Commentary: What’s behind Japan’s announcement of a new era and a new emperor

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Emperor Akihito, who steps down at the end of April, is much loved. The University of Sheffield’s Nicolas Tranter discusses the meaning of Reiwa, ...

for Japan. Crown Prince Naruhito will formally accede to the Chrysanthemum Throne and the event will be marked by a change of era name, from “Heisei” to “Reiwa”.of this at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo was broadcast live on Monday , bringing much of Japan to a standstill. Cabinet chief secretary, Suga Yoshihide, announced simply: “The new era is Reiwa” and unveiled a framed calligraphy that presented the two Chinese characters chosen to write the name.

The monarchy is a symbol of continuity and tradition in Japan and remains highly popular. Akihito is much loved, and it is expected that Naruhito will be received in the same way.Era names have always had huge significance in Japan – and this is the 248th time a new era has been named since the system started in 645AD. Dates in Japan have traditionally been expressed by the year of the imperial era, the gengo or nengo, and the system still dominates official life.

More usually, they were changed to purify the reign from a recent calamitous event. For example, the change from Angen to Jisho in 1177 followed the destruction of a quarter of the capital in a huge fire. The era name is chosen to embody the hopes of the nation for the new reign, and is constructed from two Chinese characters with Chinese-derived pronunciations. Meiji, which ran from 1868 to 1912, was the “bright” “rule” – where thecarried the connotations of civilisation and enlightenment, reflecting Japan at its post-feudal stage of rapid modernisation.

It has also long been used to mean “Japanese” as used in washoku “Japanese food”, and wafu “Japanese style”. So it’s a way of indelibly linking the idea of Japan with the idea of peace. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech during a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of Emperor Akihito's enthronement at the National Theatre in Tokyo, Japan February 24, 2019. Being an auspicious month in early spring, the weather was pleasant and the wind was peaceful …

 

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