This month, the word 忖度 (sontaku) has been popping up in the headlines as the Japanese media comes under scrutiny for its alleged deference to the scandal-hit talent agency Johnny & Associates.

A 記者会見 (kisha kaiken, press conference) held on Sept. 7, in which the agency acknowledged acts of sexual abuse committed by its late founder Johnny Kitagawa, could prove to be a 分岐点 (bunkiten, literally a point of diverging roads or railways, but similar to “watershed moment”) in re-evaluating practices with the issue.

忖度 is a difficult word to translate into English. Both kanji characters mean “estimate” and “assess,” but the gravity of 忖度 differs dramatically depending on the context. Some consider it to simply be the need to 行間を読む (gyōkan o yomu, read between the lines) or, as it’s more commonly expressed in Japanese, 空気を読む (kūki o yomu, to read the air).

Others may feel the need to go further with 忖度, anticipating a person’s wishes and taking precautionary actions without any explicit communication from them.

During the press conference, new Johnny & Associates President Noriyuki Higashiyama officially stated that the agency doesn’t seek any 忖度 from media outlets to ensure fairness. So why, then, was it so difficult to break through a culture of 暗黙の了解 (anmoku no ryōkai, unspoken understanding) when it came to investigating long-circulating rumors of abuse rampant in the organization?

強大な権力を握る人物に対して告発を行うのは難題です (Kyōdaina kenryoku o nigiru jinbutsu ni taishite kokuhatsu o okonau no wa nandai desu, Making an accusation against a person who holds significant authority can be a challenge). However, the Johnny’s scandal could be a great chance for this country to examine its propensity for 隠蔽体質 (inpei taishitsu), which is defined as an “ill nature prone to keeping scandals a secret” but can also be used to mean “cover-up culture,” and its lack of support for 内部告発者 (naibu kokuhatsu-sha, whistleblowers).

隠蔽体質 can often be supported by the idea of 事なかれ主義 (kotonakare-shugi). To understand this term, let’s break it down into three components: 事 (koto, a thing/matter) refers to something critical in this case, although it’s a versatile word that can be used to refer to both 些細な事 (sasaina koto, trivial matters) and 余程の事 (yohodo no koto, significant matters); なかれ (nakare) is the imperative form of the adjective なし (nashi, nonexistent); and 主義 (shugi) encompasses principles and is often translated as “ism.” Thus, 事なかれ主義 suggests ignoring critical matters and avoiding conflicts. (In fact, dictionary definitions translate it as the principle of “peace at any price,” “letting sleeping dogs lie” and “not rocking the boat.”) Similarly, in Japanese, there are several ways to get this point across such as the idioms 触らぬ神に祟りなし (sawaranu kami ni tatari nashi, untouched gods won’t curse you) and 臭い物に蓋をする (kusai mono ni futa o suru, keep the lid on a stinky thing).

While Japanese society grapples with its 隠蔽体質, what can we do on an individual level if we encounter a 余程の事 and feel the need to speak up?

Start with a confidant. If you have someone in your life that you can trust, it will mean you don’t have to shoulder the burden on your own. Also, write down what is happening. If the time comes that you need to make a 内部通報 (naibu tsūhō, internal report), you’ll need to have your details in order: times, places, actions.

Grammatically speaking, the word you’ll need to master for these conversations is べき (beki, should), which operates as a verbal suffix in Japanese: 上司に報告するべきでしょうか？ (Jōshi ni hōkoku suru beki deshō ka?, Should I report [it] to my superior?) The combination of the verb する (suru, to do) and べき sometimes gets shortened as すべき (subeki, should do), but both するべき and すべき work fine.

Your confidant may reply, 直接人事に話すべきだと思うよ (chokusetsu jinji ni hanasu beki da to omou yo, I think you should talk to HR directly). Or, if they’re a bit inclined to avoid dispute, they might suggest, 黙ってるべきじゃないかな (damatte-ru beki ja nai kana, you should be quiet [about it]).

Another grammatical term that can get your point across is 方がいい (hō ga ii, it’s better to [do]). You can ask, もう少し様子を見た方がいいと思いますか？ (mō sukoshi yōsu o mita hō ga ii to omoimasu ka?, do you think it’s better to wait a bit longer and see?) or you can express a sense of urgency with, 早く解決した方がいいと思います (hayaku kaiketsu shita hō ga ii to omoimasu, I think it’s better to solve [it] soon). 方がいい conveys a softer impression than べき, which more clearly recommends that something be done based on existing rules and obligations.

It’s easy to turn 方がいい into a recommendation not to do something by adding ない (nai): 疲れてる時は無理しない方がいい (Tsukarete-ru toki wa muri shinai hō ga ii, When you’re tired, it’s better not to push yourself), ストレスは溜めない方がいい (sutoresu wa tamenai hō ga ii, it’s better not to accumulate [your] stress).

If you’re told 事を荒立てない方がいいよ (koto o aradatenai hō ga ii yo, it’s better not to stir anything up), that might be a sign that your confidant might want to avoid being involved in any troublesome 告発 (kokuhatsu, accusations/complaints).

It’s said that 日本は外圧に弱い (Nihon wa gaiatsu ni yowai, Japan is susceptible to external pressure). The word 外圧 (gaiatsu) is originally defined as external pressure, but it often suggests pressure from foreign countries and overseas media. Japanese people tend to hold onto sayings such as 口は災いの元 (kuchi wa wazawai no moto, out of the mouth comes evil) and 立つ鳥跡を濁さず (tatsu tori ato o nigosazu, a departing bird leaves no mark behind), which insinuates even people quitting shouldn’t make a scene in the organization.

That said, if you experience 余程の事 that are hard to ignore in any organization, it’s better to seek advice for your mental health and the greater good. Reading between the lines and practicing 忖度 only ends up allowing criminals and harassers to continue preying on victims.