The nominees for the 2023 buzzwords of the year were announced Thursday, with many of the selections spotlighting public interest in the Johnny’s scandal, the World Baseball Classic, inbound tourism and recent advances in technology.

Two of the 30 nominations were linked to the sexual assault scandal involving late entertainment mogul Johnny Kitagawa. One was “seikagai” (sexual abuse) and the other was “enujī risuto/janīzu mondai” (“NG list/Johnny’s scandal”), referring to a blacklist of journalists the embattled talent agency was allegedly advised to avoid calling on during a news conference.

Two words are related to the WBC, which Japan won for the first time since 2009. The first is “akogareru no o yamemashō” (“let’s stop with the idolizing”) — the inspiring words that star player Shohei Ohtani delivered to his teammates before their final against the United States. Ohtani was urging his teammates to pause their idolization of star U.S. players so that they could outshine them.

The other WBC term to emerge was “peppā-miru pafōmansu” (“pepper-mill performance”), a gesture of encouragement popularized by Samurai Japan player Lars Nootbaar. The popularity of the charismatic player, whose mother is Japanese and who usually plays for the St. Louis Cardinals, soared in Japan following his WBC participation (and led to at least one memorable commercial campaign).

With Japan having reopened its borders late last year, there was no shortage of foreign tourists visiting the country ... and news coverage of that trend. So it’s no surprise then that “ōbātsūrizumu” (overtourism) made it onto the nomination list. The government has been attempting to tackle problems associated with the influx of tourists, ranging from heavy traffic to disgruntled locals.

Terms referring to Japan's looming labor shortage also made the list.

“2024-nen mondai" (the 2024 problem) refers to the significant shortage of truck drivers that the country is expected to face from April 2024, and “raidoshea” (ride-sharing) is frequently mentioned in debates as a potential solution to the shortage of taxis.

The rapidly changing landscape of information technology made several appearances on the nomination list, including X, the new name of the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

“ChattoGPT” (“ChatGPT”) and “seisei AI” (“generative AI”) also made the list, reflecting the heightened interest in the potential and threat of artificial intelligence.

The darker side of tech was acknowledged with the inclusion of yami baito (“dark part-time jobs”), a gig economy scheme involving criminal groups who often use online forums to lure individuals into illegal activities with the promise of quick money.

Other nominations included phrases like “I’m wearing pants!” by comedian Tonikaku Akarui Yasumura and “Oshi no ko/aidoru” (“Oshi no ko/Idol”), referring to the global hit manga and anime series and its theme song by artist Yoasobi.

The annual buzzwords contest, titled U-Can Shingo Ryukogo Taisho, is organized by the publishing house Jiyukokuminsha. The top 10 will be announced on Dec. 1.

Below is an annotated and unranked list of all 30 buzzword candidates

“I’m wearing pants!”（アイム・ウェアリング・パンツ）

Comedian Tonikaku Akarui Yasumura's popularity rebounded after he went on the U.K. audition show “Britain's Got Talent” earlier this year with his slapstick comedy act, which has the punchline “Don’t worry! I'm wearing pants!” The original Japanese sketch had actually trended in 2015 in Japan and was ranked among the top 10 buzzwords that year.

akogareru no o yamemashō (let's stop the idolizing) — 憧れるのをやめましょう

This phrase was popularized after star baseball player Shohei Ohtani gave his teammates stirring words of encouragement before their World Baseball Classic final game against the United States. Facing off against star MLB players, Ohtani urged his teammates to stop idolizing them — that to be the best in the world, they would have to not just catch up to the players they admire, but surpass them. Japan went on to take the championship for the first time since 2009. (Bonus link: See how AI fared with translating his speech.)

Atarashii Gakko no Ridazu/kubi furi dansu (Atarashii Gakko! /head-swinging dance) — 新しい学校のリーダーズ／首振りダンス

A four-member dance vocal unit called Atarashii Gakko! — known in Japan as Atarashii Gakkou no Leaders — saw their single “OTANABLUE” become a hit this year, especially on TikTok, where the head-shaking choreography went viral. It first gained popularity overseas before taking off in Japan.

atarashī senzen (new pre-war) — 新しい戦前

At the end of 2022, the elderly comedian/host Tamori appeared on an episode of the long-running celebrity talk show “Tetsuko’s Room.” Asked what kind of year 2023 would be, he responded, “Perhaps a new pre-war era,” which naturally sparked discussions online.

are (A.R.E) (that) — アレ（Ａ.Ｒ.Ｅ.）

The term trended as Hanshin Tigers manager Akinobu Okada always referred to winning as “are” — or “that” in English — since he did not want to jinx the chances of the team taking the league championship by saying it out loud. It later inspired the team’s slogan for the year: “A.R.E.” as an acronym for Aim, Respect and Empower. This year a huge buzz has surrounded the team not only in Kansai but nationwide as it won its first Central League pennant in 18 years and made it to the Japan Series to take on the Orix Buffaloes.

itadakijoshi (“girls who receive”) — 頂き女子

Papakatsu, known in English as “sugar dating” or “having a sugar daddy,” is when young women seek older men on social media platforms to receive financial support in exchange for dating or sex. This trend made headlines this past year when it was reported that multiple itadakijoshi had swindled large sums of money from men they had contacted via match-making apps.

X（エックス）

X refers to the social media platform that eventually changed its name from Twitter following its acquisition by Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk. In response to the name change, Yoshiki of the famous rock band X Japan tweeted how its name is already trademarked. Hmm. So maybe X Nippon?

Efferunēsan (Eiffel sisters) — エッフェル姉さん

During a research trip in France by the LDP Women's Affairs Division, lawmaker Rui Matsukawa posted a photo of herself and others posing in front of the Eiffel Tower. It went viral as some netizens were enraged over the fact that tax money was being used for what appeared to be a fun vacation ... and the nickname “Eiffel sisters” was born.

enujī risuto/janīzu mondai (NG list/Johnny's scandal) — ＮＧリスト／ジャニーズ問題

“Enujī risuto / janīizu mondai” (“NG list/Johnny's scandal”) refers to a list of journalists who were allegedly passed over during a major news conference. Smile-Up, which was founded to succeed the Johnny & Associates talent agency, has denied any intention to snub certain media, saying the list was merely meant to identify reporters that required special attention.

ōbātsūrizumu (overtourism) — オーバーツーリズム

With Japan having reopened its borders late last year, 2023 saw a huge influx of tourists visiting the country. As a result, “ōbātsūrizumu” (overtourism) quickly became a hot topic that prompted the government to tackle problems that have accompanied the inbound surge.

Oshi no Ko/Aidoru (Oshi no ko / Idol) — 推しの子／アイドル

Weekly Young Jump manga “Oshi no ko” became a global hit upon the release of its anime adaptation this year. In the spring, “Idol,” the anime’s theme by Yoasobi, went viral globally on social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube.

OSO 18/āban bea (OSO 18/urban bears) — ＯＳＯ18／アーバンベア

A male brown bear, code-named OSO 18, terrorized an area in Hokkaido by attacking large numbers of grazing cattle. From 2019 until it was shot in July, the “ninja bear” eluded capture and documentation, attacked 66 cows and invoked fear in the area. A recent increase in bear sightings in cities and towns has led to the popularization of the term “urban bears.”

kaerukagenshō (getting “the ick”) — 蛙化現象

Derived from Grimm fairy tale “The Frog Prince,” the term refers to the psychological phenomenon of losing interest in someone the moment they show signs of reciprocating. It has been used more recently among the younger generation to describe the phenomenon of instantly losing feelings for someone after witnessing a certain habit or action, otherwise known as getting “the ick.”

5 rui (Class 5) — ５類

Japan entered its post-pandemic phase in May, officially downgrading COVID-19 by reclassifying the disease from Class 2, used for severe infectious diseases such as SARS and tuberculosis, to Class 5, on par with seasonal flu, and doing away with a range of coronavirus measures.

jyūen pan (¥10 bread) — 10円パン

Bread mixed with cheese and shaped to resemble a ¥10 coin became popular this year, especially among the youth. Unlike the name, the bread is not priced at ¥10 but actually costs around ¥500. It was inspired by the “10 won bread” trend in South Korea.

suekozasa — スエコザサ

The NHK serial TV drama “Ranman” that aired between April and September followed the story of real-life botanist Tomitaro Makino. Suekozasa refers to the name of a perennial herb of the Poaceae family. It’s featured in the show’s touching finale in which protagonist Mantaro, played by Ryunosuke Kamiki, adds a new species of bamboo to the last page of his plant encyclopedia as an homage to his wife Sueko, played by Minami Hamabe.

seikagai (sexual assault) — 性加害

Cases of sexual harassment and assault made headlines throughout 2023, from Johnny’s Entertainment going public about its founder’s history of abuse to South Korean DJ Soda being groped by concert attendees and a former Ground Self-Defense Force member blowing the whistle on abuse she endured.

seisei AI (generative AI) — 生成AI

The rapidly changing landscape of artificial intelligence was acknowledged with the inclusion of “seisei AI” (“generative AI”), which is AI that can create content derived from large language models, such as texts and images. While Japan Inc. has tentatively shown an openness to the potential of the new technology, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has also spearheaded a call for regulations and a code of conduct for AI developers.

chikyūfuttōka (global boiling) — 地球沸騰化

In a statement by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres regarding reports that the world’s monthly average temperature hit a record high, he said, “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.”

chattoGPT (ChatGPT) — チャットＧＰＴ

ChatGPT, a generative AI platform backed by Microsoft and launched by OpenAI in November 2022, took the world by storm this year, sparking heated discourse over its potential for good and bad, both internationally and in Japan.

denkikikkubōdo (electric scooters) — 電動キックボード

A revision of the Road Traffic Law this year in July paved the way for those over the age of 16 to operate electric kickboards without a driver’s license. The sharp increase in usage of electric scooters, as well as the spread of scooter-sharing services such as Luup, continue to spur debate over the new form of mobility.

2024-nen mondai/raidoshea (2024 problem/ride-sharing) — ２０２４年問題／ライドシェア

These terms, frequently used in discussions of government initiatives, addressed issues related to Japan’s decline in manpower. “2024-nen mondai” refers to the significant shortage of truck drivers that the country will face from April 2024, while “raidoshea” is the go-to word in debate over adopting ride-hailing services as a means to combat a shortage of taxis.

hikiniku desu/chonmage kozō (I'm ground meat/Chonmage Kozou) — ひき肉です／ちょんまげ小僧

The catchphrase “I’m ground meat” went viral on TikTok and other social media following its coinage by a popular middle school YouTuber group called Chonmage Kozou. One of the members — who goes by the nickname hikiniku (ground meat) — uses the phrase to introduce himself in their videos. A sample of the phrase set to music helped it go viral, with other influencers and celebrities posting their variations.

Fujii Sota — 藤井八冠

Shogi prodigy Sota Fujii made history as the first player ever to hold all eight major titles. The 21-year-old is no stranger to breaking records, having been the youngest player to win all of the other major titles. He is also now the youngest to win the Oza crown.

peppā-miru pafōmansu/Lars Nootbaar (Pepper-grinder performance/Lars Nootbar) — ペッパーミル・パフォーマンス／ラーズ・ヌートバー

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar, who left spring training with his MLB club to join Samurai Japan for the World Baseball Classic, quickly became a fan favorite. His pepper grinder, or pepper mill, celebration — a gesture that praised his colleagues for grinding it out on the field — was also a smash hit.

Beppan/Vivant (secret task force/ Vivant) — 別班／ヴィヴァン

The popular TBS drama “Vivant,” which started airing this year and stars Masato Sakai, Hiroshi Abe, Fumi Nikaido and Tori Matsuzaka, garnered a big buzz with its A-list cast, as well as its premise revolving around a secret military division called “Beppan,” which is rumored to still exist.

mirushō (watching shogi) — 観る将

“Watching shogi” has grown in popularity thanks to prodigy Sota Fujii, who debuted as the youngest professional shogi player at the age of 14 in 2016. With various tests and procedures that need to be followed, the road to becoming a professional shogi player is not easy. Only four people are chosen to go pro each year.

yami baito (“dark” part-time jobs) — 闇バイト

The shady world of yami baito — dodgy one-off jobs involving crimes such as robbery and fraud — was dragged into the light this year due to a luxury watch shop heist in Ginza carried out in broad daylight by a group of teens. In addition, it was learned that a robbery-murder in suburban Tokyo had been remotely coordinated by a group of Japanese men being held at an immigration detention facility in Manila.

yonenburi/koedashiōen (first time in four years/vocal support) — ４年ぶり／声出し応援

For the first time in four years (yonnenburi), people were able to scream and cheer (koedashioen), thanks to the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions at public venues. From music festivals to sporting events to summer fireworks shows, people finally felt comfortable enough to take off their masks and make some noise.

Y2K

Y2K, the abbreviated term for the year 2000, also refers to the re-emergence of fashion and aesthetics that were popular in the 2000s. Both in and outside Japan, Y2K fashion saw an uptick in popularity, especially among younger generations, thanks to celebrities and influencers adopting the style.