Every Kanji of the Year in Japan (1995–2025)
The top 3 according to 29 votes from people: 1995: 震 ("quake") · 1996: 食 ("food") · 1999: 末 ("end"). (Updated Aug 30, 2026.)
Every December the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation announces the "Kanji of the Year", chosen by public vote and written with a giant brush at Kiyomizu-dera. From "quake" in 1995 to "bear" in 2025; "gold" has been chosen five times.
Automatically translated (original in 日本語). See the original
Top 31
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1
1995: 震 ("quake")
The Great Hanshin earthquake and the Tokyo subway sarin attack.
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2
1996: 食 ("food")
Mass O157 food poisoning outbreaks and the first cases of mad cow disease.
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3
1999: 末 ("end")
The end of the millennium and the Tokaimura nuclear accident.
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4
2001: 戦 ("war")
The 11 September attacks and the war in Afghanistan.
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5
2007: 偽 ("fake")
A string of food-labelling scandals and the lost pension records.
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6
2011: 絆 ("bonds")
The bonds between people after the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami.
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7
2019: 令 ("order / beautiful")
The new imperial era name, Reiwa.
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8
1997: 倒 ("collapse")
The collapse of Hokkaido Takushoku Bank and Yamaichi Securities.
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9
2000: 金 ("gold")
Gold medals for Naoko Takahashi and Ryoko Tamura in Sydney and the first inter-Korean summit (Kim and Kim).
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10
2002: 帰 ("return")
Japanese abductees returning from North Korea after the first Japan–North Korea summit.
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11
2003: 虎 ("tiger")
The Hanshin Tigers' first league title in 18 years.
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12
2006: 命 ("life")
The birth of Prince Hisahito and worries over suicides among schoolchildren.
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13
2009: 新 ("new")
The new DPJ government of Yukio Hatoyama and President Obama.
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14
2012: 金 ("gold")
Tokyo Skytree, London 2012 medals, Shinya Yamanaka's Nobel Prize and an annular solar eclipse.
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15
2015: 安 ("safety")
Abe's security bills and worries about terrorism and safety.
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16
2016: 金 ("gold")
Gold medals at Rio 2016 and Ichiro's 3,000 MLB hits.
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17
2017: 北 ("north")
North Korea's missile launches and nuclear test.
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18
2022: 戦 ("war")
Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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19
2024: 金 ("gold")
The LDP slush-fund scandal, new banknotes and gold medals in Paris.
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20
2021: 金 ("gold")
Gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and Shohei Ohtani's season.
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21
1998: 毒 ("poison")
The Wakayama poisoned curry case and fears over dioxins.
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22
2004: 災 ("disaster")
The Chūetsu earthquake, floods and a record run of typhoons.
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23
2005: 愛 ("love")
The Aichi Expo ("Ai" Chikyūhaku) and the wedding of Princess Sayako.
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24
2008: 変 ("change")
A new prime minister, Obama's "change" and the financial crisis.
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25
2010: 暑 ("heat")
The hottest summer on record.
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26
2013: 輪 ("ring")
Tokyo winning the 2020 Olympic bid and the Rakuten Eagles' first title.
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27
2014: 税 ("tax")
The first consumption tax rise in 17 years.
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28
2018: 災 ("disaster")
Floods in western Japan, the Hokkaido earthquake and extreme heat.
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29
2020: 密 ("closeness")
COVID-19 and the "avoid the three Cs" (crowds, close contact, closed spaces) campaign.
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30
2023: 税 ("tax")
Debates on tax rises, tax cuts and the new invoice system.
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31
2025: 熊 ("bear")
Bear attacks across Japan and the return of four giant pandas to China.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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