Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi holding the Grand Prize at Tokyo Kaikan. (©Sankei by Akira Konno)
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's statement that she would "work, work, work, work, and work" won the Grand Prize for the 2025 Buzzword of the Year on December 1.
She made the remark on October 4, during a speech to party members after being elected the first female president of the Liberal Democratic Party.
In her address, she urged members to unite, tackle policy challenges, and rebuild the party. Emphasizing her own determination, she declared, "I will abandon the concept of work-life balance. I will work, work, work, work, and work."
The judges explained their choice for the top buzzword, noting that "this kind of spirited, gutsy rhetoric, which is rare in recent years, shocked the business world, which has been promoting work-style reforms." They added, "While it sparked controversy, many members of the Showa generation likely felt a sense of nostalgia because that's how work used to be for them."
Other Top Buzzwords
- Ehho, Ehho: An internet meme inspired by a photo of a barn owl chick running across grass. The phrase "Ehho, Ehho" is a Japanese onomatopoeia representing the sound of running with effort.
- MYAKU-MYAKU: The official mascot of Expo 2025, held in Osaka, Kansai.
- Trump Tariffs
- Old, Old, Old Rice (古古古米): This term drew attention when the Japanese government released long-stored rice to help stabilize prices. Literally meaning "very old rice," the grains had been stockpiled for several years.
- Emergency Gun Hunting / Bear Damage: These terms reflects the a surge in bear attacks across Japan in 2025.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
