The Japanese and Adultery 日本人と不倫
Foreign Student (hereinafter FS): The adulterous affairs (1 of ) celebrities or members of Parliament often appear (2 in ) the news. How do the Japanese view adultery?
留学生（以下、留）：芸能人や国会議員の不倫がよく報道されます 。日本人は不倫に対して どのような見方をしているのですか。
Teacher (hereinafter T): There was a news story (3 about ) a female TV personality with a clean image – who had appeared (4 in ) many TV commercials – having an affair (5 with ) a vocalist in a band.
先生（以下、先）：清潔感のあるイメージでたくさんのテレビコマーシャル に出ていた女性タレントがあるバンドボーカルと不倫をしていたというニュースがありました。
Although the weekly magazine that reported (6 on ) this affair printed 20% more copies than usual, all of these sold out. So you might say that Japanese people are concerned (7 about ) adultery among the famous.
それを報道した週刊誌は2割増刷しましたが、売り切れました。日本人は有名人の不倫に関心があるといえるでしょう。
In 2014 the news that France’s President Hollande was secretly meeting (8 with ) an actress, despite already having a partner, caused quite a stir, even (9 in ) Japan.
2014年にフランスのオランド大統領が、パートナーがいながら女優と密会したというニュースは日本でも話題になりました。
A survey (10 by ) a French company revealed that 77% of French people felt that this was a private matter that just happened to concern the president. The Japanese were surprised (11 by ) the tolerance of the French.
フランスの民間世論調査ではこれは個人的なことであり、たまたま大統領だっただけとする人が77％でした。日本人はフランス人の寛大さに驚きました。
In Japan, adultery is not punishable (12 by ) law, but famous people are socially disgraced when their affairs are given widespread coverage (13 in ) the media.
日本では不倫は法的に処罰されませんが、有名人はメディアで大きく報道され、社会的に恥をさらすことになります。
In 1989 it was leaked (14 to ) the media that an ex-geisha had been the lover of Japan’s Prime Minister UNO Sosuke.
1989年に元芸者が宇野宗佑総理大臣の愛人だったとメディアにリークしました。
It created a big fuss and he had to resign (15 from ) his post as prime minister only two months after assuming office.
大騒ぎとなり、宇野総理は就任後2カ月余りでやめざるを得なくなりました。
FS: Wasn’t there also the adultery case (16 of ) the member of the House of Representatives who had declared that he would set an example by taking paternity leave (17 despite ) the fact that in Japan it’s not common for men to take childcare leave?
留：男性が育児休暇をとりにくい日本で、率先して産休をとると表明した衆議院議員の不倫もありましたね。
T: It was widely reported (18 in ) the media that he committed adultery just before his wife – also a member (19 of ) the House of Representatives – was about to deliver their baby and, as a result, he had to resign.
先：同じ議員である妻が出産する間際に不倫していたことがメディアで大きく報道され、結局辞職しました。
FS: Is adultery punishable conventionally (20 by ) law anywhere in the world?
留：不倫に対して世界では一般的に法的な処罰があるのですか。
T: In some Islamic countries stoning is still practiced as a punishment and (21 in ) some Asian countries adulterers are punished as criminals.
先：イスラム圏では石打ちの刑が今も行われている国があり、アジアでは犯罪者として処罰する国もあります。
(22 In ) Japan about 1,000 years ago, husbands and wives did not live together, and it was common for a husband to make visits (23 to ) his wife’s house. It is said that relations between men and women were more relaxed.
日本では、千年ほど前は夫と妻は同居せず、妻の家に夫が通うのが主流でした。男女関係はおおらかだったようです。
In the 18th century, it was made legal (24 for ) men to punish their wives and the person their wives had committed adultery with.
18世紀には不倫した妻とその相手を処罰することが合法化されていました。
Later, adultery became a serious crime, with men being put (25 into ) jail after being paraded through the city streets and women being sentenced (26 to ) death.
その後、不倫は大犯罪となり、男は市内を引き回された後に牢屋に入れられ、女は死罪となりました。
F: How are things nowadays?
留：現代はどうなのですか。
T: When the TV drama “Kinyoubi no Tsumatachi e” (To Wives on Fridays) was broadcast (27 in ) 1983, because of its popularity, the term “furin” (adultery) became widespread.
先：1983年にテレビドラマ「金曜日の妻たちへ」が放映されて話題になり、不倫という言葉が広がりました。
In 1997 “Shitsurakuen” (Paradise Lost), a novel written (28 by ) Junichi Watanabe that explored the theme of adultery, became a bestseller and was selected for the grand prize (29 of ) the New Expressions and Buzzwords Competition.
1997年には不倫をテーマにした渡辺淳一の小説「失楽園」がベストセラーとなり、流行語大賞にもなりました。
(30 In ) 2014 the TV drama “Hirugao” (Day Face), starring UETO Aya, caused quite a stir.
2014年には上戸彩主演のテレビドラマ「昼顔」も、話題になりました。
FS: What comments do people who have committed adultery make (31 to ) the public?
留：不倫をした人は大衆にどのようなコメントをしているのですか。
T: (32 In ) the past an actor remarked that “adultery is part of our culture,” and a president (33 of ) a film company commented that, “I did not make an actress my lover. I only made my lover an actress.”
先：かつて、ある俳優は「不倫は文化」と発言しました。また、ある映画会社の社長は｢私は女優を愛人にしたのではない。愛人を女優にしただけだ｣と述べました。
Now that the Internet is so well developed, famous people who’ve had affairs have to take the only partially serious condemnation (34 of ) the general public and adopt a pose of deep regret.
インターネットが発達した現代、不倫した有名人は面白半分の大衆から痛烈な批難を受けて、ひたすら謝るポーズを取っ。
留学生（以下、留）：芸能人や国会議員の不倫がよく報道されます 。日本人は不倫に対して どのような見方をしているのですか。
Teacher (hereinafter T): There was a news story (3 about ) a female TV personality with a clean image – who had appeared (4 in ) many TV commercials – having an affair (5 with ) a vocalist in a band.
先生（以下、先）：清潔感のあるイメージでたくさんのテレビコマーシャル に出ていた女性タレントがあるバンドボーカルと不倫をしていたというニュースがありました。
Although the weekly magazine that reported (6 on ) this affair printed 20% more copies than usual, all of these sold out. So you might say that Japanese people are concerned (7 about ) adultery among the famous.
それを報道した週刊誌は2割増刷しましたが、売り切れました。日本人は有名人の不倫に関心があるといえるでしょう。
In 2014 the news that France’s President Hollande was secretly meeting (8 with ) an actress, despite already having a partner, caused quite a stir, even (9 in ) Japan.
2014年にフランスのオランド大統領が、パートナーがいながら女優と密会したというニュースは日本でも話題になりました。
A survey (10 by ) a French company revealed that 77% of French people felt that this was a private matter that just happened to concern the president. The Japanese were surprised (11 by ) the tolerance of the French.
フランスの民間世論調査ではこれは個人的なことであり、たまたま大統領だっただけとする人が77％でした。日本人はフランス人の寛大さに驚きました。
In Japan, adultery is not punishable (12 by ) law, but famous people are socially disgraced when their affairs are given widespread coverage (13 in ) the media.
日本では不倫は法的に処罰されませんが、有名人はメディアで大きく報道され、社会的に恥をさらすことになります。
In 1989 it was leaked (14 to ) the media that an ex-geisha had been the lover of Japan’s Prime Minister UNO Sosuke.
1989年に元芸者が宇野宗佑総理大臣の愛人だったとメディアにリークしました。
It created a big fuss and he had to resign (15 from ) his post as prime minister only two months after assuming office.
大騒ぎとなり、宇野総理は就任後2カ月余りでやめざるを得なくなりました。
FS: Wasn’t there also the adultery case (16 of ) the member of the House of Representatives who had declared that he would set an example by taking paternity leave (17 despite ) the fact that in Japan it’s not common for men to take childcare leave?
留：男性が育児休暇をとりにくい日本で、率先して産休をとると表明した衆議院議員の不倫もありましたね。
T: It was widely reported (18 in ) the media that he committed adultery just before his wife – also a member (19 of ) the House of Representatives – was about to deliver their baby and, as a result, he had to resign.
先：同じ議員である妻が出産する間際に不倫していたことがメディアで大きく報道され、結局辞職しました。
FS: Is adultery punishable conventionally (20 by ) law anywhere in the world?
留：不倫に対して世界では一般的に法的な処罰があるのですか。
T: In some Islamic countries stoning is still practiced as a punishment and (21 in ) some Asian countries adulterers are punished as criminals.
先：イスラム圏では石打ちの刑が今も行われている国があり、アジアでは犯罪者として処罰する国もあります。
(22 In ) Japan about 1,000 years ago, husbands and wives did not live together, and it was common for a husband to make visits (23 to ) his wife’s house. It is said that relations between men and women were more relaxed.
日本では、千年ほど前は夫と妻は同居せず、妻の家に夫が通うのが主流でした。男女関係はおおらかだったようです。
In the 18th century, it was made legal (24 for ) men to punish their wives and the person their wives had committed adultery with.
18世紀には不倫した妻とその相手を処罰することが合法化されていました。
Later, adultery became a serious crime, with men being put (25 into ) jail after being paraded through the city streets and women being sentenced (26 to ) death.
その後、不倫は大犯罪となり、男は市内を引き回された後に牢屋に入れられ、女は死罪となりました。
F: How are things nowadays?
留：現代はどうなのですか。
T: When the TV drama “Kinyoubi no Tsumatachi e” (To Wives on Fridays) was broadcast (27 in ) 1983, because of its popularity, the term “furin” (adultery) became widespread.
先：1983年にテレビドラマ「金曜日の妻たちへ」が放映されて話題になり、不倫という言葉が広がりました。
In 1997 “Shitsurakuen” (Paradise Lost), a novel written (28 by ) Junichi Watanabe that explored the theme of adultery, became a bestseller and was selected for the grand prize (29 of ) the New Expressions and Buzzwords Competition.
1997年には不倫をテーマにした渡辺淳一の小説「失楽園」がベストセラーとなり、流行語大賞にもなりました。
(30 In ) 2014 the TV drama “Hirugao” (Day Face), starring UETO Aya, caused quite a stir.
2014年には上戸彩主演のテレビドラマ「昼顔」も、話題になりました。
FS: What comments do people who have committed adultery make (31 to ) the public?
留：不倫をした人は大衆にどのようなコメントをしているのですか。
T: (32 In ) the past an actor remarked that “adultery is part of our culture,” and a president (33 of ) a film company commented that, “I did not make an actress my lover. I only made my lover an actress.”
先：かつて、ある俳優は「不倫は文化」と発言しました。また、ある映画会社の社長は｢私は女優を愛人にしたのではない。愛人を女優にしただけだ｣と述べました。
Now that the Internet is so well developed, famous people who’ve had affairs have to take the only partially serious condemnation (34 of ) the general public and adopt a pose of deep regret.
インターネットが発達した現代、不倫した有名人は面白半分の大衆から痛烈な批難を受けて、ひたすら謝るポーズを取っ。
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