Red Panda at Sapporo Zoo

Cute red panda Koko steals the show at Sapporo zoo

A red panda is stealing the show at Sapporo Maruyama Zoo, standing on two legs in a fashion similar to Futa, another popular red panda in Chiba Prefecture.

The 1 1/2-year-old red panda, named Koko, was brought to the zoo in Sapporo in October. Previously, she had lived with her family at Saitama Children's Zoo in Higashimatsuyama, but was moved to Sapporo to find a mate.

"She's walking around full of curiosity," a 34-year-old keeper at the zoo said, explaining that the red panda was spending time checking out her new environment.

Another red panda, or lesser panda, that achieved huge popularity in Japan is Futa, who is being kept at Chiba Zoological Park. While Koko may not have the same nationwide popularity as Futa, for the time being she looks set to be Sapporo's favorite.



---Vocabulary---
steal the show : 話題をさらう
in a fashion : 一応は、曲りなりに
similar to : -と似ている
1/2 : one-half
bring : つれてくる
mate : 仲間
walk around : 歩き回る、散歩する
full of curiosity : 好奇心が強い
keeper : 持ち主、万人、飼育係
environment : 環境、生活環境
achieve popularity : 評判になる
achieve : 獲得する
popularity : 人気、評判
huge : 巨大な
zoological : 動物に関する
nationwide : 全国的な
for the time being : 当分の間
look : 思われる
set to be : -にすることが決まっている
favorite : お気に入りの

Getting Acquainted (P1-2)

1. What is your name?
---ans---
My name is Masato.
Please call me Masy.

2. What does your name mean ?
---ans---
Masato is "Tadashii" and "Hito".
Tadashii often means correct or fair, and Hito often means man.
So my name often means correct man.
But I think I was not correct.

3. Do you have a nick name ?
---ans---
Yes, I have.
My nickname is "Masy".

4. Where were you born ?
---ans---
I was born in Kanagawa.
And now I still live in Kanagawa.


5. Did you grow up there ?
---ans---
Yes I did.
Till I married, I have lived and grew up in there.

6. Where do you live now ?
---ans---
No, I don't.
Now I live in Kanagawa but there is not family home but our new house.
That is isolated house.

7. Do you have any pets ?
---ans---
Yes, I have.
I have two cats named Tama and Chibi who were picked up at wayside.

8. Do you have a parttime job ?
---ans---
No, I don't.
I am company employee.

9. Do you belong to any clubs ?
---ans---
No, I don't.
In order to raise my son, I quitted football club.

10. What do you like to do on the weekend ?
---ans---
I like to play with my son.
And if I have much time, I want to Learn foreign language.

12. Do you like roller coaster ?
---ans---
Yes I do.
Because that is exciteing for me.

13. Do you like rap music ?
---ans---
No, I don't.
If anything, I like pop or classic music.
Especially I like foreign woman vocalists.

14. Do you like natto ?
---ans---
Yes, I love that.
I can not believe who can't eat that.
Who live in Osaka was quated that they hate natto.

15. Do you like English ?
---ans---
Yes, I do.
If possible, I lived out of japan.

16. I was wondering about your name.
---translation---
私はあなたの名前を不思議に思います。

17. I am curious about your name.
---tranalation---
私はあなたの名前に興味があります。



---Vocabulary---
get acquainted : 知り合いになる
isolated home : 一軒家
pick up : 拾う
walkside : 道端
company employee : 会社員
in order to : -するために
raise my son : 息子を育てる
if anything : どちらかといえば

Ex-NOVA boss questioned for breaking LSL

Ex-NOVA boss questioned for breaking Labor Standards Law

Nozomu Sahashi, the founder of the failed NOVA Corp., has been questioned for breaking the Labor Standards Law by failing to pay his employees, government sources said.

Officials of the Osaka Labor Bureau of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry questioned Sahashi, 56, last Monday. They are considering whether to file a criminal complaint with law enforcers, accusing him of violating the Labor Standards Law.

During questioning, Sahashi admitted that the company failed to pay wages to employees. "We tried to raise the money to pay wages by all means, but we couldn't," he was quoted as telling bureau officials.

NOVA's financial situation took a dive after the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry imposed a six-month ban from making long-term contracts with students in June for its unfair business practices.

It has not paid salaries for September and October to Japanese employees and wages for October to instructors. The unpaid wages amount to about 4 billion yen.



---Vocabulary---
Labor Standards Law : 労働基準法
founder : 設立者
failed : 経営の破綻した
break : 違反する
fail to : しない、できない
employees : 従業員
welfare : 幸福、福祉、福利厚生
consider : 熟考する
file : 申請する
criminal complaint : 刑事告発
law enforcer : 法執行機関
enforcer : 執行者
accuse : 責任を問う、責める、訴える
admit : 認める
raise : 調達する
by all means : なんとしてでも
quote : 引用する
bureau : 事務局、局
official : 役人
quoted at telling : -に述べたと伝えられる
financial situation : 財務状況
take a dive : 急落する
ministry : 省庁、大臣、内閣
impose : 課す、負わす
unfair : 不正な
business practice : 商行為、ビジネス手法
instructor : 指導者、講師
amount : 合計-に達する（to）
billion : 10億