Departments
Winding Things Up
後始末
atoshimatsu
Tying Up Loose Ends...
The concept of "tying up loose ends" is a necessary component of business as well as personal life. In Japanese, atoshimatsu 後始末is the most useful vocabulary item for this topic. For example, if you are finishing up the final details of a particular job, you might say:
Kono shigoto no atoshimatsu o shinakeraba narimasen.
この仕事の後始末をしなけらばなりません。
し ごと あとしまつ
I've got to finish up this job.
Atoshimatsu後始末can also be used in a variety of more personal contexts. If there has been a disagreement:
Ano futari wa kenka no atoshimatsu o shimashita.
あの二人は喧嘩の後始末をしました。
ふたり けんか あとしまつ
Those two made amends after their argument.
Cleaning up after the spy plane incident..
Consider this more complex example adapted from the headlines. It concerns the U.S. spy plane that was downed in Chinese airspace in April, 2001:
米中軍機接触事故の後始末をめぐり、米議会が昨日、中国への補償金支払いを拒否する決議案を採択した。これに対して、中国政府は憤って反発している
Regarding the final details of Sino-American spy plane collision, yesterday the U.S. Congress adopted a resolution refusing the payment of compensation to China. This has prompted strong resentment from the Chinese government.
Original Japanese Source: CNN.co.jp