http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40541609
charged （議論などが）熱のこもった 激しい
charged over ～を問う
One of Japan’s leading advertising agencies has been charged over the death of an employee from overwork.
leading 導く
Dentsu is accused of violating labour standards after Matsuri Takahashi, 24, killed herself in 2015.
be accused of ~で告発されている
violating 破る 犯す 違反する
Her friends said Ms Takahashi – who had been at the firm for less than a year – claimed to be so busy she slept just 10 hours a week.
the firm 会社
for less than a year 一年足らずで
Death from overwork is relatively common in Japan, where it has its own word: karoshi.
relatively 比較的
Ms Takahashi is reported to have worked 100 hours of overtime a month for some time before her death.
She died on Christmas day 2015. According to reports, a note left behind for her mother included the line: “Why do things have to be so hard?”
The Asahi Shimbun newspaper said the company was being charged over illegal overtime, and that prosecutors were seeking a fine.
prosecutor 検察官
seek 探す
fine 罰金
That would effectively end the investigation, Kyodo news agency reported.
investigation 調査
The case against Dentsu targets the corporate entity, but not any individuals.
against に対して 反して ぶつかって
corporate entity 法人
But Kyodo news agency quoted Ms Takahashi’s mother as saying she was “unconvinced” about the lack of charges for her daughter’s superiors.
quote 引用する
unconvinced 確信していない
superiors 上司
charges 料金
The high-profile case has led to renewed calls for changes to Japan’s notoriously long working hours and illegal unpaid overtime.
the high-profile 大変な事件
notoriously 悪名高い 悪名が知れ渡るほどに
renew 生まれ変わらせる 更生させる
Officially, there are several hundred cases of karoshi each year, although campaigners say the real number is even higher.
even + 比較級 いっそう さらに
Dentsu has made a number of reforms in the aftermath of Ms Takahashi’s case, reported to include turning off the lights at 22:00 every night in a bid to force employees to leave.
aftermath 状態 余波
bid 命じる
The agency’s chief executive, Tadashi Ishii, offered his resignation last December over the controversy.
resignnation 辞表
controversy 議論
over によって で 巡って
