The new department head was put in the firing line right after taking office.
She stood in the line of fire at the press conference and answered questions.
in front of a flying arrow
Original literal meaning: the direction from which arrows come. Now rare and mostly historical; the figurative sense is dominant in modern Japanese.
In old documents, warriors are depicted standing in front of flying arrows.
矢面 refers to the front line or the direct target of criticism (as in 矢面に立つ), while 矢先 in this related sense refers to the tip/target of an arrow itself, not the position of the person facing it.
Standard kanji spelling; used in news and common expressions.
Alternate kanji spelling; less common than 矢面.
Compound of 矢 (arrow) and 面 (face, direction). Originally referred to the direction from which arrows come; later extended figuratively to any situation where one faces attacks or criticism.