Hatoyama's 'change of regime' phrase selected buzzword of the year

(Mainichi Japan) December 2, 2009

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's signature phrase "seiken kotai" (change of regime) was selected as this year's most popular buzzword, it has been learned.

The award ceremony for the winners of the U-Can Shingo Ryukogo Taisho prize was held in Tokyo on Tuesday, highly commending the phrase that Hatoyama chanted during the House of Representatives election campaign in August to bring about the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)'s sweeping victory.

On behalf of the prime minister who was absent from the ceremony due to official duties, DPJ's Public Relations Committee Chair Toshio Ogawa greeted the audience: "Let's hope that the change of regime took place only this year and the coming years will see our administration carry on."

Also ranked in this year's top 10 buzzwords were "jigyo shiwake" (identification of wasteful government projects) and "haken-giri" (layoff of temporary employees). The former phrase's awardees -- the Government Revitalization Unit and its working group members -- were absent from the ceremony, while the Haken Union, which has protested against layoffs of temporary employees sent its secretary-general Shuichiro Sekine into the ceremonial occasion.

"I hope the phrase was only in fashion in 2009," Sekine said.

Other top 10 winners were: child acting sensation Seishiro Kato for "Kodomo Tencho," the role of an auto dealership manager he plays in TV commercials; Moriyo Kimura, a doctor and a Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry official, representing the term "shingata infuruenza" (new type of influenza or swine flu); celebrity Teppei Koike and columnist Maki Fukazawa, representing "soshoku danshi" or "herbivorous boys" (boys who are not aggressive in chasing girls); Your Party leader Yoshimi Watanabe, for his slogan "datsu kanryo" (ridding bureaucrat-led politics); fashion model Tsubasa Masuwaka for "fast fashion"; former Rakuten Eagles manager Katsuya Nomura for his trademark "boyaki" (grouching) before reporters following baseball games; and actress Anne for "rekijo" (women versed in history).

Prime Minister Hatoyama expressed his joy over the award later the same day.

"I appreciate that we have achieved a change in government along with the public," he told the assembled media.

However, he jokingly showed concern over the popularity of his catch phrase: "I guess change of regime had better not become a fad ... Well, I'm just kidding."