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Explanation: Dependable or reliable may be closer in meaning, but I think a favorite English word especially for people in a high office is integrity.
I suggest that you don't translate the "jikuha" part. This would sound negative in English while it does not in Japanese. You apparently have to keep everything positive here.
This term sure did raise a lot of discussion. I think there were a lot of great answers, and all of them would fit the term given certain context. It's a tough choice. For the particular context I am working with this time, the author did indeed favor the word "integrity", and had even mentioned so elsewhere in his writing. For that reason, and because of its succinct nature, I am going with "a man of integrity". However, the others should be added to the glossary as well for reference. 4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer
It’s an author’s license to use expressions as he/she sees fit, so if “軸は” is used, it’s our challenge to find the words to approximate it. Also, with due respect, I’d like to say that, although I love the words “integrity” and “principled”, I believe these words describe a person’s “moral compass” and don’t feel that was what the author intended.
It's one thing to point out as a translator that there's no suitable target expression. It's quite another to go so far as to flatly discredit the author by saying "typical wishy-washy writer thinking mode, only showing mess...," especially when the source expression means that the author takes note of the vice president's 軸 and approves of it. I'm not saying that the 軸 has to be translated literally (no one has, as far as I can tell) so in that sense I'm with bumbird-san, but I'd like to see things put in proper perspective.
Bree, I truely recommend you ignore "jiku wa". The man being a vice-president of big company I assume he is respected, owns steadfast and attractive personality. I have no idea why the author has to throw "jiku wa" into the sentence. This is typical wishy-washy writer thinking mode, only showing mess in his head that cannot focus on the subject matter. Therefore as far as I am concerned it should not be there.
Just want to add that, Bree, your questions always create an interesting and healthy buzz of opinions. Your questions seem "simple" initially but, in actuality, they require a lot of thought...
Explanation: For example:
He is a reliable man inside although he looks naive outside.
dunk Local time: 14:25 Native speaker of: Japanese
4 hrs confidence:
a man of integrity
Explanation: Dependable or reliable may be closer in meaning, but I think a favorite English word especially for people in a high office is integrity.
I suggest that you don't translate the "jikuha" part. This would sound negative in English while it does not in Japanese. You apparently have to keep everything positive here.
Yuki Okada Local time: 00:25 Native speaker of: Japanese PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
This term sure did raise a lot of discussion. I think there were a lot of great answers, and all of them would fit the term given certain context. It's a tough choice. For the particular context I am working with this time, the author did indeed favor the word "integrity", and had even mentioned so elsewhere in his writing. For that reason, and because of its succinct nature, I am going with "a man of integrity". However, the others should be added to the glossary as well for reference.
A man who’s steady and dependable/steady and reliable man
Explanation: a steady and dependable man/a steady and reliable man
Upon seeing the phrase "軸はしっかりした男", words like “steadfast” and “unfaltering” come to mind, but they may not work well in your context.
I think the noun "軸" and its adjective "しっかりした" may need to be "separated out" to form a more westernized interpretation for this executive’s positive attributes.
The word "steady" seems to take care of the word 軸. (“axis” is also defined as “the center around which something rotates so an axis has to be well-centered and steady.)
To that, I added "dependable" or "reliable" because "しっかりした" is defined as: secure, steady, reliable, trustworthy, level-headed (Shogakukan J-E Dictionary)
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Joyce A Thailand Local time: 11:25 Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 37
Explanation: When Japanese says 軸はしっかりした男, it means someone with principle, do what he said will do, dependable, reliable, and trustworthy.
However, here's a nuiance that his superficial character or behavior may not show his internal quality as such. 軸は connotes that.
As I posted on "discussion" this contravertial 軸は should be ignored as if translated, it is only confusing. It is confusing because 軸は works as though denying what follows しっかりした男. But if you want to emphasize or really wish to convey the shade of this double-structured, split-minded rhetoric, I would suggest to add "(basically he is)" a principle man.
As I suggested in "discussion", 軸は should be ignored. But if you really want to convey this typical Japanese split-minded, double-structured rhetoric, I would modify my answer by adding "basically he is "a principled man.
Explanation: 軸がしっかりした男＝This is literally translated to "a man with firm axis", which means " a man who has a firm belief."
Now, 軸はしっかりした男：This sentence means, "Though this man may have some problem, we can say that the man has a firm belief at least." It is very difficult to make clear difference between these two sentences.
The translation workplace 
