Vocabulary

all over Japan

big craze; boom; popular trend; huge popularity

providing information; provision of information; information provision

pandemic; widespread

pathogenicity; virulence

highly pathogenic avian influenza (i.e. H5N1)

group of thieves

driving technique

(something) one does not really mean; insincere

to harden one's heart; to steel oneself

antidiarrheal; paregoric; obstipant

multidisciplinary science

altruism

broodmare (horse breeding)

broodmare (horse breeding)

consumer society

the past; bygone days (years, age, etc.)

no trouble; easy; simple

things don't work that well in the real world; things seldom go as one wishes; that is expecting too much; it won't be that easy; the wholesaler won't sell it like that

without any difficulty; with ease; easily

like many others; being no exception; just like everyone else; as is usual with; in common with

to end without incident; to not turn into something serious

arm lifter (on a turntable); tonearm lifter

tweeter (loudspeaker)

betting on an outsider (in horse racing, etc.); taking a long shot; dark horse betting

to take an aggressive position; to stir up trouble

proficiency; skill; experience

you learn, without realising it, from what is around you; a shop-boy near the temple gate will recite sutras untaught

weird; disgusting; sickening

weird; disgusting

weird; disgusting; sickening

too-good-to-be-true offers (e.g. scams and frauds); too-good-to-be-true stories

consumer electronics; home appliances

store (house) detective; security (officer)

to know each other

upside down

legal system

large fish

New Year's resolution

itinerant laborer; migrant worker