What does へ mean at the end of this sentence?

Question

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.

Answer 1

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: 日本郵政が「かんぽの宿」をすべて売却へ, which means Japan Post will sell all of its 「かんぽの宿」 (hotel business).

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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...)

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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」 )