The Subtle Art of 'Letting it Go': そういうことにしておこう (Sou iu koto ni shite okou)

Hello, fellow warriors who have 'survived' in Japan for over a decade! You're probably no stranger to 'tricky' communication situations. Today, we're going to dissect a very 'Japanese' phrase, an ultimate weapon for maintaining world peace (within the scope of your conversation) 😂. That phrase is 「そういうことにしておこう」.

💡 The "Classic" Scenario

Imagine this:

You have a coffee date with a friend at 2 PM. At 2:30, they rush in and say:

友人A：「ごめんごめん！家を出る直前に、飼ってるインコが突然シェイクスピアを暗唱し始めてさ…聞かないわけにいかないじゃん？」 (Friend A: "Sorry, sorry! Right before I left, my pet parakeet suddenly started reciting Shakespeare... I couldn't just not listen, you know?" 🦜)

Okay... a clearly fabricated, albeit creative, excuse. You know perfectly well they overslept or were just late.

What do you do in this situation?

• Call them out? 😠 「嘘つけ！」(Liar!) -> Kills the mood.
• Believe them completely? 😲 「え、すご！動画撮った？」(Wow, amazing! Did you record it?) -> A bit naive.

This is where a seasoned Japan-dweller would smile and deploy the master trick:

あなた：「そっか、それは大変だったね（笑）。まあ、そういうことにしておこう。」 (You: "I see, that must have been tough (laughs). Well, let's just go with that.")

🤔 Analyzing the "Master Trick"

「そういうことにしておこう」 literally translates to "Let's decide to consider the matter as such."

This phrase carries a deep, layered meaning:

• "I know you're lying through your teeth..." (implied)
• "...but I'm not going to call you out on it." (shows generosity)
• "Let's just pretend that's the truth so we can move on with our conversation happily." (prioritizes harmony)

It's a wonderful social tool for "letting things go" subtly. You show that you're not a fool, while also demonstrating maturity (大人な対応 - otona na taiou) by not getting bogged down in arguing over trivial matters.

🚀 When to use it?

1. When receiving an unconvincing apology/explanation:

   • A colleague submits a report with errors: 「すみません、昨日ちょっと猫のことで悩みがあって…」 (I'm sorry, I was a bit worried about my cat yesterday...)
   • You: 「そうだったんだ。じゃあ、そういうことにしておきましょう。」(More polite with 〜ましょう) -> Okay, I'll tentatively accept that reason, but you'd better fix the report. 😉

2. When you want to end a pointless debate:

   • Two people are arguing about whether singer A or B is better. To stop, one might say:
   • 「わかったわかった、Aの方が歌がうまいってことで。そういうことにしておこう。」-> Okay, okay, let's just say singer A is better. We'll leave it at that! 👍

⚠️ A Note of Caution

• This phrase can sound a bit condescending, so use it sparingly with superiors or elders unless you have a very close relationship.
• Your tone of voice is crucial. Say it with a slight smile or a joking tone, otherwise it can sound like bitter sarcasm.

「そういうことにしておこう」 is the art of overlooking the small stuff to preserve relationships. It's not about being fake, but about being a smart, mature person who understands the bigger picture.

Try it next time you find yourself in a 'tricky' situation!