Japan chose the kanji character for war as the symbol for 2022 after a year marked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the assassination of former leader Shinzo Abe. In the annual event held to choose a written character that best represents the year, the public voted for the symbol of war.
Read more: Russian envoy's bizarre claim: British royal family told to stay away from…
Olympic-themed choices dominated 2021 but the mood was darker this year, according to the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, which organises the vote.
Japan chose "gold" as kanji of the year last year in honour of the Tokyo Olympics, which took place after a Covid-19 postponement. The 2020 winner was "mitsu", meaning dense, crowded and close.
"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 group said, reported AFP.
Read more: 'Authoritarian' China's Xi Jinping preparing more attacks, Taiwan minister says
{{/usCountry}}Read more: 'Authoritarian' China's Xi Jinping preparing more attacks, Taiwan minister says
{{/usCountry}}"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," one voter who picked the character said as per AFP.
Shinzo Abe was shot in July by a man who reportedly resented the Unification Church over massive donations his mother made to the sect.
'War' was followed in the rankings by a character meaning both cheap and safe, with the weak yen and inflation adding to feelings of insecurity. The character for fun and easy was ranked third.