10

Just wondering what へ means in this context.

日本郵政「かんぽの宿」すべて売却へ

Seems like it might be implying that the "Kanpo no Yado" are going to sell off all its assets but I'm a little confused as to the specific meaning へ has here.

Xanadulo
  • 343
  • 1
  • 8

1 Answers1

11

It is a specific usage to headlines in newspaper. Practically it means it is going to happen, which derives from the most basic sense of へ: direction.

The line in the question has が and を omitted: 日本郵政「かんぽの宿」すべて売却へ, which means Japan Post will sell all of its 「かんぽの宿」 (hotel business).


Exactly what particles are omitted varies, and to get the full meaning the omitted particles must be guessed.

  • 東京オリンピック延期へ : Tokyo Olympic games will be postponed. (が is omitted, passive)
  • Apple新型iPad発表へ : Apple will reveal new iPad. (が、を are omitted, active)
  • 首相辞任へ : Prime Minister will resign. (が is omitted, active)

(The first can also be considered as を omitted and active: They postpone...)


Generally headlines ending in へ・も・か are used to avoid definitively stating something as a fact (especially も and か). (Cf. 新聞記事の「へもか」 )

Eddie Kal
  • 11,469
  • 5
  • 20
  • 41
sundowner
  • 36,445
  • 2
  • 19
  • 57