Tokyo: The word ‘work’ has become the Japan’s catchphrase of the year after new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi chanted it ahead of taking office.
Sanae Takaichi has also triggered conversation about the country’s exhausting work culture.
Her promise in October that she would ‘work, work, work, work, and work’ for the country struck a chord with millions in the country.
However. when she implored her fellow Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) MPs to follow her example, she has drawn criticism.
While rejecting the idea of work-life balance in her personal life, Takaichi announced that she would make ‘everyone work like a horse’.
Her vow has raised heckles among many others with lawyers representing people who died from karoshi, death from overwork, calling it ‘unhelpful’, according to The Guardian.
Her statement in parliament that she slept between two and four hours a night has raised concerns about her health.
It is reported that she summoned officials to her residence for a 3 am meeting.
Responding to criticism she said earlier this week ‘I had no intention of encouraging people to overwork or suggesting that working long hours is a virtue’.
Adding she claimed that she was trying to communicate her determination to be an effective leader.
Her use of the word ‘work’ was chosen as the country’s catchphrase of the year, beating many other words thus she winning an award.
Other phrases that gained wide attention in the country this year are ‘First female prime minister’, ‘Trump’s tariffs’, ‘old, old, old rice,’ among others.
Takaichi is the fourth politician to win the ward with Yukio Hatoyama winning in 2009 for the phrase ‘change of government’.