How to Read “A wind good for outgoing ships is bad for incoming ships”
Defune ni yoi kaze wa irifune ni warui
Meaning of “A wind good for outgoing ships is bad for incoming ships”
This proverb means that a situation favorable to one side becomes unfavorable to the other.
The same event or condition can have completely opposite effects depending on where you stand.
For example, a policy change might boost one industry while hurting another.
A strong yen benefits importers but harms exporters.
In many aspects of life, someone’s gain is closely tied to someone else’s loss.
We use this proverb when we need to understand conflicts of interest objectively.
It reminds us to consider the other side’s position.
Just because something benefits you doesn’t mean it benefits everyone.
This principle applies to economic policy, business competition, regional development, and many other areas of modern society.
Origin and Etymology
The exact literary origin of this proverb is unclear.
However, its structure suggests it emerged in port towns during the Edo period.
At that time, sailing ships powered by wind were the backbone of transportation.
Ships leaving port and ships entering port naturally travel in opposite directions.
Wind direction is a natural phenomenon with specific characteristics.
Wind blows from one direction, so a tailwind for one ship becomes a headwind for a ship going the opposite way.
This is a physical fact that no one can change.
People living in port towns witnessed this scene daily.
Sailors on departing ships would rejoice while those trying to enter port struggled, or vice versa.
They experienced firsthand how the same wind meant completely different things depending on your position.
This observation became a proverb that eventually transcended the maritime world.
It came to express a universal truth about human society in general.
The saying beautifully captures a basic structure of society: how one event can have opposite effects depending on your position.
Usage Examples
- The new regulations favor large corporations, but as they say, a wind good for outgoing ships is bad for incoming ships—small businesses face harsh conditions
- A weak yen helps export industries, but a wind good for outgoing ships is bad for incoming ships, so import-dependent sectors will struggle
Universal Wisdom
This proverb has endured because it recognizes a fundamental structure of human society.
The world essentially contains zero-sum elements.
We all want situations that work in our favor.
But in this world, someone’s benefit often comes at someone else’s expense.
What’s interesting is that this proverb doesn’t criticize or condemn.
Instead, it offers a calm observation.
Wind blowing from one direction is a law of nature—no one is to blame.
Similarly, conflicts of interest in society are often structural necessities.
This understanding teaches us two important attitudes.
First is humility. When you benefit from a situation, remember that others may be struggling.
Second is tolerance. When you’re at a disadvantage, it’s likely due to circumstances, not someone’s malice.
Through this simple maritime metaphor, our ancestors left us wisdom for overcoming conflict.
It’s about acknowledging different positions and trying to understand each other’s situations.
Perfect fairness may be difficult, but if we can imagine the other person’s position, society can become a little kinder.
When AI Hears This
A single condition—wind direction—affects outgoing and incoming ships in opposite ways.
This looks like a zero-sum game, but there’s an important difference.
In a true zero-sum game, one party’s gain directly equals another’s loss.
In poker, if someone wins 100 yen, someone else must lose 100 yen.
But this proverb describes a situation with a “third element”—environmental conditions.
What’s interesting is that the wind itself neither increases nor decreases.
In game theory, we might call this “position-dependent response to fixed parameters.”
An east wind that’s a tailwind for outgoing ships becomes a headwind for incoming ones.
The ships aren’t competing for the wind itself.
The conflict arises not from resource competition but from different “orientations” toward the same condition.
In modern society, interest rate policy is a perfect example.
Raising rates benefits savers but hurts borrowers.
The policy “wind direction” is one, but it becomes a tailwind or headwind depending on your position.
Crucially, Pareto improvement is theoretically impossible in this situation.
You can’t make someone better off without making someone else worse off.
That’s why policy decisions must inevitably choose “which way to set the wind.”
A neutral option simply doesn’t exist.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches us the importance of seeing things from multiple perspectives.
When you’re happy about a decision, someone else might be struggling with that same decision.
Conversely, when you’re at a disadvantage, it may be the nature of the situation, not someone’s ill will.
This awareness makes society more tolerant.
Political disagreements and business competition often stem from different positions.
Instead of viewing others as enemies, understanding “this wind direction suits them” creates room for dialogue.
At the same time, this proverb teaches us responsibility.
If you’re in a decision-making position, you must consider how your convenient choices affect others.
Perfect fairness may be difficult, but consideration is always possible.
In life, sometimes you have the wind at your back, sometimes you face it head-on.
Whatever position you’re in, keep a heart that can imagine the opposite perspective.
That’s the most valuable gift this ancient proverb offers to the modern world.
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