〜にもかかわらず

〜にもかかわらず is a conjunction meaning despite / in spite of, used to connect clauses and express logical relationships between ideas. Japanese has a rich set of conjunctions that convey subtle differences in meaning — contrast, cause, concession, addition — and using them correctly makes your Japanese flow naturally.

This is an advanced pattern found primarily in formal writing, news articles, business Japanese, and academic texts.

When to Use#

• When a result contradicts what was expected from the condition
• When something happens despite a clear obstacle

When NOT to Use#

• When the meaning is closer to "thanks to / because of" — use 〜おかげで / 〜せいで instead
• In casual conversation where a simpler expression would be more natural

Example Sentences#

• 悪い評判にもかかわらず、その会社は事業を続けました。 — Despite the negative publicity, the company continued its business.
• 景気が悪化したにもかかわらず、当社は利益を維持しました。 — Despite the economic downturn, our company maintained profits.
• 注意されたにもかかわらず、彼はSNSに投稿し続けました。 — Despite being warned, he continued to post on social media.

Practice#

Try reading these sentences aloud, then check the translation and vocabulary:

Common Mistakes#

1. Confusing 〜にもかかわらず with 〜おかげで / 〜せいで — While both are related, 〜にもかかわらず expresses "despite / in spite of" whereas 〜おかげで / 〜せいで expresses "thanks to / because of." Pay attention to the specific nuance each pattern conveys.
2. Using 〜にもかかわらず in casual conversation — This pattern sounds overly formal or literary in casual speech. Reserve it for formal writing, presentations, or situations that call for elevated language.
3. Direct translation from English — The concept expressed by 〜にもかかわらず may not map one-to-one with its English translation. Focus on understanding the Japanese usage through example sentences rather than relying on the English gloss.

Related Patterns#

• 〜ば (if ~) — Next step
• 〜どころか (far from / let alone) — Next step
• 〜いかんによらず (regardless of) — Next step
• 〜のに (although / despite) — Next step
• 〜おかげで / 〜せいで (thanks to / because of) — Compare