Bear with me, fellow student, as the example sentences in this lesson are going to be very lengthy.

Sadly, being able to read lengthy sentences like the ones in this lesson is part of what's required to pass JLPT N1.

At the very least, being able to read lengthy sentences in Japanese is pretty awesome, if you think about it...

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JLPT N1: に至っては (in the worst case; worst of all)

First, the verb 至る (いたる).

This verb can mean quite a few things. Here's a dictionary entry:

(1) to arrive at (e.g. a decision); to reach (a stage); to attain
(2) to lead to (a place); to get to
(3) to come; to arrive; to result in

In this lesson, we're using に至っては (にいたっては) to say that something or someone is the worst example of a negative thing.

Throughout our lesson, you'll notice that our examples more or less follow this pattern:

[negative situation]. [someone or something] に至っては、[worst example of negative situation].
→ [negative situation]. The worst is [someone or something]. [worst example of negative situation].

A preview of the English translations we'll come across in this lesson may help:

- Our kids are really picky eaters. Our youngest one is the worst. He [She] completely refuses to eat vegetables, fruit, and fish.

- A lack of nurseries and childcare workers is a problem all over Tokyo. Setagaya Ward is the worst, though. Reportedly, there are over 1,000 children on waiting lists (for nurseries).

- The cost of living in New York is too high. Rent is expensive. Eating out is expensive. The worst is the cost of healthcare. It’s no less than five times more expensive than Japan.

- Some allergies are very dangerous. In the worst cases, allergic reactions to things like soba (=buckwheat noodles) and peanuts can be fatal.

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Here's our first full example:

うちの子たちは食べ物の好き嫌いが激しい。末っ子に至っては、野菜も果物も魚も一切食べない。
うち　の　こ　たち　は　たべもの　の　すききらい　が　はげしい。　すえっこ　にいたっては、　やさい　も　くだもの　も　さかな　も　いっさい　たべない。
Our kids are really picky eaters. Our youngest one is the worst. He [She] completely refuses to eat vegetables, fruit, and fish.
Literally: “our family + の + kids + は + food + の + likes and dislikes / pickiness (about foods) + が + extreme. + youngest child + に至っては、+ vegetables + も + fruit + も + fish + も + (not) at all + won’t eat / doesn’t eat.”

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↑↑↓←↑←↓
Patterns
↑↑↓←↑←↓

Thankfully, this is simple:

NOUN ＋ に至っては
= NOUN is the worst

All that's left to do now is to power through some very lengthy examples.

You got this, yo...

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東京中で保育園不足や保育士不足が問題になっているが、世田谷区に至っては待機児童が1000人以上もいるそうだ。
とうきょう　じゅう　で　ほいくえん　ぶそく　や　ほいくし　ぶそく　が　もんだい　に　なっている　が、　せたがやく　にいたっては　たいきじどう　が　せん　にん　いじょう　も　いる　そうだ。
A lack of nurseries and childcare workers is a problem all over Tokyo. Setagaya Ward is the worst, though. Reportedly, there are over 1,000 children on waiting lists (for nurseries).
Literally: “Tokyo + -throughout + で + day care center / nursery school + shortage + や + nursery school teacher / childcare worker + shortage + が + problem + に + is becoming + が, + Setagaya Ward + に至っては + children on a waiting list (=standby/waiting + children/juvenile) + が + 1000 people + more than + も + there are + そうだ (=[hearsay marker]).”

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ニューヨークの生活費は高すぎる。家賃も高いし外食も高い。医療費に至っては、日本の５倍はくだらない。
ニューヨーク　の　せいかつひ　は　たかすぎる。　やちん　も　たかい　し　がいしょく　も　たかい。　いりょうひ　にいたっては、　にほん　の　ごばい　は　くだらない。
The cost of living in New York is too high. Rent is expensive. Eating out is expensive. The worst is the cost of healthcare. It’s no less than five times more expensive than Japan.
Literally: “New York + の + living expense + は + too expensive. + rent + も + expensive + し (=and; besides) + eating out + も + expensive. + medical expenses + に至っては, + Japan + の + five times + は + is not less than.”

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いくつかのアレルギーはとても危険です。そばやピーナッツのアレルギーにいたっては、命を落とす可能性もあります。
いくつか　の　アレルギー　は　とても　きけん　です。　そば　や　ピーナッツ　の　アレルギー　にいたっては、　いのち　を　おとす　かのうせい　も　あります。
Some allergies are very dangerous. In the worst cases, allergic reactions to things like soba (=buckwheat noodles) and peanuts can be fatal.
Literally: “some + の + allergies + は + very + dangerous + です. + soba + や + peanuts + の + allergies + に至っては, + lose one’s life (=life + を + drop/lose) + possibility + も + there is.”

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We made it to the end!

Or maybe you just scrolled to the end because you didn't want to read the above examples. In either case, I'm proud of you.

お疲れ様です！