(にほん)

Japan

(き)

tree / wood

(つかう)

to use

(たかい)

expensive; high

(たてもの)

building

(ふえる)

to increase; to grow

(いままで)

until now / so far

(おおきな)

big (attrib.)

(びる)

building

(こんくりーと)

concrete

(てつ)

iron

(しかし)

however, but

(あたらしい)

new

(ぎじゅつ)

skill, technology

(じょうぶ)

sturdy; strong; durable

(つくる)

to make

(いい)

good

(てん)

point, score

(そだつ)

to grow up / to be raised

(にさんかたんそ)

carbon dioxide

(とりいれる)

to take in; to absorb

(だから)

so, therefore

(かんきょう)

environment

(やさしい)

kind, gentle

(いう)

to say

(こうじ)

construction work

(おと)

sound

(ちいさい)

small

(きかん)

period, term

(みじかい)

short

(しんぱい)

worry / concern

(かじ)

fire (accident)

(よわい)

Weak

(ひと)

person / people

(おおい)

many

(かいしゃ)

company

(とくべつ)

Special; particular

(かんたん)

simple / easy

(もえる)

to burn / to catch fire

(せつめい)

explanation

(くに)

country; the government

(ふやす)

to increase (something)

(けいかく)

plan

(すすめる)

to advance; to move forward

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

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

passive voice

Expresses that something is done to the subject. Here the crabs were carried in (運ばれました) and Shiraoi's crabs are known as a specialty (知られています).

thanks to

すばらしい監督のおかげです attributes the success to the wonderful director.

even (with) ~

A noun plus でも means "even ~", presenting a surprising case. 木でも丈夫な建物 says that strong buildings are possible even with wood, which readers might not expect.

come to / reach the point where

Indicates a change in state or ability.

when ~

Indicates the time when something happened — when he was in junior high school.

if / when (natural consequence)

Conditional と indicating a natural or expected result. 一緒に捨てると…火が出て means 'if you throw them away together, fire starts.'

and (joining i-adjectives)

An i-adjective changes い to くて to link to the next clause. 小さくて joins the quiet construction noise to the second benefit, the shorter building period.

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.

to think that

In '増えていくと思います' – 'I think (they) will continue to increase'. Used to express opinion.

if (conditional form)

The ば-form states the condition under which the result holds. 使えば、簡単には燃えません is the companies' claim: if special wood is used, it will not burn easily.

木を使った高い建物が増える

Tall buildings made with wood are increasing

日本で、木を使った高い建物が増えています。

In Japan, the number of tall buildings that use wood is increasing.

今までは、大きなビルにはコンクリートや鉄が使われていました。

Until now, concrete and steel were used for large buildings.

しかし、新しい技術のおかげで、木でも丈夫な建物が作れるようになりました。

However, thanks to new technology, it has become possible to build strong buildings even out of wood.

木の建物にはいい点があります。

Wooden buildings have good points.

木は育つときに二酸化炭素を取り入れます。

Trees take in carbon dioxide while they are growing.

だから、木を使うと環境にやさしいと言われています。

That is why using wood is said to be kind to the environment.

工事の音が小さくて、期間も短くなります。

The noise of the construction work is quieter, and the building period also becomes shorter.

心配な点もあります。

There are worrying points too.

火事に弱いと思う人が多いです。

Many people think that wood is weak against fire.

会社は「特別な木を使えば、簡単には燃えません」と説明しています。

The companies explain, "If you use special wood, it does not burn easily."

国も木の建物を増やす計画を進めています。

The government is also moving ahead with a plan to increase the number of wooden buildings.