In this lesson, we will begin coverage on phrases that all translate as “despite” and “regardless.” However, they each have their own nuances and restrictions. They are testaments to synonyms not being the same. Pay close attention to the kinds of words that these phrases are used with. This doesn’t simply mean noticing that they’re used with nouns, particles, etc. but more so what kinds of nouns, what sort of particles, etc. are they used with. Semantic categorization of the things that come before these phrases ultimately determine the grammaticality of the sentences they’re found in.
The phrase にもかかわらず derives from the verb 関（わ）る・拘（わ）る. The first spelling indicates as a meaning of “to be concerned with” and the second spelling indicates as a meaning of “to be held back by…” Inherently, the latter spelling denotes a negative connotation. When used in the form, にもかかわらず, we get an expression that means “although/despite X…” This can be used to indicate that an action/state Y is done/happens despite “X.” Or, the speaker is not constrained by “X” and Y, thus, can take place. Let’s look at a few examples.
Particle Note: The use of the particle も adds an emphatic tone that may express surprise, frustration, criticism, unpredictability, and various other emotions depending on the context.
1. 妊娠しているにもかかわらず、検査結果が陰性となることがあります。
There are times when has a negative test result despite being pregnant.
In this example, the issue at hand is that pregnancy tests are not always accurate. Even when a woman gets a negative test result, she may still be pregnant. Therefore, despite “X” being the case, in which case the respected result is that the woman receives a positive reading, “Y” happens: she gets a negative reading.
As far as spelling is concerned, にもかかわらず is almost always not written in 漢字. If, however, it were in this situation 拘わらず would not be the appropriate spelling as it isn’t the case that situation Y involves a subject purposefully defying a restraining “X” circumstance. Thus, 関わる would be the more sensible spelling; however, in reality, this spelling is not used much in everyday writing. This is because かかわらず, in particular, was not given an authorized 漢字 spelling during language reform when the 常用漢字 list was made. Although this list’s influence is diminishing, its effects are still felt in the typical spelling of many phrases such as this one.
2. 雨が降っているにもかかわらず、皇居前にはたくさんの人々が集まりました。
Many people gathered in front of the Imperial Palace despite it raining.
In this example, にもかかわらず demonstrates that “despite” the rain not stopping, in other words, despite situation X not changing, situation Y—people gathering in front of the Imperial Palace—remained constant. As far as we can glance from this single sentence, the people gathered didn’t just disperse because of the rain. Both situations, X and Y, didn’t change yet. This is the relationship that にもかかわらず verbalizes. It also demonstrates that the people gathered don’t view the rain as an issue to be grappled with or a something that’s even in consideration for them to appear at the Imperial Palace. Whatever is happening there is what’s truly important to these people.
3. 弟は深夜にもかかわらず、ゲームに夢中です。
My little brother is engrossed in his games regardless if it’s late at night.
Another means of interpreting にもかかわらず is that situation Y is contrary to what one would otherwise anticipate. The ‘natural prediction’ is situation Z, which isn’t the case. In lieu of Ex. 3, situation X would be the fact that it is late at night. Situation Y is the speaker’s little brother being engrossed in a game. Situation Z is the little brother sleeping instead, like a presumably younger child should be doing at that time of night. The observation here is that “despite X (being late in the night) otherwise leading to Z (sleeping at night like a young child should), Y (being engrossed in a game) happens instead.”
4. 結構有名なのにもかかわらず、まだ流行っていないのが不思議なくらいです。
It’s odd that it still hasn’t become popular despite being quite famous.
Most instances of にもかかわらず involve an active agent in situation Y. Even when one isn’t explicitly obvious, one is always implied. For instance, in Ex. 4, it takes people to determine the popularity of something. Similarly, in Ex. 5, it takes people to buy an expensive item for it be a hot seller.
5. 結構値段が高いにもかかわらず、大変なヒット商品になりました。
It’s become an incredible hot seller despite it being quite expensive.
Although にもかかわらず isn't used as much in the spoken language as it is in the written language, it is still easily incorporated into everyday conversation.
6. 電車に乗っててちゃんと起きてるにもかかわらず降りる駅を通り過ぎてしまうことしょっちゅうですよ。
I frequently pass the station I get off at when I’m riding the train regardless if I’m properly awake.
にもかかわらず doesn’t need to always fall a dependent clause. “X” can simply be それ. In fact, especially in the written language, you may see a sentence start off with にもかかわらず, in which situation X will have been expressed immediately before the sentence.
7. 彼には欠点が多いが、それにもかかわらず、彼と恋に落ちてしまった。
He has a lot of faults, but regardless of them, I ended up falling in love with him.
8. こんな霧にもかかわらずライトもつけずに走ってる車いるなんてちょっと信じられない。
It’s a little hard to believe that there are cars racing by without their lights on regardless of this kind of fog.
9. 昨日は悪天候にもかかわらずご来店ありがとうございました。
Thank you for visiting our store yesterday despite the bad weather.
10. サービス産業で人手が不足しているにもかかわらず、賃金の増加は見られていない。
There are no wage increases being seen despite labor shortages in the service industry.
11. 自分で言ったにもかかわらず、覚えてないなんて、馬鹿かよ。
How stupid can you be, not remembering despite the fact that you were the one who said it?
12. ここは禁煙なのにもかかわらず平気で煙草を吸っている人が多い。
There are many people who smoke without batting an eyelid here despite it being nonsmoking.
13. ペット禁止なのにもかかわらず、お隣が猫を数匹飼ってて、しかも家の中を綺麗にしてないので、暖かくなると、ノミが大量に発生してしまうんです。
Despite pets being banned, my neighbor(s) have several cats, and since (he/she/they) don’t keep the house clean, whenever it gets warm, there is a major flee outbreak.
Spelling Note: ノミ may seldom be spelled as 蚤.
14. 週末にもかかわらず、迅速かつ丁寧なお返事をありがとうございました。
Thank you for the quick and polite response despite it being the weekend.
Grammatically, かかわらず is first and foremost derived from the verb かかわる combined with the negative auxiliary verb ず. In older forms of Japanese, ず stood for ない. At the end of sentences, it would take the form ず. As a participle, it would take the form ぬ. In the sense of ないで, it would take the form ず（に）. In Modern Japanese, it survives in many set phrases, proverbs, and the written language, especially in literature. It largely survives, though, in grammar points such as this where it is very much still alive.
One thing that must be understood, however, is that not all phrases that have ず possess the same degree of grammatical capability. For instance, you can’t end a sentence with かかわらず. This is because the phrase has been grammaticalized to only appear mid-sentence in both にもかかわらず and にかかわらず (discussed below).
にもかかわらず, when written as に関わらず, shows how its literal meaning is to indicate that “X” is not connected to the situation at hand. Therefore, “irrespective of X, Y still stands.” This expression is rather formal and stiff. There is a definitive tone that clearly states that “X” has nothing to do with the situation and that “Y” is the situation at hand.
This expression is frequently used after patterns such as など, かどうか, あるなし, words that indicate multiple values or elements such age, race, etc. as well as words that are composed of antonyms such as 好き嫌い (likes and dislikes) or 有無 (existence or nonexistence/presence or absence). It's even possible for it to be seen after the doubling of adjectives and verbs without particle intervention (Exs. いい悪いにかかわらず・するしないにかかわらず, etc.).
Due to the lack of the particle も, にかかわらず is far more objective and formal.
15. 電車の中で、年齢にかかわらず、モンストをやってる人って見たことありますか。
Do you see people on the train irrespective of age playing Monster Strike?
16. 性別や年齢、性的嗜好などにかかわらず、自分らしく暮らすことができる社会を目指しましょう。
Let us aim for a society where people can live as themselves irrespective of gender, age, sexual orientation, etc.
17. この企業は、国籍にかかわらず、人材を採用する意向を示している。
This company shows intention to recruit human resources irrespective of nationality.
18. ここは、学歴にかかわらず高卒、大学院卒者も、実質的に同じ内容の仕事でキャリアを始めるホワイトカラー職場だ。
This place is a white-collar workplace to start a career where, irrespective of education, high school graduates as well as graduate school graduates can start a job with effectively the same content.
19. 親が反対かどうかにかかわらず、僕は必ず彼と結婚する！
Regardless if my parents are against it, I will marry my boyfriend!
20. 経験のあるなしにかかわらず、誰でも参加することができます。
Anyone can participate irrespective of whether or not one has experience.
21. アメリカでも、繊細で弱い男性は、性的嗜好にかかわらず、同性愛者だとのレッテルを貼られてしまうことがよくあるのです。
Even in America, slender, weak men are often labeled as homosexuals irrespective of their sexual orientation.
22. 我々人間は、好き嫌いにかかわらず目立つものを優先的に脳で認識してしまいます。
We as humans preferentially recognize things that stand out in the brain irrespective of our likes and dislikes.
23. 宿泊の有無にかかわらず、楽しめます。
You can have a good time regardless whether or not you lodge.
24. 症状の有無にかかわらず、虫除け剤を使用するなど蚊に刺されない対策を少なくとも2週間は継続して行ってください。
Irrespective of the presence or absence of symptoms, please continue undergoing preventive measures from getting bitten by mosquitoes such as using bug spray for at least two weeks.
25. 気温にかかわらず土中温度はほぼ一定です。
The temperature in the ground is constant irrespective of air temperature.
26. 猛暑にかかわらず、エアコンの除湿機能とシーリングファンで十分でした。
The dehumidifier function of the air-conditioner and the ceiling fan were sufficient irrespective of the fierce heat.
27. 古新や古雑誌などございましたら、多少にかかわらずお声をおかけください。
If you have any old newspapers or old magazines, please give a shout regardless of the quantity.
28. この路線バスの料金は、乗った距離にかかわらず、一律５ドルです。
This bus line fare is a flat rate of five dollars regardless of the distance one rides.
29. 症状にかかわらず避けたい食品添加物について一番下に記載してあります。
Food additives that you want to avoid regardless of symptoms are detailed at the very bottom.
30. 親の経済状況にかかわらず、子供の生活や教育機会が保障される必要がある。
The livelihood and chance of education for children needs to be assured regardless of the economic state of the parents.
を問わず is always used with a noun that has multiple values, elements, etc. attributed to it. For instance, 四季 means “the four seasons,” and as is obvious from the word itself, there are four individual elements it refers to: spring, summer, fall, and winter. The purpose of を問わず is to demonstrate that the different elements/values at hand are not being considered and/or made into issues. In other words, situation Y is not limited to situation (restraint) X.
This pattern is not used with other grammatical items like にかかわらず is. In other words, you won’t see it with など, doubling of adjectives like in 高い安いにかかわらず, or the doubling of verbs like in するしないにかかわらず. Some speakers will use it with かどうか, but the noun before かどうか must be one that implies two or more elements for it to be grammatically passible.
31. この公園は四季を問わず、綺麗な花を咲かせ、大勢の観光客を楽しませてくれます。
This park, regardless of the seasons, blooms beautiful flowers and delights a great number of tourists.
32. そういった政治決断は、党派を問わず米国ではマイナスとなります。
Such a political decision regardless of partisanship is a negative in America.
33. 男女を問わず、家事や育児を平等に分担すべきだ。
Housework and child-rearing ought to be equally shared regardless of sex.
34. 現代の若者は、性別を問わず自分で調理できることが大切だと思う。
I think it is important that modern young people are able to prepare food by themselves regardless of gender.
35. 老若男女を問わずに楽しめる海外旅行先といったらカナダのバンクーバーでしょう。
Speaking of an overseas destination where anyone regardless of age or sex can have fun at, that’d definitely be Vancouver in Canada.
36. 生死を問わず、湖にコイを遺棄してはならない。
Whether dead or alive, you must not dispose of coy fish in the lake.
Spelling Note: コイ may also be spelled as 鯉.
37. 鉱物油や動植物油の種類を問わず、吸収力に優れています。
Regardless of the kind of mineral oil or animal/vegetable oil, its absorption power is superior.
38. ゲシュタルト崩壊は、言語を問わず起こる心理的な現象である。
Gestaltzerfall is a psychological phenomenon that occurs regardless of language.
39. 次第に人種を問わず国外でも使用されるようになってきました。
It has gradually become used outside the country irrespective of race.
40. 海外では途上国、先進国を問わず入院期間が短いのが特徴だ。
Short hospitalization time is a characteristic of overseas nations regardless of whether it is a developed or developing country.
41. 経験の有無は問わず、誰でも応募できます。
Anyone can apply irrespective of having or lacking experience.
42. 場所を問わずに会議ができる。
You can have a meeting regardless of your location.
43. 政府軍は、軍人・難民を問わず残虐行為、虐殺を行っている。
The government forces are committing atrocities and slaughters of people irrespective of whether they were militants or refugees.
44. 東京文京区は職員採用に国籍を問わない。
Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo does not inquire about nationality in personnel recruiting.
45. 金額は問いません。
Money is no object.