In the process of language-learning (an arduous, painful task), I’ve found that materials made for native-speaker children can be really useful. For instance, this Asahi Shimbun site introduces words and phrases to kids that have come up recently in current events/discourse. Examples include:

• 市町村の合併
• 大連立政権
• テロ特措法の期限切れ
• インド洋での海自活動

Mainichi Shimbun has a similar word list. this one aimed at adults (so the explanations are a little harder to understand, and the words themselves are a little more obscure–or rather, just not as obvious):

• 道路特定財源
• 循環取引
• モバイルＳｕｉｃａ