Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has struck a chord with her mantra of "work, work, work, work, and work," which has been chosen as the country's catchphrase of the year. The phrase, repeated ad nauseam, has become a rallying cry for a government that prides itself on its dedication to hard work.
Critics have long lamented Japan's notorious culture of overwork, known as karoshi, where employees are pushed to their limits, often resulting in tragic consequences. When Takaichi first vowed to "work like a horse," many wondered if she was tone-deaf or simply out of touch with the concerns of her citizens.
Takaichi's comments were met with disdain from some lawyers who represent victims of karoshi, who argue that her remarks only perpetuated the problem. Others have expressed concern about her own well-being, given her reported sleep schedule of just two to four hours a night.
Despite the backlash, Takaichi has insisted that she was simply trying to convey her dedication to being an effective leader. However, her words have been misinterpreted by many as a tacit endorsement of overwork culture.
The phrase has won out over more than two dozen other contenders, including "First female prime minister" and "bear damage." The Japan Yearbook of Contemporary Society's award committee praised the phrase for capturing the country's zeitgeist in 2025.
Takaichi is not the first politician to receive this honor, with Yukio Hatoyama winning in 2009 for his party's "change of government." Her choice of language has also been put under scrutiny, including her use of a famous line from the manga comic Attack on Titan.
As Takaichi faces pressure to attract investment and boost Japan's struggling economy, her words have sparked debate about the country's work culture. Will she be able to turn this phrase into a catalyst for change? Only time will tell.
Critics have long lamented Japan's notorious culture of overwork, known as karoshi, where employees are pushed to their limits, often resulting in tragic consequences. When Takaichi first vowed to "work like a horse," many wondered if she was tone-deaf or simply out of touch with the concerns of her citizens.
Takaichi's comments were met with disdain from some lawyers who represent victims of karoshi, who argue that her remarks only perpetuated the problem. Others have expressed concern about her own well-being, given her reported sleep schedule of just two to four hours a night.
Despite the backlash, Takaichi has insisted that she was simply trying to convey her dedication to being an effective leader. However, her words have been misinterpreted by many as a tacit endorsement of overwork culture.
The phrase has won out over more than two dozen other contenders, including "First female prime minister" and "bear damage." The Japan Yearbook of Contemporary Society's award committee praised the phrase for capturing the country's zeitgeist in 2025.
Takaichi is not the first politician to receive this honor, with Yukio Hatoyama winning in 2009 for his party's "change of government." Her choice of language has also been put under scrutiny, including her use of a famous line from the manga comic Attack on Titan.
As Takaichi faces pressure to attract investment and boost Japan's struggling economy, her words have sparked debate about the country's work culture. Will she be able to turn this phrase into a catalyst for change? Only time will tell.
like it's going to magically fix everything... I mean, Takaichi's got some serious sleep schedule issues 
and her words are just perpetuating the same old toxic culture that's been killing Japanese workers for years 
. But at the same time, I guess it's kinda cool that she's trying to be honest about what it means to lead 
. And I gotta admit, it's a bit ironic that they chose this phrase over more positive ones 
. Maybe Takaichi can use this as an opportunity to actually make some changes and turn the narrative around 
.
I mean, come on, 2-4 hours of sleep a night is not exactly the healthiest habit, you feel? And now she's trying to defend it like it's all good and stuff 
. It's just gonna perpetuate this overwork culture that's already killing people, fam 
. Can't she just try to get some rest or something? 
. People need rest too, not just be pushed to burnout 
. Can't wait to see how this plays out in 2025 
... feels like it's just a distraction from the real issue – all these employees burning out left and right because of that whole karoshi thing 
. Takaichi thinks she's being inspirational or something, but I'm not buying it. She's basically saying "work yourself to death, it'll be fine" 
. Like, what about work-life balance? What about taking care of our mental health? This phrase is just gonna perpetuate the problem even more... and now she's got this award for it 
can you imagine having a poster of just the word "work" in your office? 
. And dont even get me started on the whole karoshi thing 
... its so sad to see ppl burning out like that. I feel bad for her sleep schedule tho 
, but I'm keeping an eye on this situation