"Inochi," meaning "life," has been chosen in a
poll for the kanji character of 2006, the year marked by the birth of the
first grandson for the emperor, a series of reported student suicides
after being bullied, and a number of child
abuses, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation
announced Tuesday.
The Kyoto-based foundation said many people in the public poll said
they selected the character because it was a year they were made painfully
aware of the gravity and value of the unique gift of life given to an
individual.
The annual announcement was made at Kiyomizu Temple in the Japanese
ancient capital.
The foundation has been conducting a poll on the year's kanji --Chinese
characters used in Japanese writing -- each year since 1995.
Prince Hisahito was born in Tokyo on Sept. 6 to Prince Akishino and
Princess Kiko and the first heir to the Japanese imperial throne
born in 41 years.
A total of 92,509 entries were made this year with 8,363 for "inochi,"
also read "myo" and "mei," followed by 3,793 for "yu," read also "hisa" as
used in the first of the two kanji of the newborn prince's name. The
third-ranked character, drawing 3,303 votes, was "sei," read also "sei,"
"ikiru," also denoting life, or to live.
The character meaning to kill, read "satsu," "korosu" ranked sixth and
one denoting death, read "shi" came in 12th.
