The is a character chosen by the through a national ballot in Japan, starting in 1995. The character with the most votes, selected to represent the events of that year, is announced in a ceremony on December 12 (Kanji Day) at Kiyomizu Temple. , , , The Great Hanshin–Awaji earthquake and growing feelings of unease caused by the

sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway The was an act of domestic terrorism perpetrated on 20 March 1995, in Tokyo, Japan, by members of the cult movement Aum Shinrikyo. In five coordinated attacks, the perpetrators released sarin on three lines of the Tokyo Metro (then ''Teito Rapid ...

. , , - , , } , , , Multiple outbreaks of food poisoning due to E. coli O157 occur, affecting school lunch programs. , , - , , } , , , The 1997 Asian financial crisis results in a wave of corporate bankruptcies and

bank A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets. Because ...

failures, while the Japanese team beats regional powerhouses in the Asia qualifying tournament to win a berth in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. , , - , , } , , , Sixty-seven people are sickened and four die after eating poisoned curry, for which Masumi Hayashi is arrested. Similar incidents follow amid concerns about dioxins. , , - , , } , , , The final year of the century, when the Tokaimura nuclear accident occurs. , , - , , } , , , Judo athlete Ryoko Tamura (now Ryoko Tani) and marathon-runner

Naoko Takahashi is a retired Japanese long-distance runner and Olympic gold medal-winning marathoner. She won the gold medal in the marathon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and became the first woman to complete a marathon in under 2:20:00 in 2001. Biography Tak ...

win gold at the Sydney Olympics,

Kim Dae Jung Kim Dae-jung (; ; 6 January 192418 August 2009), was a South Korean politician and activist who served as the eighth president of South Korea from 1998 to 2003. He was a 2000 Nobel Peace Prize recipient for his work for democracy and human ...

and Kim Jong-il hold the first North-South Korean presidential summit, the deaths of centenarian twin sisters Kin-san and Gin-san (whose names sound like "gold" and "silver"), and the introduction of the ¥2,000 note. , , - , , } , , , The September 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. war in Afghanistan, and the

global recession A global recession is recession that affects many countries around the world—that is, a period of global economic slowdown or declining economic output. Definitions The International Monetary Fund defines a global recession as "a decline i ...

. , , - , , } , , , Japan and North Korea begin talks and five Japanese citizens kidnapped by

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...

return to Japan. , , - , , } , , , The

Hanshin Tigers The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railwa ...

win the Central League pennant for the first time in 18 years and the involvement of the

Japan Self-Defense Force The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, the ...

in the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق ( Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict and the War on terror , image ...

, which some equated to "stepping on a tiger's tail" (). , , - , , } , , , The Chūetsu earthquake, Typhoon Tokage wrecks great damages upon landfall, the accident at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant, and scandal at

Mitsubishi Motors is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.cover-up of known defects. , , - , , } , , ,

Expo 2005 Expo 2005 was a World Expo held for 185 days between Friday, March 25 and Sunday, September 25, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, east of the city of Nagoya. Japan has also hosted Expo '70 Osaka (World Expo), Expo '75 Okinawa (Specialised Expo) ...

is held in

Aichi is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture ...

, Princess Nori marries Yoshiki Kuroda, and

table tennis Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...

athlete

Ai Fukuhara is a retired Japanese table tennis player and Olympic medalist, winning silver at the 2012 Summer Olympics and bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics with the Japanese women's team. She is sponsored by All Nippon Airways. Table tennis career Fuk ...

plays in China, as well as a spate of child-by-parent and parent-by-child murders. , , - , , } , , ,

Prince Hisahito of Akishino is the youngest child and only son of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Japan. He is the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the throne after his father, Fumihito. Birth Hisahito was born at 08:27 JST (23:27 UTC) ...

is born, while feelings of uncertainty about life arise from

hit and run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there may be a ...

accidents due to driving under the influence, suicide due to bullying, and the notable suicide of a member of the

Imperial Guard An imperial guard or palace guard is a special group of troops (or a member thereof) of an empire, typically closely associated directly with the Emperor or Empress. Usually these troops embody a more elite status than other imperial forces, i ...

. , , - , , } , , , A series of food labeling scandals in which expired products were relabeled and sold, problems over political funds and faulty pension records, and allegations of

copyright infringement Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, s ...

at the

Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park () is a theme park located in Bajiao, Shijingshan District of Beijing, China. First opened on September 28, 1986, the park is currently owned and operated by the Shijingshan District government. The park is serv ...

. , , - , , } , , , Changing of the

Japanese prime minister The prime minister of Japan ( Japanese: 内閣総理大臣, Hepburn: ''Naikaku Sōri-Daijin'') is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its Ministers of Stat ...

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

winning the

American presidency The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

using the slogan "

change Change or Changing may refer to: Alteration * Impermanence, a difference in a state of affairs at different points in time * Menopause, also referred to as "the change", the permanent cessation of the menstrual period * Metamorphosis, or change, ...

", economical and ecological changes around the world. , , - , , } , , , The

Democratic Party of Japan The was a centristThe Democratic Party of Japan was widely described as centrist: * * * * * * * to centre-left liberal or social-liberal political party in Japan from 1998 to 2016. The party's origins lie in the previous Democratic ...

is swept into power by lower house elections to end half a century of LDP dominance, the worldwide outbreak of

swine flu Swine influenza is an infection caused by any of several types of swine influenza viruses. Swine influenza virus (SIV) or swine-origin influenza virus (S-OIV) refers to any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. As ...

(known as ''Shin-gata influenza''), and Ichiro Suzuki sets a new MLB record with nine consecutive seasons with 200 hits. , , - , , } , , , Record heatwaves affecting both people's livelihoods and the natural environment and the Chilean mine collapse trapped 33 men about 700 meters underground in a hot, humid mine. , , - , , } , , , The Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami occurs, with people across Japan rediscovering the importance of their bonds with family and friends and Japan's women's national football team, ''

Nadeshiko Japan Nadeshiko may refer to: * ''Dianthus superbus'' subsp. ''longicalycinus'', a flowering plant native to Japan ** A feminine given name in Japan, after the flower * Yamato nadeshiko, a Japanese term used to praise the idealized Japanese woman * Nad ...

'', wins the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, a result of confidence and teamwork among its members. , , - , , } , , , Several medals are won at the

2012 London Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

Shinya Yamanaka is a Japanese stem cell researcher and a Nobel Prize laureate. He serves as the director of Center for iPS Cell (induced Pluripotent Stem Cell) Research and Application and a professor at the Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences at Kyo ...

wins a

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

, and a solar eclipse is observed for the first time in Japan in 932 years, amid concerns such as

consumption tax A consumption tax is a tax levied on consumption spending on goods and services. The tax base of such a tax is the money spent on consumption. Consumption taxes are usually indirect, such as a sales tax or a value-added tax. However, a consumpti ...

and

welfare Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specifical ...

("" is also the first kanji to be selected more than once). , , - , , } , , , Successful bid to host the

2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...

. (the original Japanese word for "Olympics" is , literally meaning "five rings") , , - , , } , , , Social discussion and additional expense tax in Japan. (VAT switching from 5% to 8%) , , - , , } , , , Safety () issues concerning explosion in

Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, 1894–1895 and 1937–1945 resp ...

, terrorist attack on Paris, and the public outcry at the new State Secrecy Law devised by prime minister . , , - , , , , High number of gold medals won at the

2016 Rio Olympics ) , nations = 207 (including IOA and EOR teams) , athletes = 11,238 , events = 306 in 28 sports (41 disciplines) , opening = 5 August 2016 , closing = 21 August 2016 , opened_by = Vice President Michel Temer , cauldron = Vanderlei Cordeiro de ...

, the shift to minus interest (“interest rate” is “kinri” in Japanese),

Trump Trump most commonly refers to: * Donald Trump (born 1946), 45th president of the United States (2017–2021) * Trump (card games), any playing card given an ad-hoc high rank Trump may also refer to: Businesses and organizations * Donald J. T ...

’s U.S. presidential election victory (“blonde hair” is “kinpatsu”), and Piko Taro, singer of ‘ PPAP’, who's known for wearing a gold-colored animal print outfit. (This is the third time this kanji has taken this honor.) , , - , , , ,

's missile tests and

nuclear test Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine nuclear weapons' effectiveness, Nuclear weapon yield, yield, and explosive capability. Testing nuclear weapons offers practical information about how the weapons function, how detona ...

, the heavy rain in northern Kyushu, and the poor harvest of potatoes in

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The lar ...

. , , - , , , , The

2018 Osaka earthquake On 18 June 2018, around 7:58 a.m. Japan Standard Time, an earthquake measuring 5.6 Mw on the moment magnitude scale (preliminary 5.5 Mw) struck in northern Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The earthquake's epicenter was near Takatsuki, Osaka, Takats ...

along with the heavy floods in southwestern Japan. This Kanji was also selected in 2004 as Kanji of the Year. , , - , , , , Japanese era name was changed into . As safety measures against the storm and downpour caused by

Typhoon Faxai Typhoon Faxai, known in Japan as , was the first typhoon to strike the Kantō region since Mindulle in 2016, and the strongest typhoon to hit the region since Ma-on in 2004. It was also the worst to hit the region since Talas in 2011, until ...

and

Typhoon Hagibis Typhoon Hagibis, known in Japan as Typhoon No.19 or , was a large and costly tropical cyclone that caused widespread destruction in Japan. The thirty-eighth depression, ninth typhoon, and third super typhoon of the 2019 Pacific typhoon season, ...

in Kantō region, the government issued ("issuing order" is "" in Japanese) evacuation orders. , , - , , , , Reference to the , a government recommendation to avoid closed spaces, crowds and close contact due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. It also references how people were brought closer together thanks to the stay-at-home directive. 'Mitsu' additionally alludes to secrets unveiled in the political and entertainment worlds in 2020. , , - , , , , Reference to the gold medals of the

Tokyo 2020 Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...

and Paralympics, which proceeded this July after being postponed but under special restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other great sporting achievements by Japanese athletes during the year.

Shohei Ohtani , nicknamed "Shotime", is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher, designated hitter and outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional ...

was awarded the

Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers' ...

, while

Sōta Fujii is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is the current holder of the Eiō, Kisei, Ōi, Ōshō and Ryūō titles. He is the youngest person to be awarded professional status by the Japan Shogi Association and one of only fiv ...

became the history's youngest shogi 4-crown title holder. In addition, new designs for Japanese banknotes were unveiled, and a new

500 yen coin The is the largest denomination of Japanese yen coin issued for circulation. These coins were first struck in 1982 as the vending machine industry needed a higher valued coin for use in their machines. The denomination had previously been iss ...

was introduced into circulation. , , - , , , , Reference to the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...

and the

assassination of Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister of Japan and a serving member of the House of Representatives, was assassinated on 8 July 2022 while speaking at a political event outside Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan. Whil ...

. ,

References

External links

Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society
Kanji Japanese culture Japan 1995 establishments in Japan December events {{Ja-lang-stub

See also

References

External links