天下り

• Reading: あまくだり
• Romaji: amakudari
• Kanji breakdown: 天 (ten/ama) — heaven, sky; 下 (ka/shita) — below, descent; り — nominalising suffix
• Pronunciation: /a.ma.kɯ.da.ɾi/

Meaning

Descent from heaven; the practice of retired senior government officials taking lucrative positions in the private sector or in corporations they formerly regulated.

Originally a Shinto term for gods descending from heaven, 天下り acquired its modern political meaning in the postwar era. It is widely criticised as a form of institutional corruption, as regulators may soften oversight in anticipation of post-retirement employment. Reforms to curb the practice have been repeatedly attempted but achieved limited success.

Examples

1. 元官僚の天下りを受け入れた企業が、不当な入札で優遇されていたことが発覚した。 It came to light that a company which had accepted a former bureaucrat through amakudari had been given preferential treatment in rigged bidding.
2. 天下り問題は長年指摘されてきたが、抜本的な解決策はいまだ見つかっていない。 The amakudari problem has been pointed out for many years, but a fundamental solution has yet to be found.
3. 国民の批判を受け、政府は天下りの規制をさらに強化する方針を打ち出した。 In response to public criticism, the government announced a policy of further strengthening regulations on amakudari.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, society, business, journalism, corruption

Tone: critical

Origin & History

From 天 (heaven/sky) + 下り (descent, from 下りる). Originally a religious metaphor for divine descent; repurposed in contemporary usage to describe the perceived arrogance of bureaucrats 'descending' into powerful private sector roles.

Cultural Context

Era: Postwar–Contemporary

Generation: Adults

Social background: General