(ちほう)

region; area

(ローカルせん)

local (railway) line

(まもる)

to protect

(どう)

how / in what way

(にほん)

Japan

(てつどう)

railway; railroad

(りようしゃ)

user

(ねんねん)

year by year / annually

(へる)

to decrease / to diminish

(じんこう)

population

(すくない)

few, scarce

(くるま)

car

(つかう)

to use

(ふえる)

to increase; to grow

(ろせん)

route / line

(てつどうがいしゃ)

railway company

(おおきな)

big (attrib.)

(ふたん)

burden, bear (cost)

(ちいき)

region; area

(バス)

bus

(かえる)

to change

(けいかく)

plan

(すすむ)

to advance, to progress

(じもと)

local / one's hometown

(じゅうみん)

resident

(はんたい)

opposition; against

(こえ)

voice

(あがる)

to rise / to go up

(でんしゃ)

electric train

(なくなる)

to disappear; to be gone

(かよう)

to commute / attend regularly

(がっこう)

school

(こども)

child

(こうれいしゃ)

elderly person

(こまる)

to be troubled; to be in difficulty

(くに)

country; the government

(こうつう)

traffic, transportation

(はなしあい)

discussion; negotiation

(はじめる)

to begin, start

(のこす)

to leave behind, to leave uneaten

(じちたい)

local government / municipality

(おかね)

money

(だす)

to serve, put out

(ささえる)

to support

(ほうほう)

method; way

(けんとう)

consideration / examination

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.

because of / due to (reason)

Indicates a reason or cause. The article explains that the decline is due to the population shrinking and more people using cars.

for ~ / from the perspective of ~

Indicates a point of view or perspective. Used twice here for 'the company' and 'the Vietnamese people'.

when ..., if ... (natural consequence)

Conditional と indicating that when one thing happens, another naturally follows. States general truths, habitual results, or inevitable consequences.

because (reason)

States a reason. The article explains the reason residents oppose: because children and the elderly will be in trouble.

in the case of / when

Indicates a hypothetical or potential situation. Used here to describe the case when airports become usable again.

passive voice

The passive form indicates an action done to the subject. The article says a method is being considered (検討されている).

地方のローカル線をどう守るか

How to protect rural local railway lines

日本の地方では、鉄道の利用者が年々減っている。

In rural areas of Japan, the number of railway users is decreasing year by year.

人口が少なくなり、車を使う人が増えたためだ。

This is because the population has shrunk and more people are using cars.

利用者が少ない路線は、鉄道会社にとって大きな負担になっている。

Lines with few users have become a heavy burden for railway companies.

ある地域では、バスに変える計画が進んでいる。

In one region, a plan to switch to buses is moving forward.

しかし、地元の住民からは反対の声も上がっている。

However, voices of opposition are also being raised by local residents.

電車がなくなると、学校に通う子どもや高齢者が困るからだ。

This is because if the trains disappear, children who commute to school and elderly people will be in trouble.

国は、地方の交通をどう守るか話し合いを始めた。

The national government has begun discussions on how to protect rural transportation.

鉄道を残す場合は、国や自治体がお金を出して支える方法も検討されている。

If the railways are kept, a method in which the national government and local governments provide funding to support them is also being considered.