World Events
COVID-19 causes a global pandemic. An incident where a black man who was detained and killed by police officers in the United States triggers a worldwide outbreak of protests against racial discrimination. Hong Kong's National Security Law comes into effect, leading to successive arrests of pro-democracy activists. Russia amends its constitution, allowing Putin to be elected to a fifth term. The Japanese government requests the closure of all elementary, junior high, and high schools nationwide. Charging for plastic shopping bags begins. Yoshihide Suga becomes the 99th Prime Minister of Japan in September.
Graphic Design's Events
Tamotsu Shimada's design is chosen as the official logo for the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. Nippon Design Center holds "VISUALIZE 60," an exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of its founding. The Graphic Design Review, JAGDA's critical review site, is launched. A special feature on copyright is published in the magazine “Kokoku” (Advertisement), and both the original and copy editions are sold. The exhibition "Eiko Ishioka: Blood, Sweat, and Tears—A Life of Design" is held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. Atsuki Kikuchi receives the 22nd Yusaku Kamekura Design Award. Mitsuo Katsui (b. 1931) passes away.
JAGDA New Designer Award
Shun Sasaki（b.1985） Seri Tanaka（b.1987） Tomomi Nishikawa（b.1987）
ADC Grand Prix
held as 2021
TDC Grand Prix
Michael Amzalag + Mathias Augustyniak, M/M(Paris) Galeries Lafayette Champs Élysées
Media
The number of Zoom users increases rapidly with the spread of remote work. The movie “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba" and the game “Atsumare Dobutsu no Mori” (Animal Crossing: New Horizons) become big hits. Live-streaming using Instagram and LINE, etc. becomes popular.
Culture
With the introduction of charging for plastic shopping bags, reusable shopping bags become more widely used. The number of convenience stores decreases while demand for mobile ordering (delivery) increases in urban areas with the declaration of a state of emergency. Wearing masks becomes the norm, and many words popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic such as "social distance," "essential worker," and "new normal" are used.
Japanese Buzzword Award
San mitsu (Three Cs) (Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike)
Word of the Year
*2020 couldn't be summed up in one single Word of the Year. （Oxford） Covid（ADS）
Hit Items
Remondo (beverage), AirPods Pro, Gokiburi Muenda (insect repellant)
Pop Music
Japanese music YOASOBI: “Yoru ni Kakeru” (Running into the Night) Eito: “Kosui” (Perfume) NiziU: "Make you happy" DISH//: “Neko” (Cat)
Western music Dua Lipa: "Don't Start Now" Maren Morris: "The Bones" Tones and I: "Dance Monkey"
2020
令和2年
