noun
the elite; privileged class
Colloquial, often sarcastic term for people who enjoy special treatment or immunity, especially in social or legal contexts. Gained prominence after a 2019 traffic incident in Japan.
あの政治家はまるで上級国民のように振る舞っている。
That politician acts as if he were a member of the elite.
上級国民だけが得をする社会はおかしい。
A society where only the privileged class benefits is wrong.
Compound of 上級 (high class) and 国民 (citizen). The term became widely known in Japan around 2019 after a high-profile traffic accident involving a government official, used sarcastically to criticize perceived preferential treatment.