告発

• Reading: こくはつ
• Romaji: kokuhatsu
• Kanji breakdown: 告 (koku) — accuse, declare; 発 (hatsu) — launch, emit
• Pronunciation: /ko.kɯ.ha.tsɯ/

Meaning

Denunciation; accusation; exposure; indictment. The act of formally reporting or publicly accusing someone of wrongdoing.

In legal terms, 告発 (kokuhatsu) is a formal report to investigative authorities made by a person other than the victim — contrasted with 告訴 (kokuso), which is filed by the victim. In broader usage it describes the public exposure of misconduct. 内部告発 (naibu kokuhatsu, whistleblowing) has become an important concept in corporate governance and media ethics discussions.

Examples

1. 内部告発者を守る法整備がまだ不十分だという批判が根強く残っている。 There remains a persistent criticism that legal protections for whistleblowers are still inadequate.
2. 市民グループが食品偽装問題を検察庁に告発した。 A citizens' group reported the food fraud case to the public prosecutor's office.
3. 告発を受けた企業は、事実関係を調査するための第三者委員会を設置した。 The company that received the accusation established a third-party committee to investigate the facts.

Usage Guide

Context: law, journalism, corporate governance, whistleblowing

Tone: negative

Origin & History

Compound of 告 (koku, report, accuse, declare) and 発 (hatsu, emit, launch, start). The combination captures the idea of launching an accusation, making wrongdoing known to authorities or the public.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated