throw one’s hat into the ring 復習
俳優の石田純一さんが、「野党統一候補なら」という条件付きで東京都知事選への出馬を表明しました。
Actor Ishida may run for Tokyo governor; lawyer Utsunomiya to join race independently
Actor and television personality Junichi Ishida said Friday he would run in the July 31 Tokyo gubernatorial election if opposition parties field him as a "joint candidate" to succeed Yoichi Masuzoe who resigned amid a political fund scandal, while lawyer Kenji Utsunomiya also disclosed that he will throw his hat into the ring.
"I feel there's a gap between the lives of citizens and politics," the 62-year-old Ishida said at a press conference in Tokyo, adding that a joint candidate backed by opposition parties is "necessary" to fight against the strong ruling bloc.
However, he said if opposition parties support another candidate, he will not enter the race.
http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160708/p2g/00m/0dm/002000c
今回取り上げるのはthrow one’s hat into the ringです。
Oxford dictionaries.com.では“Express willingness to take up a challenge”と定義されていました。
『ジーニアス英和辞典』（第五版、大修館書店）では「（競技に）参加する；選挙に立候補する」とあります。“hat”の定義をみると「帽子」以外に「（略式）社会的役割、職務、立場」の意味があり、帽子は官職の象徴であることから、今回の表現で使われていることがわかります。
宇津宮氏は11日に記者会見を開き、正式に出馬表明をする予定です。立候補表明者はこれまで10人を超えています。(flyingbird)
throw one's hat into the ring - 田邉祐司ゼミ 常時英心：言葉の森から
