Early on the morning of Dec. 6, I shivered my way out of a warm futon to head down the street and purchase a copy of the 日経 MJ (Nikkei Marketing Journal). Every year, I make it a point not to miss this issue because there on the first page, in heavy, sumo-style calligraphy, is the 2017年ヒット商品番付 (Nisenjūnana nen hitto shōhin banzuke, ranking of hit products for 2017). Now in its 47th year, it's one of the most successful marketing brainstorms in the history of Japanese journalism.

Formerly known as the 日経流通新聞 (Nikkei Ryūtsū Shimbun) when established in 1971, the thrice-weekly newspaper covering retailing and distribution came up with the promotional idea to announce the year's most successful products and services in a manner that mimicked rankings of sumo wrestlers, with east and west 横綱 (yokozuna, grand champion) at the top, and working down the ranks with 大関 (ōzeki, champion), 関脇 (sekiwake, junior champion) and so on.

This year's headline read: 決まり手は ウチ充 (kimarite wa uchi jū). Kimarite means "winning move" or "determining factor" and Uchi-jū is a play on the term リア充 (ria-jū), which means a person who is satisfied with his or her real life, in other words リアルが充実している人 (riaru ga jūjitu shiteiru hito, someone whose real world, as opposed to the virtual world, is fulfiling). Jū comes from 充たす (mitasu, to satisfy or fulfill).