木村：部長には困ったものですね。
中村：そうですね。いつも行動が一人よがりなんです。
Hitori-yogari
Kimura: Buchoo ni wa komatta mono desu ne.
Nakamura: Soo desu ne. Itsumo koodoo ga hitori-yogari nan desu.
Mr. Kimura: The division chief certainly is annoying.
Miss Nakamura: Til say. He always acts as if his opinion is the only one that counts.
* * *
Japan is often criticized as being a group-oriented society where company workers are required to behave as members of big company families. Illustrating this kind of behavior well is the annual company trip-traditionally to Kyoto or Hakone but now, with the strong yen, to Korea or Taiwan.
Mr. Kimura and Miss Nakamura were both looking forward to a company trip to see the Seto Ohashi.
Spanning the Inland Sea between Central Honshu and Shikoku, the bridge is highly regarded as an example of Japanese technology. And the view from the bridge of the setting sun must surely be tranquilizing.
Their division chief, however (thinking everyone else would agree) decided they should all go to Korea.
Bucho no hitori-yogari na no desu (It was just the division chief's opinion). Hitori-yogari is thus used when someone is the only one in agreement about something; when no one else has really given their consent.
How did Mr. Kimura and Miss Nakamura react when they heard their trip would be to Korea? They probably said something like, "Buchoo Kankoku ga yoi to kangaeru no wa bucho no hitori-yogari desu yo" ("The division chief's idea that Korea is a good place to go is only his interpretation of things"). Of course, behind the chief's decision to decide things on his own (hitori-yogari de kimeta) is probably a company atmosphere in which top people decide things without seeking the agreement of other employees. In such an atmosphere no one is able to complain directly to the division chief and instead they must murmur and grumble in soft voices or wait until the chief is gone to talk: "There's nothing wrong with Korea, but with only three days for the trip, going overseas is just trying to do too much"; "We have to get passports and visas and so that's another pain"; "Dooshite buchoo wa hitori-yogari de kimeru no deshoo" ("Why does the chief decide based only on his own interpretation of things?"). Then Miss Nakamura intercedes: "He probably thought that since we rarely get to go overseas this would be a good chance. Anyway, it's already decided so let's all just go and have a good time."
But then in Korea the chief takes control again and decides everything on his own. He tells the waiter at dinner: "Korean grilled meat (burugogi) is so delicious. We'll all have it." Of course, "burugogi" is delicious and a must for anyone who goes to Korea, but there are people who don't like meat. Afterwards, too: "Let's all go drinking in Myondon." But by now everyone has had enough: "Chief, please let us do things separately tonight. "
The chief says to himself: "And I was only thinking about everyone else. Hitori-yogari datta ka na (Was I doing things a bit too much my own way perhaps? ). "