1.
responsibility, duty, obligation
A duty to deal with something or having control over someone; the state of being accountable.
責任 is one of the most important concepts in Japanese business and social culture.
Common collocations
- 責任を取る (to take responsibility)
- 責任を負う (to bear responsibility)
- 責任を果たす (to fulfill one's responsibility)
- 責任感 (sense of responsibility)
- 責任者 (person in charge)
- 自己責任 (personal responsibility)
- 連帯責任 (joint responsibility)
Cultural note
Taking responsibility (責任を取る) is highly valued in Japan. Resignation is often seen as a way of taking responsibility for failures.