を余儀なくされるBe forced to; have no choice but to
A formal expression saying that external circumstances leave a person or organization no choice but to take an unwanted, difficult, or costly action.
How the event is framed
を余儀なくされる presents the event from the affected party’s viewpoint. The subject does not freely choose the action: a disaster, shortage, policy change, breakdown, or similar outside pressure makes the action unavoidable. The cause may be stated explicitly or already clear from context.
Typical formal contexts
The construction often appears with formal nouns meaning change, suspension, cancellation, withdrawal, reduction, or reassessment.
感染拡大を受け、多くの事業者が営業時間の短縮を余儀なくされた。
In response to the spread of infections, many businesses were forced to shorten their operating hours.
Analyze本日は、設備の不具合により、運行計画の見直しを余儀なくされました。
Today, due to an equipment malfunction, we have been forced to revise the operating schedule.
AnalyzeThis is natural in a careful public announcement. The speaker’s organization is understood as the affected party.
Affected party or external cause?
With を余儀なくされる, the affected party is the subject. The causative を余儀なくさせる reverses the viewpoint: the external cause becomes the subject, and the affected party is marked with に.
病院は大規模な浸水により、一部閉鎖を余儀なくされた。
The hospital was forced to close part of its facilities because of severe flooding.
AnalyzeThe hospital is the affected subject.
大規模な浸水が病院に一部閉鎖を余儀なくさせた。
Severe flooding forced the hospital to close part of its facilities.
AnalyzeHere the flooding is the subject and the hospital is the affected party.
More examples
需要の急減により、会社は生産計画の縮小を余儀なくされた。
A sharp fall in demand forced the company to scale back its production plan.
Analyze原材料の不足で、メーカー各社は価格設定の再検討を余儀なくされている。
A shortage of raw materials is forcing manufacturers to reconsider their pricing.
Analyze交渉の決裂を受け、代表団は方針転換を余儀なくされた。
Following the breakdown of negotiations, the delegation was forced to change course.
Analyze台風の接近に伴い、主催者は大会の延期を余儀なくされました。
With the typhoon approaching, the organizers have been forced to postpone the tournament.
Analyze予算削減のため、研究チームは調査規模の縮小を余儀なくされた。
Budget cuts forced the research team to reduce the scale of the study.
Analyze訴訟の長期化によって、双方は戦略の見直しを余儀なくされる可能性がある。
A prolonged lawsuit may force both sides to reassess their strategies.
Analyze