Sample newspaper article

東京都は４月21日、不適切な管理や劣悪な衛生環境で猫を病気にしたとして、墨田区の猫カフェ「ねこのて」を30日間の業務停止処分とした。猫カフェに対する業務停止処分は全国で初めて。都によると、同店は 昨年6月に約30平方メートルの店内で猫を10匹を飼っていると申請 していたが、放し飼いにしていたため繁殖して数が増加し、同12月に都が立ち入り検査した際は62匹を飼育していた。生活環境も悪く、このうち 44匹が風邪をひいていた。利用客から「悪臭がする」などという苦情が あり、都は今年２月に業務改善命令を出していたが改善が見られず、 動物愛護法に基づき業務停止を命じた。 (April 22)

Words and phrases

東京都 (Tōkyō-to) the Tokyo Metropolitan Government; 不適切な (futekisetsu-) improper; 管理 (kanri) management; 劣悪な (retsuaku-) poor; 衛生環境 (eisei kankyō) hygienic environment; 猫 (neko) cats; 病気 (byōki) sicknesses; 墨田区 (Sumida-ku) Sumida Ward; 業務停止 (gyōmu teishi) business suspension ; 全国で初めて (zenkoku-haji-) first time in Japan; 平方メートル (heihō mētoru) sq. meters; 店内 (tennai) inside the store; 申請して (shinsei-) reported; 放し飼いにして (hana-ga-) run loose; 繁殖し (hanshoku-) were born; 増加し (zōka-) increased; 立ち入り検査 (ta-i-kensa) on-site inspection; 飼育して (shi’iku-) keep; 風邪を ひいて (kaze-) suffering from cold; 利用客 (riyōkyaku) customers; 悪臭 (akushū) bad odor; 苦情 (kujō) complaints; 業務改善命令を出して (gyōmu kaizen meirei-da-) ordered to improve conditions; 動物愛護法 (dōbutsu aigo hō) animal welfare laws; 基づき (moto-) in line with; 命じた (mei-) ordered

Sample radio or television report

Tōkyō-to-wa 4-gatsu 21-nichi, futekisetsuna kanri-ya retsuakuna eisei kankyō-de neko-o byōki-ni-shita-to-shite, Sumida-ku-no neko kafe ‘Neko-no-Te’-o 30-nichikan-no gyōmu teishi shobun-to-shimashita. Neko kafe-ni tai-suru gyōmu teishi shobun-wa zenkoku-de hajimete-to-iu-koto-desu. To-ni-yorimasu-to, dōten-wa sakunen 6-gatsu-ni yaku 30-heihō mētoru-no tennai-de 10-piki-no neko-o katte-iru-to shinsei-shite-imashita-ga, hanashigai-ni shite-ita-tame hanshoku-shite kazu-ga zōka-shi, 12-gatsu-ni To-ga tachi’iri kensa-o shita-sai-wa 62-hiki-o shi’iku-shiteimashita. Seikatsu kankyō-mo waruku, kono-uchi 44-hiki-ga kaze-o-hiite-imashita. Riyōkyaku-kara ‘akushū-ga-suru’-nado-to-iu kujō-ga-ari, To-wa kotoshi-no 2-gatsu-ni gyōmu kaizen meirei-o dashite-imashita-ga kanzen-ga mirarezu, dōbutsu aigo hō-ni motozuite gyōmu teishi-o meiji-mashita.

Translation

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government handed the Neko no Te (Cat’s Paw) cat cafe in Sumida Ward a 30-day business suspension on April 21 due to improper management of the animals and its poor hygienic environment, which led to the cats developing sicknesses. This is the first time in Japan that a cat cafe has been handed such a suspension. According to a metropolitan government official, the cafe reported it was keeping 10 cats inside the store in its 30-square-meter space last June, but 62 were found during an on-site inspection in December. The number of cats increased as they were allowed to run loose, and as a result several kittens were born. Due to the dirty environment they were living in, 44 cats were found to be suffering from colds. The city ordered the store to improve conditions in February following complaints from customers about the bad odor. Since there had been no improvement, the metropolitan government ordered the cat cafe to cease business in line with animal welfare laws.

Conversation between acquaintances

A: Retsuakuna eisei kankyō-no tame Sumida-ku-no Neko-no-Te-ni gyōmu teishi shobun-ga deta sō-desu-ne.

(I heard that Neko no Te in Sumida Ward was ordered to suspend business due to poor hygiene.)

B: Neko kafe-ni tai-suru gyōmu teishi shobun-wa zenkoku-de hajimete-da sō-desu-yo.

(Apparently, this is the first such case in Japan.)

Conversation between husband and wife

H: Neko kafe-ni itta-koto-aru?

(Have you ever been to a cat cafe?)

W: Fukurō kafe-nara itta-wa-yo.

(I’ve been to an owl cafe.)

(No. 1306)