Vocabulary

to unseat someone (in an election); to defeat a sitting member

to come to power; to assume the reins of government

before long; in a few days

party appointee in a safe constituency; parachute candidate

vote by the Diet to appoint the prime minister

transfer of tax revenue sources (e.g. to local governments)

United Nations resolution; UN resolution

lowest level; minimum level; ground floor

supplementary symbol (number, punctuation, etc.)

to pour (of rain); to pound down

to pelt down (of rain); to pour

red sky at night, sailors delight; red sky in morning, sailors take warning; red sky at night, shepherds delight; red sky in morning, shepherds take warning

negotiation team; negotiating body

band of robbers; gang of thieves

spring storm

climate of the third month of the lunar calendar in Okinawa (end of the dry season); early summer

noro; member of a hereditary caste of female mediums in Okinawa

seaweed bed; seaweed forest

inshore fish; fish living in rocky coastal waters

to cut one's own throat; to dig one's own grave; to cause oneself harm; to bring ruin on oneself

end of spring; late spring

the Big Dipper (asterism); the Plough; the Plow

the Big Dipper (asterism); the Plough; the Plow

to torment by slow degrees; to torture slowly; to drag things out; to reproach in a roundabout way; to strangle with floss silk

to drift; to blow together

to blow and gather together (by the wind)

spring dust; frost and snow that's blown like dust in the air by the spring wind

to rain dust; to have a dust storm

Saohime; goddess of Spring

someone who is fast asleep

cloudy spring weather

cloudy sky that appears when the migrating birds that stayed for winter and autumn in Japan leave to go north

spring sludge; spring mud (caused by the melting of the snow); (muddy) slush

snow water; melt water

spring clothing; New Year clothing

spring clothing

fancy kimono used for cherry blossom viewing; fancy kimono

type of lacquerware plate

outward-curving bowl rim; bowl lip curved outwards

Negoro lacquerware