世代交代

• Reading: せだいこうたい
• Romaji: sedai kōtai
• Kanji breakdown: 世 (se/yo) — generation; 代 (dai/yo) — era, generation, substitute; 交 (kō/ma) — interchange, crossing; 代 (tai/ka) — alternation, exchange
• Pronunciation: /se.da.i.koː.ta.i/

Meaning

Generational change; changing of the guard; the replacement of one generation by the next in leadership or culture.

Used across politics, business, sports, and culture to describe the process by which younger people take over roles previously held by an older generation. Can be natural and gradual or forced and abrupt. Often carries a nuance of renewal or transition in Japanese organisational contexts where seniority (年功序列) traditionally delays such change.

Examples

1. 球団は若手選手への世代交代を急ピッチで進めている。 The club is rapidly pushing ahead with a generational change to younger players.
2. 政界でも世代交代の必要性を訴える声が高まっている。 Calls for the need for generational change in the political world are also growing louder.
3. 世代交代がうまくいかずに迷走する企業も少なくない。 There are no small number of companies that have lost their way by failing to manage a smooth generational handover.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, politics, business, society

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 世代 (generation) and 交代 (change, alternation, taking turns). The phrase draws on the biological metaphor of one generation handing off to the next, applied broadly to social and organisational contexts.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal