Unit 10

The Japanese government has downsized. Often considerd the nightmare bureaucracy, the Japanese government decided to reorganize itself effective this past January. The government executive branch previously contains 23 separate ministries and agencies. After the reorganization, only thirteen were left. Some agencies were combined, such as the Ministries of Transport and Construction, and Hokkaido Development and National Land Agencies. These four we can can solidate into the new Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport. Others are just undergoing a name change, like the Ministry of Finance, now called the Ministry of Treasury. Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori told capitol members in the first meeting that he wants bureaucrats to be aware of serving the people not their respective ministries. Critics say change will make little difference, and a Japanese "big government" is here to stay.

mistakes
the nightmare bureaucracy >a nightmare of bureaucracy
itself effective >itself, effective
government executive branch >government's executive branch
contains >contained
These four we can can solidate into >These four were consolidated into
capitol members >cabinet members
in the first meeting >in their first meeting
wants bureaucrats >wants the bureaucrats
aware of serving >aware that they're serving
and a Japanese >and that Japanese

downsized 縮小した、小型化した
bureaucracy 官僚主義
executive branch 行政府、行政執行機関
big gobvernment 大きな政府
a nightmare of 悪夢のような･･･

take a load off one's mind の気分を軽くする

There's more than one way to skin a cat.
目的を達する方法は1つとは限らない。

reinvent the wheel (やっても仕方のないことを)わざわざする
a chip off the old block 父親そっくりな息子
in the homestretch 大詰めを迎えている、追い込みの段階に来ている
get off of my cloud わたしの楽しみに水を差すな