Difficulty understanding the structure of this sentence


I have a hard time understanding this sentence from a manga.

> 最近｛さいきん｝じゃ恋人｛こいびと｝の存在｛そんざい｝を公言｛こうげん｝しながら活動｛かつどう｝してる女優｛じょゆう｝さんも沢山｛たくさん｝いるし

  1. What the「じゃ」is doing after「最近」? Is it short for「では」?

  2. The overall structure of the sentence is confusing. Why「ながら」is used there? Is it supposed to mean "In these days, while declaring the existence of their lover, there are many active actresses"? What's the role of「も」?



  1. Yes, じゃ here means では. So 最近（では・じゃ） would mean, "as of recent times."
  2. ながら can show simultaneity as well as contradiction. For example:

> ゆっくりながら（も）、完成に近づいています。  
>  Although slowly, I’m approaching completion.

  * So in your sentence, 恋人の存在を公言しながら would mean something along the lines of "while/although they have announced being in a relationship..."

  * The も here means "also". It refers to the（恋人の存在を公言しながら活動している）女優 who are "working actresses that have announced that they are in a relationship". This might be in contrast to actresses who announced being in a relationship, and stopped working as one. It might also be in contrast to actresses who are unable to be in a relationship because of their job.

Putting it all together:

> 最近じゃ恋人の存在を公言しながら活動している女優さんも沢山いるし。  
>  Plus, there are plenty of actresses nowadays that continue to work in the
> industry despite announcing that they're in a relationship.

Also, is this 押しの子? I feel like I've seen this somewhere.



  1. Yes, じゃ here means では. So 最近（では・じゃ） would mean, "as of recent times."
  2. ながら can show simultaneity as well as contradiction. For example:

> ゆっくりながら（も）、完成に近づいています。  
>  Although slowly, I’m approaching completion.

  * So in your sentence, 恋人の存在を公言しながら would mean something along the lines of "while/although they have announced being in a relationship..."

  * The も here means "also". It refers to the（恋人の存在を公言しながら活動している）女優 who are "working actresses that have announced that they are in a relationship". This might be in contrast to actresses who announced being in a relationship, and stopped working as one. It might also be in contrast to actresses who are unable to be in a relationship because of their job.

Putting it all together:

> 最近じゃ恋人の存在を公言しながら活動している女優さんも沢山いるし。  
>  Plus, there are plenty of actresses nowadays that continue to work in the
> industry despite announcing that they're in a relationship.

Also, is this 押しの子? I feel like I've seen this somewhere.

