As year-end wining-and-dining gears up

Railways: don't fall due to Holiday spirits

As year-end wining-and-dining gears up in Japan, railways are urging passengers to be extra cautious in train stations around platforms.



In past years, seasonal partying has sometimes resulted in tipsy people falling off train platforms.

The Transport Ministry says that during the 6 months between April and September this year, 7 people died and 103 people were injured after they fell from a platform or scraped against a train in a station.
The number excludes cases that are suspected suicides.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/society.html

クリスマスパーティーや忘年会などの季節がはじまりましたね。英語ではwining and diningという韻を踏んだ言い回しがあります。文字通り、ワインを飲んで、食事をするということから「飲食」、さらには「接待」という意味があります。gear upは以前にもありましたが、「シフトアップする、加速化する」なので、ここでは「本格化する」あたりでしょう。まるごと覚えて使いましょう。（UG）