Shikata ga nai

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Shikata ga nai carved in marble

Shikata ga nai ( Japanese 仕 方 が な い／仕 方 が 無 い ) is an idiomatic expression ( Kan'yōku ) that means something like "You can't do anything" or "It can't be changed". In addition, the expressions Shō ga nai ( 仕 様 が な い ) and Yamu o enai ( 止 む を 得 な い ) are used with about the same meaning.

Inner attitude

Many Western writers have used the phrase shikata ga nai to describe the ability of the Japanese to maintain their dignity in the face of an inevitable tragedy, disaster, or injustice, especially when they cannot control the circumstances themselves. In the past, the phrase has been used to refer to situations that masses of Japanese had to endure, such as the occupation of Japan and the internment of Americans and Canadians of Japanese descent during World War II. Seen in this light, the remark made by Emperor Hirohito on the occasion of his first press conference in Tokyo in 1975 should be understood. When asked for his thoughts on the atomic bombing on Hiroshima, he replied, “It is very unfortunate that atomic bombs have been dropped and I have great compassion for the people of Hiroshima. But nothing could be done about this incident, because such things happen during a war. "

In Asian American Women. The "Frontiers" Reader states author Debbie Storrs:

“The Japanese phrase shikata ga nai, or 'it can't be helped,' indicates cultural norms over which one has little control… This notion of suffering in part stems from shikata ga nai: failing to follow cultural norms and social conventions led to a life of little choice but endurance of suffering. "

“The Japanese phrase shikata ga nai or 'you can't do anything there' refers to cultural constraints over which you have little control ... This conception of suffering stems in part from shikata ga nai : because cultural constraints and social conventions are not accepted submission would lead to a life with few alternatives other than enduring suffering. "

- Debbie Storrs

The phrase can also have a negative connotation, as some observers might see indifference in the lack of reactions to external adversities - both social and political in nature. An article in Business Week reports remarks made by a Western businessman about the Japanese:

“He encourages Japanese not to succumb to the shikata ga nai mentality but to get angry and start behaving like citizens. 'Japanese people listen to me because I'm always pushing what the possibilities are and how things can change… to ensure positive economic and political prospects,' ”

“He encourages the Japanese not to give in to their shikata-ga-nai mentality. Instead, they should respond with indignation and take up their civic responsibility. 'The Japanese listen to me, because I keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible ... to open up positive economic and political perspectives.' "

- Robert Neff

Literary references

  • In her book Farewell to Manzanar , Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston dedicated a chapter to the concept in order to explain why the Japanese-Americans interned in World War II no longer protested against the restrictive circumstances and laws that were imposed on them (see Manzanar War Relocation Center ).
  • In the historical manga Barefoot Through Hiroshima , many Hiroshima citizens use the phrase shikata ga nai to explain why they accept the military rule and poverty that starve many citizens.
  • In the science fiction trilogy Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson the phrase as "there is no alternative" played. Introduced by the Japanese character Hiroko Ai, it became the colloquial language among the first Mars colonists and is used when the constraints of a situation allow only one option for action.
  • James Clavell uses the phrase as a minor subject in his novel Shogun (although there it is mistakenly spelled shigata ga nai).
  • In Under the Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury , a chapter has this phrase as its title.
  • Shoganai is a track on Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With (EP, 2002) by King Crimson .
  • In his book Hiroshima (1946), John Hersey speaks of Shikata ga nai after no help for the survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki ( hibakusha ) is given.
  • In his novel Snow Falling on Cedars , David Guterson gives a good example of the concept of shikata ga nai by the main character, the Japanese-American Kabuo Miyamoto. He believes that he cannot influence the unfair circumstances of his trial - prejudices from the Second World War.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, James D. Houston: Farewell to Manzanar . 2002, p. 9 .
  2. ^ H. Bix: Hirohito and the Making of modern Japan . 2001, p. 676 .
  3. ↑ John Dower: Embracing Defeat . 1999, p. 606 .
  4. ↑ Excerpt regarding the atomic bombs from the press conference of 1975 (Japanese) accessed on January 15, 2017
  5. ↑ Debbie Storrs: Like a Bamboo: Representations of a Japanese War Bride . In: Linda Trinh Vo, Marian Sciachitano (Ed.): Asian American Women. The "Frontiers" Reader . University of Nebraska Press, 2004, ISBN 0-8032-9627-4 , pp. 133 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  6. ^ Robert Neff: Japan Explained . In: Business Week . October 30, 2000 ( businessweek.com ).