How does Japan define 2018? With a Chinese character meaning 'disaster'

After a year of earthquakes, torrential rains, floods, typhoons and torrid heat, the Chinese character meaning “disaster” ( 災: “wazawai” or “sai”) was named as Japan's “2018 Kanji of the Year”. Chinese characters are known as kanji (漢字) in Japan.

This year's kanji was selected by the Japanese Kanji Proficiency Society based on the results of a nationwide poll conducted earlier in the fall. Of the 193,214 entries submitted from all Japan, “wazawai” received the most ballots at 20,858.

Throughout 2018, Japan endured a steady series of hammer blows, including:

• A massive snowfall that all but shut down towns along the Japan Sea