2025 Japan Kanji of the Year: “Bear” Takes Top Spot, Reflecting Worsening Bear Problems | WPN World People News

The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation announced the 2025 “Kanji of the Year” on the 12th at Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto. The character “Bear” (熊) won first place with 23,346 votes. The annual event selects a single kanji through a nationwide public vote to symbolize the social mood or most representative events of the year in Japan, making it highly symbolic.

This year, Japan has faced an especially severe problem of bear-related incidents due to climate change and poor fruit harvests in mountainous areas. Bears have frequently wandered into urban districts, intensifying human–bear conflicts, which have so far resulted in more than ten deaths. The bear problem has become a nationwide social issue in Japan. Along with major events such as the return of giant pandas to China, it formed important background for the selection of “Bear” as the 2025 Kanji of the Year.

The second-ranked kanji was “Rice” (米), which received 23,166 vote. Rising rice prices became a major livelihood issue this year. Factors such as abnormal weather, panic buying, and a surge in tourists significantly increased demand for rice. At the same time, the weakening yen affected everyday life, placing heavy pressure on households, the restaurant industry, and food manufacturers.

Third place went to the character “High” (高), reflecting a wide range of developments, including soaring prices, stock prices reaching record highs, record-high temperatures, a rising aging population, and Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, among other “high”-related phenomena.