TOKYO >> “Sanmitsu,” the “Three C’s” approach to preventing COVID-19 spread — by avoiding closed spaces, crowds and close contact — was selected Japan’s buzzword of the year.

With the pandemic dominating everyday lives, words that made the Top 10 were largely related to the virus. They included:

>> “Abenomask”: One of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s signature COVID-19 policies, of distributing masks to households as the nation faced a shortage.

>> “Go To campaign”: Government programs intended to revitalize the economy during the pandemic, particularly tourism.

>> “Atsu-mori”: Short for “Atsumare Dobutsu no Mori” (“Animal Crossing: New Horizons”), a game created by Nintendo. It became wildly popular amid lockdowns around the globe.

The buzzwords, selected by publishing house Jiyukokuminsha since 1984, reflect the nation’s social trends and news of the year.

“Sanmitsu” was popularized by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, who used the word to remind the public to social-distance.