公約

• Reading: こうやく
• Romaji: kōyaku
• Kanji breakdown: 公 (kō) — public, open; 約 (yaku) — promise, pledge, agreement
• Pronunciation: /koː.ja.kɯ/

Meaning

Public pledge; campaign promise; manifesto commitment. A formal promise made by a politician or party to voters regarding policy if elected.

Distinct from a private promise (約束) in that 公約 is made publicly and carries a degree of political accountability. Used with 果たす (to fulfil), 守る (to keep), 破る (to break), or 撤回する (to withdraw). マニフェスト (manifesto) is a near-synonym adopted from English, while 公約 has deeper roots in political tradition.

Examples

1. 首相は選挙前の公約通りに消費税の据え置きを実行した。 The prime minister followed through on the pre-election pledge to keep the consumption tax unchanged.
2. 公約を果たせなかった与党は次の選挙で大敗を喫した。 The ruling party suffered a crushing defeat in the next election after failing to fulfill its campaign promises.
3. 候補者は地元への企業誘致を主要な公約として掲げた。 The candidate made attracting businesses to the local area a key campaign pledge.

Usage Guide

Context: elections, politics, journalism, governance

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound. 公 (kō) means public or open; 約 (yaku) means promise, agreement, or pledge (as in 約束). Together they denote a commitment made openly before the public, implying accountability.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal