やくめをはたす
Japanese Naturally...
By Mizue Sasaki
役目を果す
A：「お仕事ごくろうさまでした」
B：「私も役目を果して、ほっとしています」
Yakume wo Hatasu
A: Oshigoto gokuroosama deshita.
B: Watashi mo yakume wo hatashite, hotto shiteimasu.
A: You've done a fine job.
B: Now that I've fulfilled my duties I'm relieved too.
Yakume wo hatasu means to completely fulfill the duties one has been called upon to perform and can be used in any number of situations. Seeing as we've just experienced the late Emperor Showa's funeral, let's imagine B is the person in charge of security at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. With dignitaries from all over the world flying into the airport, he might have said, "yakume wo hatasu tame ni kinchoo shita mainichi wo sugoshita" ("In order to perform our task we spent everyday tensely"). With all that's been said about the late Emperor's war responsibility, it was probably Japan's economic might which drew so many distinguished guests to the funeral. For countries with economic relations with Japan or countries interested in receiving economic aid from Japan, the funeral was indeed a good chance for diplomacy. Many foreign representatives, in fact, sorezore ga yakume wo motte Nihon ni kimashita (Each came to Japan with certain duties to fulfill). Tokoro de yakume wo hatashita no deshoo ka (But were they really able to fulfill their assigned tasks? )
Even though Japan has become an economic power, its leaders, compared to others around the world, lack individuality. It saddens me to think about what would happen to Japan if it weren't an economic power!
When I was a child I remember reading a fairy tale about a poor man who one day happened to dig up a jar filled with gold. So happy with his discovery, he
not only built an enormous house, but also decided to hold a banquet there every night. Before long, of course, the gold from the jar was gone and people no longer came to visit him. Doesn't this sound like Japan's present situation? Ima Nihon ga sekai ni hataseru yakume wa nani na no daroo ka (Exactly what role should Japan now be performing in the world?) It is precisely because Japan is an economic power that this question must be asked, talked about and translated into action. Other nations will never respect Japan as long as it just spreads money and the semblance of friendship here and there. In this sense, it is truly unfortunate that we. now lack politicians we can trust.
An expression similar to yakume wo hatasu is sekinin wo hatasu (fulfill one's responsibility). For example, parents are responsible for raising their children. We see this feeling expressed when a father says at his daughter's Wedding reception, "Watashi mo kore de sekinin wo hatashita," ("I have now fulfilled all my responsibilities"). Another example is how an employee will be criticized by others for "not fulfilling his responsibilities" (sekinin wo hatasanai) when he quits planning for a project before the job has been finished, "Sekinin wo hatashite kara yamete hoshii" ("We would rather you'd have quit after you'd fulfilled your responsibilities" ) represents everyone's real feelings.
Whether a little or a lot, all adults have some roles to fulfill, some responsibilities to discharge. Either way, it still remains the same: Sono sekinin wo hatasu no wa taihen desu (Discharging such responsibilities is a tough business).
Mizue Sasaki is a professor at Yamaguchi National University
ASAHI EVENING NEWS, FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1989