The 2025 T&D Insurance Group New Word and Buzzword Awards, which determine the most popular phrase of the year, were announced on December 1st, and the annual grand prize was awarded to "I will work, work, work, work, work / Female Prime Minister," a phrase uttered by Sanae Takaichi, the first female Prime Minister, in her speech upon being elected as President of the Liberal Democratic Party. The award was announced at an awards ceremony held in Tokyo on the same day.
Regarding the reason for his selection, he said, "The business community, which is working to promote work style reform, was taken aback by his passionate way of speaking, something we haven't heard much of recently. His arrival at the Prime Minister's Residence at 3 a.m. caused further controversy, and there were reports of fax machines jamming in the Diet members' accommodation, but on the other hand, I think there were actually many people of the Showa generation who sympathized with him, saying, 'That's what work was like.' The reality is that while some places have achieved working styles that respect diversity, others are only halfway there."
She continued, "As the first female prime minister, there's no doubt that she has worked, worked, worked, and worked to get to where she is today. There are a mountain of problems both domestically and diplomatically. We cannot afford to let our guard down on any of them. Let's work, work, work, work, and work, while also making the most of others and developing ourselves, with Takaichi's version of a 'new work-life balance', and create a strong and happy Japan."
The top ten included "Myaku Myaku," the official mascot of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan; "Ehho Ehho," which was popular among Gen Z; and "National Treasure (I watched it)," the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film of all time. The "Special Selection Committee Award" was also awarded to Shigeo Nagashima's "Mr. Professional Baseball."
The award began in 1984 and is announced every year in early December. Candidate words are selected by the editorial department and other members, primarily from the words included in "Basic Knowledge of Modern Terms" (Jiyuukokuminsha). The selection committee consists of storyteller Kanda Hakusan, manga artist and columnist Shinsan Naeko, comedian Patrick Harlan, actor and essayist Muroi Shigeru, manga artist Yaku Mitsuru, and "Basic Knowledge of Modern Terms" editor-in-chief Otsuka Yoko.
◇2025 T&D Insurance Group New Words and Buzzwords Award Top Ten (winners in parentheses, titles omitted)
I will work, work, work, work, work / Female Prime Minister (Takaichi Sanae) ▽ Trump tariffs (Akazawa Ryomasa) ▽ Eh-ho-ho (Ujita Mai, Pisces) ▽ Emergency gun hunting / Bear damage (Government Hunter Tazawa Michihiro) ▽ National treasure (seen) ("National Treasure" film production committee) ▽ Old, old rice (Japan Rice Merchants Association) ▽ 80 years since the end of the war / 100 years since the Showa era (Hosaka Masayasu) ▽ Two seasons (Tachibana Yoshihiro, Takigawa Mao) ▽ Myakumyaku (Myakumyaku, the official mascot of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan) ▽ Old media (Aoyama Shigeharu)
