(せいふく)

school uniform

(じゆう)

freedom, free

(えらぶ)

To choose; to select

(がっこう)

school

(ふえる)

to increase; to grow

(だんし)

male; men's

(じょし)

women, female

(すき)

liked, favorite

(すかーと)

skirt

(ずぼん)

pants

(じぶん)

oneself

(きめる)

to decide

(りぼん)

ribbon (uniform tie)

(ねくたい)

necktie

(うごき)

movement; trend

(じゅうねん)

ten years

(ぐらい)

about, approximately

(まえ)

before, previous

(はじまる)

to begin

(さむい)

cold

(ひ)

day

(はく)

to wear (shoes/pants)

(せいと)

student (middle/high school)

(おおい)

many

(せいべつ)

gender, sex

(ふく)

clothes

(きまる)

to be decided

(こまる)

to be troubled; to be in difficulty

(けん)

prefecture

(こうりつ)

public (institution)

(ちゅうがっこう)

middle school / junior high school

(はんぶん)

half

(いじょう)

more than; beyond this

(あたらしい)

new

(せんせい)

teacher

(くる)

to come

(おもう)

to think

(はなす)

to speak, talk

(ねだん)

price

(たかい)

expensive; high

(もんだい)

problem

(のこる)

to remain / to stay behind

(くに)

country; the government

(やすい)

cheap / inexpensive

(かう)

to buy

(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.

potential form: can do ~

選ぶ becomes 選べる (can choose) — the whole article is about students being able to choose their own uniform items.

can do ..., to be able to ...

Verb dictionary form + ことができる expresses ability or possibility. More formal than the potential verb form. Common in written Japanese and announcements.

because ～

Provides a reason or cause.

want to ~

Verb stem + たい to express desire.

it is because ~

Gives a reason at the end of a sentence. Used here to explain why gasoline prices dropped (government subsidies).

come to / reach the point where

Indicates a change in state or ability.

easy to ~ / tends to ~

Used in 'うつりやすくて' meaning 'easily contagious / easy to catch'.

called/named ~

Used to introduce or name something. In this article, 「鳥貴族」という店 means 'a store called Torikizoku'.

decide on / make it X

Indicates choice or theme. Here makes SF and LGBTQ the themes.

also / too

Used in '心配する人もいます' — there are ALSO people who are worried (in addition to happy people).

制服を自由に選べる学校が増える

More schools are letting students choose their uniform freely

男子も女子も好きな制服を選べる学校が増えています。

The number of schools where both boys and girls can choose the uniform they like is increasing.

スカートかズボンを自分で決めることができます。

Students can decide for themselves whether to wear a skirt or trousers.

リボンとネクタイも選べます。

They can also choose between a ribbon tie and a necktie.

この動きは十年ぐらい前から始まりました。

This movement began about ten years ago.

寒い日にズボンをはきたい生徒が多かったからです。

It is because many students wanted to wear trousers on cold days.

また、性別で服が決まることに困っている生徒もいました。

There were also students who were troubled by having their clothes decided by gender.

ある県では、公立の中学校の半分以上が新しい制服にしました。

In one prefecture, more than half of the public junior high schools switched to the new uniform.

学校の先生は「生徒が自分で選べるようになって、学校に来やすくなったと思います」と話しています。

A teacher says, "Now that students can choose for themselves, I think it has become easier for them to come to school."

制服の値段が高いという問題も残っています。

The problem that uniforms are expensive also remains.

国は、安く買える方法を考えています。

The government is considering ways to make them cheaper to buy.