to be the world's top runner with this positive investment.