Condemned Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara is mentally competent to stand trial for his appeal, according to an expert's report to the Tokyo High Court.

declare　宣言する、断言する
fit　　　適した、健康な
condemn　非難する、とがめる
founder　創始者
competent　法的能力を有する

Princess Kiko, the wife of Emperor Akihito's second son, is pregnant, raising the possibility that the Imperial family could see its first male birth in 40 years at a time when proposed female succession is being hotly debated.

pregnant　妊娠した
Imperial family　皇室、皇族
succession　継続、継承、相続
hotly　熱く、激しく

Nakagawa hints at on-site inspections of U.S. beef facilities

Farm minister Shoichi Nakagawa indicates the government may add on-site inspections in the U.S. by Japanese officials to conditions for resuming beef imports.

hint at　〜をほのめかす
on-site　現場での
inspection　検査
facility　施設
indicate　〜を指し示す
resume　再開する

Japan and North Korea begin bilateral talks under a new three-track format to try to solve complex problems preventing normal diplomatic relations.

bilateral　二国間会議
format　構成
prevent　防ぐ、阻む
diplomatic relations　外交関係

Prosecutors appear ready to serve fresh arrest warrants on four now-former Livedoor Co. executives, including ex-President Takafumi Horie and former Chief Financial Officer Ryoji Miyauchi, on suspicion of falsifying the company's 2004 financial statements.

prosecutors 検察当局
warrant　令状
serve fresh arrest warrants　再逮捕する
on suspicion of　〜の疑いで
falsify　偽る、改ざんする
financial statements　決算報告書

The unmanned space probe Hayabusa failed to land on the asteroid Itokawa, located about 290 million km from the Earth, the space agency said Sunday.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said data received from the probe indicates it did not land on the asteroid as planned.

probe　宇宙探査機
asteroid　小惑星
unmanned　無人の
located　位置して
aerospace　航空宇宙
exploration　探検、調査

Teen arrested over slaying of female classmate
A 16-year-old boy is arrested on suspicion of killing a female classmate found stabbed to death in her apartment in Machida, western Tokyo.

be arrested on　〜で逮捕される
suspicion of　〜の容疑
slay　殺害する
stab to death　刺し殺す

The health ministry plans to expand the nation's stockpile of influenza-fighting Tamiflu and come up with measures to deal with any shortages, including prioritizing drug recipients, to prepare for a bird-flu-linked pandemic.

stockpile　貯蔵量、備蓄
come up with　工面する、補充する
measures to deal with　〜対策
prioritize　〜を優先させる
pandemic　流行病

Fighters scrambled record 30 times to intercept Chinese planes
Japanese fighter jets have been scrambled 30 times to turn away Chinese planes approaching Japan's airspace in the last seven months, more than twice the 13 times in the same period last year, officials report.

scramble　緊急発進（する）
intercept　封じる、妨害する
airspace　領空

; wage cuts planned
Japan Airlines announces that rising fuel costs and falling passenger numbers pushed the carrier into the red in the first half of the business year, and prospects for the full year are no better.

downdraft　下降気流
※get caught in downdraft　景気後退の波に飲まれる
wage　賃金
carrier　運輸業者
prospect　見通し