The problems a society argues about, and the words for what is done about them.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Many words for social problems end in 化, which turns a state into a process: 少子化is not “few children” but the trend towards fewer of them高齢化the ageing of a population晩婚化people marrying later Read the ending as “the trend towards”. The rest name the problems and the remedies, and the news pairs them: 格差の是正, the narrowing of a gap; 少子化対策, measures against the falling birth rate.
The words
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Noun (39)
少子化falling birth rateNounN2
少子化が進み、地方では学校の統合が続いている。With the birth rate falling, schools in rural areas keep being merged.
高齢化ageing (of a population)NounN2
高齢化に伴って、医療費が増え続けている。As the population ages, medical costs keep rising.
晩婚化trend towards marrying laterNounN2
晩婚化の背景には、働き方の変化がある。Behind the trend towards later marriage lies a change in how people work.
未婚unmarriedNounN2
未婚のまま働き続ける人も珍しくない。It is not unusual for people to stay unmarried and keep working.
出生率birth rateNounN2
政府は出生率を上げるための対策を打ち出した。The government has put forward measures to raise the birth rate.
Also read しゅっせいりつ.
格差gap; disparityNounN2
都市と地方の所得の格差が広がっている。The income gap between cities and rural areas is widening.
貧富wealth and poverty; rich and poorNounN2
貧富の差が広がると、社会は不安定になりやすい。When the gap between rich and poor widens, society tends to become unstable.
Almost only in 貧富の差.
貧困povertyNounN2
子どもの貧困は外から見えにくい問題だと言われる。Child poverty is said to be a problem that is hard to see from outside.
差別discriminationNounN2
性別による差別は法律で禁止されている。Discrimination on the grounds of sex is prohibited by law.
Also a verb: 差別する.
偏見prejudiceNounN2
病気に対する偏見をなくすことが大切だ。It is important to do away with prejudice about illness.
孤独死dying alone (unnoticed)NounN2
誰にも看取られずに亡くなる孤独死が、社会問題になっている。People dying alone with no one at their side has become a social problem.
待遇treatment; pay and conditionsNounN2
同じ仕事をしていても、待遇に差がある職場は少なくない。There are quite a few workplaces where people doing the same job are treated differently.
障害者disabled personNounN2
駅にエレベーターが増え、障害者も移動しやすくなった。With more lifts in stations, it has become easier for disabled people to get around.
Many writers put the second kanji in kana, as 障がい者, because it means harm.
バリアフリーbarrier-free; step-free accessNounN2
新しい図書館は完全なバリアフリーになっている。The new library is fully step-free.
福祉welfareNounN2
高齢者福祉のための予算が増やされた。The budget for the welfare of older people was increased.
社会保障social securityNounN2
社会保障の財源をどう確保するかが議論されている。How to fund social security is under debate.
介護nursing careNounN2
親の介護のために仕事を辞める人もいる。Some people give up their jobs to look after their parents.
Also a verb: 介護する. Care for the old, sick or disabled.
認知症dementiaNounN2
認知症の人を地域で支える取り組みが広がっている。Efforts to support people with dementia in the community are spreading.
生活保護public assistance; welfare benefitNounN2
病気で働けなくなり、生活保護を受けることになった。Unable to work because of illness, she came to rely on public assistance.
虐待abuse; maltreatmentNounN2
児童虐待の相談が増えている。Calls for help about child abuse are increasing.
Also a verb: 虐待する.
嫌がらせharassmentNounN2
職場での嫌がらせについて、相談できる窓口がある。There is an office where you can get advice about harassment at work.
不登校not attending school; school refusalNounN2
不登校の子どもが通える学びの場が増えている。There are more and more places where children who do not attend school can go to learn.
非行delinquencyNounN2
少年の非行を防ぐには、家庭と学校の協力が欠かせない。Preventing juvenile delinquency needs families and schools to work together.
Not 飛行, flight, which sounds the same.
孤立isolationNounN2
高齢者が地域で孤立しないよう、見守りの活動が行われている。Neighbourhood visiting schemes are run so that older people do not become isolated.
Also a verb: 孤立する.
引きこもりsocial withdrawal; a person who has withdrawnNounN2
引きこもりの若者を支援する団体がある。There are groups that support young people who have withdrawn from society.
非正規non-regular (employment)NounN2
非正規の社員は、収入が不安定になりやすい。Non-regular employees tend to have unstable incomes.
Part-time, fixed-term and agency work, as opposed to 正社員.
過労死death from overworkNounN2
過労死を防ぐため、残業の時間に上限が設けられた。To prevent death from overwork, a cap was placed on overtime hours.
長時間労働long working hoursNounN2
長時間労働を見直す企業が増えてきた。More and more companies are rethinking long working hours.
待機児童children waiting for a nursery placeNounN2
待機児童を減らすため、市は保育所を増やした。To cut the number of children waiting for a place, the city opened more nurseries.
育児childcare; bringing up childrenNounN2
育児と仕事を両立させるのは簡単ではない。Combining childcare and work is not easy.
A formal 子育て; 育児休暇 is parental leave.
ひとり親single parentNounN2
ひとり親の家庭への支援が求められている。More support for single-parent families is being called for.
過疎depopulationNounN2
過疎の村では、バスの本数が減り続けている。In depopulated villages, there are fewer and fewer buses.
The opposite is 過密, overcrowding.
空き家empty houseNounN2
地方では空き家が増え、景観や治安への影響が心配されている。Empty houses are increasing in rural areas, and people worry about their effect on the landscape and on safety.
弱者the vulnerable; the weakNounN2
災害のときは、社会的弱者への配慮が欠かせない。In a disaster, care for the vulnerable is essential.
当事者person concerned; those directly affectedNounN2
制度を作るときは、当事者の声を聞くべきだ。When a system is designed, the people directly affected should be heard.
支援support; assistanceNounN2
国は子育て世帯への支援を拡大した。The state expanded its support for households raising children.
Also a verb: 支援する.
共生coexistence; living togetherNounN2
外国人の住民との共生を目指す町が増えている。More and more towns are working towards living together with their foreign residents.
Also a verb: 共生する. In biology: symbiosis.
解消resolving; getting rid ofNounN2
男女の賃金の差を解消することが課題だ。Closing the pay gap between men and women remains a challenge.
Also a verb: 解消する. Also used of stress and of a cancelled engagement.
是正correction; redressNounN2
政府は地域による格差の是正を目指している。The government aims to correct differences between regions.
Also a verb: 是正する.
na-adjective (1)
深刻serious; gravena-adjectiveN2
医師の不足は、地方で特に深刻だ。The shortage of doctors is particularly serious in rural areas.
