(こうれいしゃ)

elderly person

(うんてんめんきょ)

driver's license

(かえす)

to return (something); to give back

(うごき)

movement; trend

(にほん)

Japan

(じぶん)

oneself

(ひろがる)

to spread

(としをとる)

to grow old; to age

(め)

eye

(からだ)

body

(はんのう)

reaction; response

(おそい)

late / slow

(じこ)

accident; incident

(おこす)

To cause; to bring about

(きけん)

danger; risk

(たかい)

expensive; high

(めんきょ)

license

(ひと)

person / people

(ばす)

bus

(でんしゃ)

electric train

(りょうきん)

fee, charge

(やすい)

cheap / inexpensive

(さーびす)

service

(かいもの)

shopping

(びょういん)

hospital

(いく)

to go

(べんり)

convenient

(くるま)

car

(せいかつ)

daily life; livelihood

(ふべん)

inconvenient

(ちいき)

region; area

(おおい)

many

(とくに)

especially / particularly

(いなか)

countryside; rural area

(かず)

number, count

(すくない)

few, scarce

(そのため)

therefore; for that reason

(うんてん)

operation, driving

(やめる)

to stop; to quit

(くに)

country; the government

(まち)

town

(あたらしい)

new

(こうつう)

traffic, transportation

(ほうほう)

method; way

(かんがえる)

to think; to consider

is doing, has been doing (ongoing state/action)

Expresses a continuing action or resulting state. Formed with て-form + いる. Can describe an action in progress or a state resulting from a past change.

when / whenever (conditional)

The dictionary form of a verb plus と expresses that one thing regularly or naturally follows another. Here, when the robot comes, the customers watch happily.

to become (い-adjective)

Expresses a change of state for い-adjectives. Drop the final い and add くなる. Indicates something has changed or will change to a new state.

in order to, for the purpose of

Expresses purpose when preceded by a verb dictionary form, or reason when preceded by a noun/な-adjective + な/の. Here it expresses purpose: to protect people from bears.

to become

Expresses a change of state; Kawai became the new commissioner of the Sports Agency.

when ~

Indicates the time or situation when something happens. Used here for the time of making laws or acquiring a residence status.

because (reason)

States a reason at the end of a sentence. Here it explains why the discount service exists — because it is convenient.

if ~ not / must ~

Negative conditional implying necessity or negative outcome.

potential / can (ru-verb)

The potential form expresses ability or possibility. Here, used in the negative, it describes elderly people who cannot quit driving.

高齢者が運転免許を返す動き

The movement of elderly people giving up their driver's licenses

日本では、高齢者が運転免許を自分から返す動きが広がっています。

In Japan, the movement of elderly people voluntarily giving up their driver's licenses is spreading.

年を取ると、目や体の反応が遅くなり、事故を起こす危険が高くなるためです。

This is because, as people get older, their eyes and bodies react more slowly, and the risk of causing an accident increases.

免許を返した人には、バスや電車の料金が安くなるサービスがあります。

There are services that make bus and train fares cheaper for people who have given up their licenses.

買い物や病院に行くときに便利だからです。

This is because it is convenient when going shopping or to the hospital.

しかし、車がないと生活が不便になる地域も多くあります。

However, there are also many areas where life becomes inconvenient without a car.

特に田舎では、電車やバスの数が少ないです。

Especially in the countryside, there are few trains and buses.

そのため、運転をやめられない高齢者もいます。

For that reason, there are also elderly people who cannot stop driving.

国や町は、新しい交通の方法を考えています。

The national and local governments are thinking about new ways of transportation.