Japan: Symbol that represents war picked as kanji character of the year

The kanji character "sen," meaning war or battle has been selected on Monday (December 12) as the symbol for 2022—a year that is marked by the Russia-Ukraine war, the assassination of former leader Shinzo Abe, and other international conflicts.

In a public vote, a majority of people thought that the character was the best representation of the year.

In 2021, people voted for the kanji for "kin," meaning gold or money and Olympic-themed choices dominated the voting after Japan had its best-ever haul of 27 gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

People were fascinated by the successful conclusion of the Summer Olympics, which was held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021 in the Japanese capital.

According to the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, which is the organiser of the voting, the public mood was darker in 2022—the 28th annual poll run. The final result is based on votes cast by the general public.

In a news release, the group said: "The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the shooting of former prime minister Abe, and the rapid yen depreciation and inflation faced in daily life have caused anxiety for many people."

The announcement was made by chief Buddhist priest Seihan Mori of Kiyomizu temple in Kyoto. He wrote the character with a giant calligraphy brush on "washi" (Japanese paper).

"I was surprised, frustrated, angry and sad by the war in Ukraine. I am also angry at myself for not being able to do anything about it," said one voter who picked the character.

(With inputs from agencies)

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