(にほん)

Japan

(くる)

to come

(がいこく)

foreign country

(ひと)

person / people

(ふえる)

to increase; to grow

(ことし)

this year

(とても)

very; extremely

(くうこう)

airport

(えき)

station

(いろいろ)

various

(くに)

country; the government

(ことば)

words, language

(きこえる)

to be audible, to hear

(にんき)

popularity

(とうきょう)

Tokyo

(おおさか)

Osaka

(きょうと)

Kyoto

(さいきん)

recently

(ちいさい)

small

(まち)

town

(いく)

to go

(おおい)

many

(たべもの)

food

(おんせん)

Hot spring

(すき)

liked, favorite

(いなか)

countryside; rural area

(ふるい)

old (things)

(いえ)

house

(とまる)

to stay overnight

(ふゆ)

winter

(ゆき)

snow

(みる)

to see, watch

(きた)

north

(ほう)

direction, side

(もんだい)

problem

(ばす)

bus

(でんしゃ)

electric train

(こむ)

to be crowded

(ごみ)

trash, garbage

(まなー)

manners

(しんぱい)

worry / concern

(えいご)

English (language)

(ちゅうごくご)

Chinese (language)

(かみ)

paper

(つくる)

to make

(みんな)

Everyone; everybody

(たのしい)

fun, enjoyable

(すごす)

to spend (time)

(ほうほう)

method; way

(これから)

from now on

(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/います. Can describe an action in progress or a state that continues from a past change.

~ and ~ (non-exhaustive list)

や connects nouns in a non-exhaustive list, implying there are other items not mentioned.

nominalizing a verb phrase with の

Used in 「みんなの前で話をするのは初めてです」to nominalize the verb phrase so it can serve as the topic of the sentence.

in order to ～

Expresses purpose.

but / however (at the start of a sentence)

でも opens a sentence that contradicts what came before. Here it switches the article from the good side of tourism to the problems it causes.

can do / be able to do (potential form)

The potential form changes the final -u of a verb to -eru. 過ごす becomes 過ごせる, so 楽しく過ごせる方法 means "a way that lets everyone spend their time enjoyably."

日本に来る外国の人が増えている

The number of foreign visitors coming to Japan is rising

今年、日本に来る外国の人がとても増えています。

This year, the number of foreign visitors coming to Japan has risen sharply.

空港や駅では、いろいろな国の言葉が聞こえます。

At airports and stations you can hear the languages of many different countries.

人気があるのは、東京や大阪や京都です。

The popular places are Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

最近は、小さい町にも外国の人が行きます。

Recently, foreign visitors are going to small towns as well.

多くの人は、日本の食べ物や温泉が好きです。

Many of them like Japanese food and hot springs.

田舎の古い家に泊まる人もいます。

Some people even stay in old houses in the countryside.

冬は、雪を見るために北の方へ行く人が多いです。

In winter, many people head north in order to see the snow.

でも、問題もあります。

However, there are problems too.

バスや電車がとても込みます。

Buses and trains get very crowded.

町の人は、ごみやマナーを心配しています。

The people of these towns are worried about rubbish and manners.

ある町では、外国の人のために、英語や中国語の紙を作りました。

One town made leaflets in English and Chinese for its foreign visitors.

みんなが楽しく過ごせる方法を、これから考えます。

From now on, they will think about ways for everyone to have an enjoyable time.