Richard Medhurst

I know it's tough when you're required to match the Japanese almost exactly, but...

"That would be tantamount to fanning the flames of “hino kuruma no daidokoro,” which literally is a “kitchen with a car on fire” but means being in dire financial straits."

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15015853

VOX POPULI: Kishida ignores nation’s perilous financial state as challenges loom | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Foreigners who came to Japan around the time of the Meiji Restoration of 1868 were surprised by the structure and layout of Japanese homes.

The Asahi Shimbun
Oct 3, 2023 at 8:16amWeb
Show threadRichard MedhurstOct 4, 2023

Worth noting that the "hi no kuruma" is not a "car on fire" but a fiery chariot that carries sinners to hell. With that definition, it's not much of a leap to severe financial difficulties.

The "daidokoro" or kitchen represents financial matters too, which is also not much of a leap, especially if you think of household expenses.

Show threadsemisaraOct 3, 2023
@richardmedh This one is particularly ironic because 天声人語 has a strict character limit, but translating it like this makes the English version so long
Show threadRichard MedhurstOct 4, 2023
@semisara I guess it adds to the difficulties when the Japanese is using compressed phrases packed with meaning.