Hello, I am Yoshi from NILS Japanese language school. Today’s article is from the textbooks “Nihongo through Newspaper Articles” for advanced learners. If you learn Japanese language for a long time, please try to read it. Many kanji are used in the article, so it will be a little bit more difficult.

「シートベルトせずに走りだすと警報音」
国土交通省は3月10日、シートベルトをせずに走りだすと警報音が鳴り続ける装置をつけることを、すべての乗用車に義務づけると決定した。全乗用車について国がメーカーに義務づけるのは世界初という。警察庁によると、2004年の交通事故の運転者の死者2234人のうち、1157人がシートベルトを着用していなかった。国交省は、着床せずに500メートル走行したり、時速25キロまで速度を上げたり、60秒経過したりした場合、警告灯と警報音が30秒以上作動するようにすることを、9月以降に新しく発売される乗用車から義務化する。

Seatbelts definitely compulsory
The Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry decided on March 10 that all automobiles will be required to be equipped with an alarm that keeps making a noise when one starts driving without a seatbelt. It is the first case in the world, it is said, that a government has ordered manufacturers to install this kind of device in all automobiles. According to the National Police Agency, among 2,234 drivers killed in traffic accidents in 2004, 1,157 were not wearing seatbelts. From September the ministry is making it compulsory for all new cars to be equipped with a warning light and alarm that come on for 30 seconds or more when a driver not wearing a seatbelt has driven 500 meters, raised thheir speed up to 25 km per hour, or driven for more than 60 seconds. —Japan Times, April 28, 2005

*You can try the last article for advance learners here.

August 22nd News, from NILS Japanese language school.