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For full context: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10011277371000/k10011277371000.html

The sentence in question: ローマ法王は、今までも「人間は広島や長崎から何も学んでいない」などと言って、核兵器に反対してきました。

My attempt at translation: "Concerning the roman pope, saying even until now 'mankind hasn't learned anything from hiroshima and nagasaki', he began resisting nuclear weapons."

Narktor
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「核兵器{かくへいき}に反対{はんたい}してきました」

Your translation of that is:

"he began resisting nuclear weapons"

I must say, unfortunately, that your translation is off.

「Verb in te-form + いく or くる」

always means "to do something continuously for an extended period of time".

It could never mean "to begin to (verb)" or "to begin (verb)+ing"

Thus, the phrase in question means:

"he has (always) been against nuclear arms"

The subsidiary verb 「いく」 is used to describe future actions and 「くる」, for past actions up to the present.

くる ⇒ きた ⇒ きました

The original uses 「きました」, the polite form of 「きた」.

  • Thanks :=) For this translation, I looked at this thread https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/676/difference-between-%E3%81%A6%E3%81%84%E3%81%8F-and-%E3%81%A6%E3%81%8F%E3%82%8B and somehow jumbled 来る with 行く. Although I guess translating "空が明るくなっていく。 The sky [over a period of time starting now and continuing indefinitely] brightens." with "The sky starts to brighten" probably isn't the best idea either?^^ – Narktor Jan 09 '18 at 16:36