Answering objections and building an argument in Japanese
Build a sustained argument by naming a specific concern, acknowledging its valid part and proposing a response that keeps your central idea viable. Use the polite forms ending in “です” and “ます” in the formal discussion, and the plain forms in the informal discussion with familiar people. “人件費が増えることは認めますが” politely acknowledges rising staffing costs before a response, while “確かにお金は余計にかかるけど” makes the concession conversationally. Unlike English, Japanese often leaves “I”, “we” and “you” unstated when the context makes them clear; you do not need to add a pronoun to every argument.
Argument vocabulary: objection, rebuttal and relevance
Formally identify a possible objection
提案への反対意見として、具体的な懸念が挙げられます。
- formal
図書館の開館時間を夜まで延ばすことへの反対意見として、人件費の増加が挙げられます。
One objection to keeping the library open later is the extra staffing cost.
図書館を夜遅くまで開けるために人件費が増えると、反対意見が出るかもしれないね。
People might raise an objection about paying extra staff to keep the library open late.
Conversationally predict that people may object
懸念について、反対意見が出るかもしれないね。
- informal
図書館を夜遅くまで開けるために人件費が増えると、反対意見が出るかもしれないね。
People might raise an objection about paying extra staff to keep the library open late.
Acknowledge the cost and suggest one evening a week
確かに認める事実けど、懸念に対応する提案。
- formal
人件費が増えることは認めますが、まずは週に一度、夜も開館してみることができます。
I accept that staffing would cost more, but we could start with one evening a week.
- informal
確かにお金は余計にかかるけど、まずは週に一度だけ夜も開けてみるのはありだと思う。
You're right about the extra cost, but we could try just one evening a week.
Rank reasons by relevance and evidential strength
“一番の理由は、地元で働く人たち百人から、夜も利用したいという要望が出ていることです” identifies the main reason; the final “こと” turns the preceding clause into something that can be presented as that reason. Requests from local workers directly concern evening opening, but actual visitor numbers would offer stronger evidence for continuing it.
Unlike the English adjective “relevant”, “関係がある” is a phrase meaning “have a connection”, and the issue it relates to is marked with “に”. In “図書館の家具についての意見より、地元で働く人からの要望のほうが、夜間開館の検討に直接関係があります”, the item before “より” is the comparison point, and “のほうが” highlights the more relevant item. The formal examples use “です” and “あります”, while the informal “一番大きな理由は、地元で働く100人から、夜も図書館を開けてほしいって要望があったことだ” uses plain “だ” and conversational “って” to introduce the request. Here “開けてほしい” expresses wanting someone else to open the library, rather than wanting to open it oneself.
- formal
一番の理由は、地元で働く人たち百人から、夜も利用したいという要望が出ていることです。
Our strongest reason is that a hundred local workers have requested evening access.
- informal
一番大きな理由は、地元で働く100人から、夜も図書館を開けてほしいって要望があったことだ。
The best reason we've got is that a hundred local workers have asked for evening hours.
- formal
図書館の家具についての意見より、地元で働く人からの要望のほうが、夜間開館の検討に直接関係があります。
- informal
それも夜の開館には関係があるけど、実際の利用者数が分かれば、続ける理由としてはもっと強いよね。
Answer the specific concern instead of repeating your view
A rebuttal must answer the particular concern: evidence that people want evening access does not itself explain how to pay staff. “その反論は需要への懸念に答えていますが、人件費の問題も残っています” explicitly separates the answered concern from the remaining problem.
“開館時間を延ばすのは良い案だと、今でも確信しています” expresses continued conviction, but supplies no new answer; “の” nominalizes the action of extending the hours, “は” marks that nominalized action as the topic, and “と” marks the content of the conviction. Japanese puts the thought before “と” and the thinking verb after it, unlike English “I remain convinced that” followed by the thought. The informal “やっぱり、夜遅くまで開けるのはいいと思う” also restates a view, with “やっぱり” suggesting “after all” or a return to the same conclusion. To move the discussion forward, acknowledge the extra cost, propose a limited trial and explain what attendance figures would help you decide.
- formal
一番の理由は、地元で働く人たち百人から、夜も利用したいという要望が出ていることです。
Our strongest reason is that a hundred local workers have requested evening access.
- informal
一番大きな理由は、地元で働く100人から、夜も図書館を開けてほしいって要望があったことだ。
The best reason we've got is that a hundred local workers have asked for evening hours.
- formal
その反論は需要への懸念に答えていますが、人件費の問題も残っています。
Your rebuttal answers the concern about demand, but what about staffing costs?
- informal
利用者が来るかという点については、納得できる反論だね。でも、職員の給料は誰が払うの？
That's a fair rebuttal to the point about demand, but who's going to pay the staff?
- formal
開館時間を延ばすのは良い案だと、今でも確信しています。
I remain convinced that longer opening hours are a good idea.
- informal
やっぱり、夜遅くまで開けるのはいいと思う。
Polite discussion: acknowledge costs and investigate demand
- Aformal
図書館の開館時間を夜まで延ばすことへの反対意見として、人件費の増加が挙げられます。
One objection to keeping the library open later is the extra staffing cost.
- Bformal
そうですね。図書館の予算には、すでに余裕がありません。
- Aformal
人件費が増えることは認めますが、まずは週に一度、夜も開館してみることができます。
I accept that staffing would cost more, but we could start with one evening a week.
- Bformal
その夜に、費用に見合うだけの利用者が来るでしょうか。
- Aformal
一番の理由は、地元で働く人たち百人から、夜も利用したいという要望が出ていることです。
Our strongest reason is that a hundred local workers have requested evening access.
- Bformal
夜間開館を正式に導入すると決める前に、試験的に実施すれば、実際の需要を確かめられます。
A trial would let us check actual demand before committing to permanent opening hours.
Casual discussion: weigh the cost and try the proposal
- Ainformal
図書館を夜遅くまで開けるために人件費が増えると、反対意見が出るかもしれないね。
People might raise an objection about paying extra staff to keep the library open late.
- Binformal
そうなんだよ。もう予算がほとんど残ってないんだ。
- Ainformal
確かにお金は余計にかかるけど、まずは週に一度だけ夜も開けてみるのはありだと思う。
You're right about the extra cost, but we could try just one evening a week.
- Binformal
それだけお金をかける価値があるくらい、本当に人が来ると思う？
Do you really think enough people would come to make it worth the money?
- Ainformal
一番大きな理由は、地元で働く100人から、夜も図書館を開けてほしいって要望があったことだ。
The best reason we've got is that a hundred local workers have asked for evening hours.
- Binformal
まずは試しにやって、実際にどれくらい人が来るか見てみよう。
Let's try it first and see how many people actually turn up.