Business: English Skills
ビジネスチャンスを活かす英語力UPのために
９月のB項を担当します、萩原です。今回はワクチンパスポートに関する記事を取り上げ、重要な文法事項を確認したいと思います。
Japan will start accepting applications for so-called vaccine passports from July 26 for people who have been fully inoculated against COVID-19 to travel internationally, the top government spokesman said Monday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters that some municipalities may be able to issue such certificates on the day of the application.
People should file applications in the municipalities where they were registered as a resident at the time they got their shots, Kato said, adding that the certificates will be issued free of charge.
The Foreign Ministry’s website will feature a list of countries and regions that will ease quarantine measures for those with a vaccine passport, Kato said.
The remarks came after Kato revealed the start date for applications during a television program on Sunday.
The government will also consider whether to use such certificates for domestic economic activities in response to a request to do so made by business circles, Kato said on Sunday’s NHK program.
But “we should never allow people to be discriminated against or forced unfairly according to whether they have been vaccinated or not,” he said during the TV program.
The vaccination certificates will be official records issued by municipalities showing a person has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with information such as name, passport number and date of vaccination also included.
Kato said last month the certificates will be issued by the end of July, initially in paper form. A digital format will be considered later.
The country’s largest business lobby, the Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren, has proposed using the certificates for raising event attendance caps and for restaurant discounts in Japan.
The European Union and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are also introducing vaccination certificates for international travelers from their member states.
Japan is looking to have its vaccination passports accepted by over 10 nations, including Italy, France and Greece, according to government sources. It hopes the countries will exempt holders from quarantine requirements or reduce quarantine periods.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s government is stepping up its vaccination rollout, which has been slow compared with other countries. The program began in February with health care workers and expanded to those aged 65 or older from April. Inoculations for people under 65 have recently started in some municipalities and by companies for their employees.
But a recent supply shortfall is forcing some municipalities to restrict accepting reservations while new applications by companies have been suspended.
Suga has said he aims to finish inoculating all eligible people in Japan who wish to receive shots by November.
（出典 Japan to begin accepting requests for ‘vaccine passports’ from July 26 – The Japan Times – July 12, 2021）
【単語】Vocabulary
Inoculate【動詞】接種する、植え付ける（inoculate 人 against/for … …の予防接種をする）
Municipality【名詞】地方自治体
Attendance caps【名詞】収容制限人数
Exempt【動詞】免除する（～from）
Rollout【名詞】水平展開
Shortfall【名詞】不足
【表現】Expressions
- Start to~とStart doingのニュアンスの違いについて
“Japan will start accepting applications for so-called vaccine passports from July 26….” 日本は７月26日からいわゆるワクチンパスポートの申請の受付を始める。動詞startは後ろにto不定詞と動名詞の両方を続けることができますね。場面ごとにどちらを使用するべきなのか迷ってしまうこともあるでしょう。基本的な動詞ですので、この機会にニュアンスの違いをおさらいしたいと思います。
・to不定詞の場合→行為の開始を表すが、その行為が継続するとは限らない
例文）I started to go to the gym. 私はジムに通い始めた。
・動名詞の場合→ある程度継続する行為を表す
例文）We started living in Shizuoka 3 years ago. 私たちは３年前に静岡に住み始めた。
動詞startの他にも、to不定詞と動名詞によって意味が異なる動詞も存在します。一緒に確認しましょう。
・stop to do ～するために止まる ⇔ stop doing ～するのをやめる
・forget to do ～しなければいけないことを忘れる ⇔ forget doing (習慣として)～していたことを忘れる
・remember to do ～しなければいけないことを覚えている ⇔ remember doing (習慣として)～していたことを覚えている
・try to do (頑張って/努力して)～する ⇔ try doing (経験として)～する
前者は「I tried to wake up at 6 am, but I couldn’t」のように、できなかった事を表す際によく使われます。
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