(しんまい)

new rice (this year's harvest)

(みせ)

shop, store

(ならぶ)

to line up

(あき)

autumn; fall

(ことし)

this year

(とれる)

to be harvested

(すいぶん)

moisture, water content

(おおい)

many

(やわらかい)

soft; tender

(かおり)

fragrance, aroma

(いい)

good

(いう)

to say

(まいとし)

every year

(じき)

period, time, season

(たのしみ)

pleasure, looking forward to

(ひと)

person / people

(こめ)

Rice (uncooked)

(ねだん)

price

(かんしん)

interest; concern

(あつまる)

to gather; to come together

(すうねん)

several years

(おおきい)

big; large

(あがる)

to rise / to go up

(かけい)

household finances

(えいきょう)

Influence; impact; effect

(しんぱい)

worry / concern

(こえ)

voice

(でる)

to come out; to occur

(いくら)

how much

(うる)

to sell

(しょうひしゃ)

consumer

(ちゅうもく)

attention, notice

(てんき)

weather

(つくる)

to make

(りょう)

Quantity; amount; volume

(のうか)

farmer / farm household

(かず)

number, count

(かわる)

to change

(さいきん)

recently

(ねんねん)

year by year / annually

(へる)

to decrease / to diminish

(もんだい)

problem

(くに)

country; the government

(あんてい)

stability, stable

(とどける)

to deliver

(ほうほう)

method; way

(かんがえる)

to think; to consider

start doing ~

Compound verb form expressing the start of an action; sending scallops has started.

to become

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

it is said that ~

Passive form expressing common knowledge or reputation. It is said that aquaculture of nodoguro is difficult.

to look forward to

Set expression meaning 'look forward to'. '楽しみにしています' means 'I'm looking forward to it'.

on the other hand

Introduces the opposing concern: 一方で、心配する声もある.

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.

was doing, had been doing

Past progressive or past continuous state. Formed with て-form + いた. Describes an action or state that was ongoing in the past.

(question marker)

Embedded/indirect question marker. Here used to express not knowing what kind of person.

by means of / through

Expresses the means by which something is achieved — through sport, everyone can live together.

in order to, for the purpose of

Expresses purpose. Formed with verb dictionary form + ための + noun, or noun + のための + noun. Modifies the following noun to indicate its purpose.

新米が店に並び始める

New rice begins to appear in stores

秋になり、今年とれた「新米」が店に並び始めた。

Autumn has arrived, and this year's newly harvested rice, called shinmai, has begun to appear in stores.

新米は水分が多く、やわらかくて香りがいいと言われている。

New rice is said to be moist, soft and fragrant.

毎年この時期を楽しみにしている人も多い。

Many people look forward to this time every year.

一方で、米の値段に関心が集まっている。

At the same time, attention is focused on the price of rice.

ここ数年、米の値段は大きく上がり、家計への影響を心配する声が出ていた。

Over the past few years, rice prices rose sharply, and there had been concerns about the impact on household budgets.

今年の新米がいくらで売られるのか、多くの消費者が注目している。

Many consumers are watching to see how much this year's new rice will sell for.

米の値段は、天気や作る量、農家の数などによって変わる。

The price of rice changes depending on factors such as the weather, the amount grown and the number of farmers.

最近は、米を作る農家が年々減っていることも問題になっている。

Recently, the number of rice farmers falling year after year has also become a problem.

国は、米を安定して届けるための方法を考えている。

The government is considering ways to deliver a stable supply of rice.