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have a rude awakening
しまったと気付く、ひどい幻滅を感じる、突然不快な事実に気付く

Some of the tycoons who backed Mr Putin, thinking he would safeguard the looted wealth of the 1990s, have had a rude awakening.

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represent a break from 〜からの脱却を示す

Mr. Fukuda, sometimes described as a foreign policy dove who has long emphasized the importance of building strong ties with China and the rest of Asia, represents a break from the nationalist Mr. Abe and his predecessor, Junichiro Koizumi.

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back taxes 未払いの税金、追徴金

Its most controversial provision, which eventually killed it in the House, would have allowed people who had been in the United States illegally for five or more years to become legal residents if they paid both a $2,000 fine and back taxes on their past earnings.

delinquency rate on home loans 住宅ローンの不履行［滞納］率

A rising share of American mortgage holders are behind with their payments. The delinquency rate on home loans rose from 4.8% to 5.1% in the second quarter. The rate for subprime loans rose from 13.8% to 14.8%.

pull off 成功する、〜をうまく［首尾よく］やる［やってのける・やり通す・やり遂げる・成し遂げる］

This time last year Mr Ghosn, the most admired car boss in the world, was still trying to pull off a deal that would have made General Motors (GM) the third member of his alliance.

issue a profit warning 業績を下方修正する

In February Nissan issued a profit warning—its first real reverse since 1999, when it forged its alliance with Renault, which bought a 37% stake (later raised to 44%) in the much bigger but nearly bankrupt Japanese firm.

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引き際、引き時
Unlike Mr Abe, Mr Koizumi timed his departure well.

見え透いた言い訳をする
make a flimsy excuse for

Two days later he stood down on the flimsiest of excuses: that Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), had refused to meet him to discuss a compromise over extending important anti-terrorism legislation.

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All told あれやこれやで、全部足し合わせると、結局、

All told, foreign companies often find that investing in Japan involves too much effort for too little profit.

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toothless 骨抜きの

Even with cases of blatant discrimination, lawsuits remain rare because of a cultural aversion to litigation. Another big problem has been that the equal opportunity law is essentially toothless. Despite two revisions, the law includes no real punishment for companies that continue to discriminate.

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drabbing 大敗、完敗

IT IS the worst ever electoral drubbing for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and an emphatic rejection of everything Shinzo Abe, prime minister since last September, seems to represent to Japan’s voters.

unwell 体調がすぐれない

On election night he did not even come out to thank voters. His party said Mr Ozawa, a former heavy smoker with heart problems, was unwell. Others more uncharitably put it down to arrogance.