noun
expediency; using questionable means for a good end
Refers to taking a pragmatic or morally flexible approach to achieve a worthy goal; often carries a nuance of bending rules or ethics for a greater purpose. Relatively rare and somewhat literary.
彼の行動は権道だと言われたが、結果的に多くの人を救った。
His actions were called expedient, but in the end they saved many people.
政治の世界では時に権道も必要とされる。
In the world of politics, expediency is sometimes considered necessary.
Compound of 権 (けん, 'temporary, expedient') and 道 (どう, 'way, path'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term appears in classical Chinese thought and was adopted into Japanese with a similar meaning.