Japan's economy contracted/shrank over the pandemic weakened consumer spending. 

contract コﾝﾄﾗｸﾄ　n)契約、請負 

contract ｺﾝﾄラｸﾄ   v)契約する、請け負わせる・（経済･筋肉）縮小する

weaken  ウｨｰｹﾝ  v)弱くする、弱体化する

consumer ｺﾝスｰﾏｰ  n)消費者

consumer spending  個人消費

shrink ｼｭリﾝｸ v)縮む、縮小する   shrink-shrank-shrunk  shrink-shrunk-shrunken　

Amid the pandemic, weakened consumer spending, it's not such a big deal though, just curiously the consumed amount of garlic is more than ever.

consume ｺﾝスｰﾑ   v)消費する

amount　ｱマｳﾝﾄ　n)量、額

On the bright side, exports were up, staying positive for third straight quarter.

明るい面では、輸出が増えました。3四半期連続でプラスを維持してます。

地域密着

Getting community-based/local oriented are more productive.
（地域密着型は生産性が高い）
　community-based　地域社会に基盤がある
　local-oriented ローカル志向　orient v)（人が）ある方向に向ける　オｰﾘｴﾝﾄ
　productive adj)生産的な、生産力のある

Japanese professional baseball has been getting more community-based.
(日本のプロ野球はより地域密着型になってきている）

I'm not willing to negotiate on that

7c-14, Describing what you can agree to do

《賛成する表現 willing, prepared 》
be willing to do something
快く...する、...しても構わない（必要があれば断らずにやる）
Are you willing to assist on an evacuation?
I'm not willing to attend the meeting tonight.
I'm not willing to wait for someone.
I'm willing to do the dishes at home.
I'm willing to go to a jazz club to entertain your significant.
I'm willing to live off of potatoes and cabbage for two months in order to buy something.
  assist　v)援助する、助ける
  evacuation  n)避難

We’re prepared to reduce the asking price by 10%, but that's our final offer.
Have you ever negotiated the price or conditions of something?

A:We don't really need any of your staff, but we're prepared to take about ten of them as a gesture of goodwill.
B:Absolutely not. I'm not willing to negotiate on that. If you want to buy my      company, you need to take on all of my staff, too.
A:Come on, Ms. Richards. Be reasonable.
B:Listen. These people are my company. That's my final word on it.

gesture　n)ジェスチャー
goodwill　n)親切、好意
final word 最終決断

tout n)客引き　タｳﾄ
pounce v)飛びつく、襲いかかる　パｩﾝｽ　パﾝｽ
When I went to Delhi in India, there are touts everywhere as a gesture of goodwill. Also, a lot of touts were waiting to pounce on me at the airport.

I'm willing to offer you a 20% stake.
We're prepared to keep using your brand for now.
We're not willing to relocate the factory.
I'm not prepared to reduce the workforce.

offer　v)〔相手の利益の為に物事を〕差し出す、提供する、申し出る
stake  n)出資金、賞金　ｽテイｸ
relocate　v)移転する、転勤する　ﾘﾛケイﾄ
workforce　n)〔単複両用〕全従業員、労働力
rehire　v)再雇用する
rebrand　v)ブランド再生する
severance pay　n)退職金　severance n)切り離し、契約解除、退職手当　セﾊﾞｧﾗﾝｽ
merge　v)合併する
asking price　n)希望価格
employment conditions　n)雇用条件
retirement package　n)退職金、退職金制度
generous  adj)気前のよい　ジェﾅｧﾗｽ
negotiable adj)交渉の余地がある  ﾈゴウｼﾌﾞﾙ
executive  adj)役員･重役の　n)役員･重役  ｲｸゼｷｭﾃｨﾌﾞ
consultant　n)顧問･相談役
takeover  v)乗っ取る
clarify  v)明らかにする　ｸレｱﾌｧｲ
decision　n)決定した結果、判決

We're prepared to give you a generous retirement package.
⇒But, I'm not willing to leave the company. I want to keep working.
We're prepared to leave you with a twenty percent stake in the company.
⇒Well, I'm not willing to negotiate on that. I'd like to have a stake, forty percent.
I'm prepared to merge the company names to make the ABC House.
⇒Well, I'm willing to accept that.
We're prepared to rehire half of your workforce.
⇒I'm willing to agree to that.
We're prepared to keep two of the four factories in the US.
⇒I'm not willing to move any overseas, and keep them all here.
I'm prepared to give you a position as an executive consultant.

A:So, Mr. Peters, you've read over our offer?
B:Yes, I have, and there's something I'd like to clarify with you.
A:Certainly
B:It says here that Margate Holdings are prepared to keep all my staff.
A:That's right.
B:But I can't see my name on this new company structure. Is that a mistake?
A:I'm afraid not. Mr. Peters, we're prepared to offer you a very attractive retirement package.
B:But it's my company. I started it thirty years ago.
A:Yes, and we appreciate your hard work. But in the new structure...
B:No. I'm not going to just walk away.
A:But Mr. Peters, the decision has already been made.
B:I'm not leaving this company.

Seven-Eleven Japan to end some 24-hour operations amid labor crunch

A 7-Eleven store in Tokyo  Photo: REUTERS file

TOKYO- Seven-Eleven Japan Co said Monday it will end 24-hour operations at some outlets, becoming the first major convenience store operator to scale back around-the-clock hours to address a labor crunch.
 amid prep)～の真っ最中に ｱミｯﾄﾞ
 operation n)操作、運転、営業
 outlet n)直販店
 operator n)運転者、経営者
 scale back 縮小する、減らす
 around-the-clock 休みなく、24時間ぶっ通しで
 address v)真剣に取り組む、本気で取りかかる
 labor n)労働、労働者
 crunch n)バリバリ噛み砕く音、急場、危機
 labor crunch 人手不足危機

Amazon Criticized for Releasing New Book Earlier than Scheduled

Major online retailer Amazon has been accused of violating its business agreement with a major publisher and other book sellers.
criticize V)批判する

retailer n)小売商人　リーﾃｲﾗｰ
Retailers face their slowest business period in January and February.
accuse v)訴える、告発する　ｱキューｽﾞ
Trump accuses North Korea of tremendous anger and open hostility.
（トランプは北朝鮮のすさまじい怒りとあからさまな敵意を非難する）
tremendous adj)非常に大きい、途方もない
hostility n)敵意
A former nurse accused of killing eight seniors in her care is expected to plead guilty to first-degree murder charges in their death.
（8人の老人を介護中に殺害した罪で起訴されている元看護師は、彼らの死に関してかけられている第一級の殺人容疑について、近く罪を認めるものと見られています）
be expected to...  ...する見込みである
plead guilty 罪を認める
first-degree murder 第一級殺人
charge n)容疑、罪
She has been accused but not charged.
（彼女は非難はされたが告発を受けたわけではない）
Members of parliament accused the minister of accepting bribes.
（国会議員たちはその大臣を賄賂を受け取ったと非難した）
In a worst-case scenario, you could even be accused of sexual harassment.
（最悪のシナリオでは、セクハラで告訴までさねかれませんよ）
The accountant was accused of diverting money into his private account.
（その会計士は、自分の個人口座に資金を回して告発された）
Don't accuse her of lying if you don't have proof.
（証拠が無いなら、彼女が嘘を言っていると責めてはいけない）
The semiconductor industry was accused of dumping.
（半導体業界はダンピングをしたとして告発された）
He was accused of using his power to enrich himself.
（彼は私腹を肥やすためにその権力を行使したと非難された）
He was accused of fraud.
（彼は詐欺の容疑で告訴された）
The company was accused of attempting to manipulate the market.
（その会社は市場操作をしようとしたことで告訴された）
That company was accused of dumping steel on the Japanese market.
（あの会社は日本市場で鉄鋼の投げ売りをしたことで告発された）
The court appointed a lawyer to defend the accused.
（裁判所は被疑者を弁護する弁護人を指名した）
The accused was sentenced to life in prison.
（被告人は終身刑を言い渡された）

  violate v)違反する　ヴァｲｵﾚｲﾄ
  publisher n)出版社　パﾌﾞﾘｯｼｬｰ
  seller n)販売人、セールスマン　セﾗｰｧ