TOKYO: The Japanese government said on Monday that “Reiwa” will be the name of the new era under which the country’s new emperor Naruhito, the current crown prince, will reign.
The new era starts on May 1, when Naruhito succeeds to the Chrysanthemum throne currently occupied by his father, Emperor Akihito.
The name “Reiwa” was adapted from Manyo-shu, the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry, compiled in the seventh and eighth centuries, government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.
In the modern age of expanding globalisation, more Japanese people prefer the Gregorian calender to the Japanese era system, which started about 1370 years ago.
But the era system is still widely used in governments and businesses.
After weeks of fevered speculation and top-secret discussions, the two “kanji” characters were unveiled to reveal a name that will last as long as new emperor Naruhito’s rule.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the term “Reiwa” came from the “Manyoshu”, an anthology of Japanese poems dating back 1,200 years that “symbolises our nation’s profound public culture and long tradition”.
“Just like amazing plum flowers in full bloom that signal the arrival of spring after bitter cold, each and every Japanese person can hope for the future and make their own flowers blossom,” added the prime minister.
“It is the first time it comes from a Japanese text” rather than Chinese, noted Abe, often considered a nationalist.
Crowds gathered around Japan to watch live broadcasts of the announcement, many cheering as the chief cabinet secretary held up a board with the name inked in stylised black calligraphy.
“It has a nice sound and you get a good feeling when you read it. It’s a very good choice I think,” said 24-year-old Shun Fujimoto as he joined a chaotic scrum for a special edition of the papers at Tokyo’s busy Shimbashi station.
Eight-year-old Manato Nagayama also managed to get his hands on a copy of the extra edition but admitted: “I cannot yet write those two kanji.”
His father said it was a “historic” moment. “That’s why I brought my son here so he could get a special edition. It’s an experience that only comes along very rarely. He is only eight and is already seeing two eras.”
The 85-year-old Akihito is set to relinquish the throne on April 30 in the first such abdication in about 200 years with the current era of “Heisei” coming to an end.
The era of “Heisei,” which means “achieving peace,” started on January 8, 1989, when Akihito became the 125th emperor, at the age of 55, following the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, in whose name Japan fought World War II.
Akihito indicated his desire to step down in 2016, citing growing worries that his age might prevent him from fulfilling his official duties.
Japan’s imperial family claims the longest hereditary lineage in the world, going back over 2,600 years.
— dpa/AFP
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