noun
forced seppuku; being made to commit ritual suicide
Historical term for being ordered or pressured to commit seppuku, often as a form of punishment or taking responsibility.
江戸時代、不祥事を起こした家臣は詰め腹を切らされることがあった。
In the Edo period, retainers who caused scandals were sometimes forced to commit seppuku.
noun
being forced to resign; taking responsibility by stepping down
Modern figurative use derived from the historical sense; refers to being pressured to resign from a position, often in politics or business, as a way of taking responsibility. Commonly used in the phrase 詰め腹を切らされる.
See also: 詰め腹を切らされる
大臣は汚職事件の責任を取って詰め腹を切らされた。
The minister was forced to resign to take responsibility for the corruption scandal.
社長は業績悪化の詰め腹を切らされる形で辞任した。
The president resigned, effectively being forced to take the fall for the poor business performance.
切腹 is the general term for ritual suicide by disembowelment, while 詰め腹 specifically refers to being forced or pressured into it, often as a punishment.
責任を取る is a broader phrase for taking responsibility, while 詰め腹 implies being forced to resign or take the blame, often with a negative connotation of being scapegoated.
Compound of 詰め (tsume, 'pressing' or 'cornering') and 腹 (hara, 'belly'), referring to being cornered into cutting one's belly. The figurative sense of forced resignation developed from the historical practice.