中國網站品牌欄目（頻道）
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Japan's disaster reconstruction minister resigned on Tuesday for remarks widely criticized as offensive during a visit to the tsunami-devastated northeastern coast.(Agencies) |
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Forced to quit after barely a week as Japan's reconstruction minister for remarks deemed offensive to victims of the March earthquake and tsunami, Ryu Matsumoto had an unusual explanation for his behavior -- his blood type. "My blood's type B, which means I can be irritable and impetuous, and my intentions don't always come across," he said Tuesday after his resignation. "My wife called me earlier to point that out. I think I need to reflect about that." Matsumoto was tapping into a widespread belief in Japan that blood types correspond to various character traits. Japan's fascination with blood types began in the early 20th century and is similar to the belief in astrology and horoscopes. Many Japanese believe their blood type can foretell success in romance and the suitability for jobs. It's not uncommon for the subject to come up in conversation, sometimes as explanation for an action, and a directory of members of parliament lists the blood types of many, along with their home towns and hobbies. Many Japanese, however, said it was not an acceptable reason for Matsumoto's behavior on a trip to the devastated northern region, during which he told a prefecture governor the government would not help communities that failed to come up with ideas to help themselves. Speaking before TV cameras, Matsumoto reprimanded the governor for keeping him waiting and then ordered journalists not to report the exchange or else their media outlets would suffer. People with type B blood are believed to be stubborn, impulsive and cold, although they are also seen as practical, and Matsumoto's explanation was greeted with derision. "He should apologize to all other Type Bs," said one user of a Web chat forum. Matsumoto's resignation delivered a fresh blow to unpopular Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who is a blood type O -- believed to be sociable and energetic but flighty, able to easily start projects but then give them up just as fast. (Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.) (Agencies)
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由于失言冒犯日本三月地震和海嘯災民，日本復興擔當大臣松本龍上任僅一周時間就被迫辭職。但他給自己的過失找了一個不同尋常的借口--“都是血型惹的禍”。 他在本周二辭職后說：“我是B型血，這意味著我容易煩躁和沖動，我的本意經常被誤解。” “我太太之前打電話指出了這一點，我想我應該好好反省。” 日本人普遍認為血型與不同的性格特點有關。松本龍把失言歸咎于血型正是利用了人們的這種心理。 早在20世紀初，日本人就開始熱衷于血型，這與迷信占星術和星座類似。很多日本人相信根據血型能預測愛情能否成功、工作是否合適。 日本人談及血型并不罕見，有時也以此解釋某種行為。除籍貫和愛好外，國會議員的通訊錄中也列出了很多人的血型。 很多日本民眾無法接受松本龍拿血型做失言的借口。松本龍前往日本北部走訪地震重災地區時失言冒犯災民。他當時告訴當地的一位地方官，稱地方政府必須自己想辦法，否則中央政府不會出手相助。 松本龍在接受電視臺采訪時，斥責地方官讓他空等，隨后禁止記者報道這段談話，聲稱否則媒體會有麻煩。 B型血的人雖然比較務實，但性格頑固、沖動、冷漠。松本龍的這一解釋引來了嘲笑。 一位網友在論壇上說：“他應該向所有B型血的人道歉。” 松本龍的辭職讓原本就不受歡迎的菅直人政府雪上加霜。菅直人是O型血，該血型的特點是善于社交、精神充沛，但性格浮躁，而且做事三分鐘熱度。 相關閱讀 （中國日報網英語點津 實習生史莉萍 編輯：Julie） |
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Vocabulary: come across: to be understandable or convincing（被理解；被弄懂） tap into: 利用，發掘 astrology: 占星術；占星學 horoscopes：星座，星象 directory: a book, arranged alphabetically or classified by trade listing names, addresses, telephone numbers, etc, of individuals or firms（姓名地址錄，電話號碼簿） prefecture: 地方行政區域；省；縣 reprimand: to reprove or rebuke severely, especially in a formal way（申斥；訓斥；斥責） derision: ridicule; mockery（嘲笑；取笑；奚落） flighty: frivolous and irresponsible; capricious; volatile（浮躁，不穩重，輕浮） |
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