In May 2019, the new era name "Reiwa" began when the Emperor abdicated for the first time in about 200 years. Let us review this historic event and the accession of the new Emperor.
Basic Knowledge
On April 30, 2019, Emperor Akihito(the present Emperor Emeritus) abdicated. This was the first abdication during an Emperor's lifetime in about 202 years, since Emperor Kōkaku(who abdicated in 1817). It was based on the 2017 Imperial House Law Special Measures Law Concerning the Abdication of the Emperor(for one reign only). On May 1, 2019, Prince Naruhito acceded to the throne, and the new era "Reiwa" began. "Reiwa" comes from the preface to the "Plum Blossom Poems" in Volume 5 of the Man'yōshū: "In the early spring, in a fair month, the air is clear and the wind gentle." It is the first era name chosen from a Japanese classic(Japanese national text)(previously, Chinese classics were used). On October 22, 2019, the Ceremony for the Enthronement of the Emperor at the Seiden was held, attended by representatives from more than 180 countries.
April 1, 2019 Announcement of the new era name "Reiwa"(Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga)
April 30, 2019 Abdication of Emperor Akihito
May 1, 2019 Accession of Emperor Naruhito; change to the Reiwa Era
October 1, 2019 Consumption tax at 10%(reduced rate 8%)
October 22, 2019 Ceremony for the Enthronement of the Emperor at the Seiden
July-September 2020 Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games(held after a one-year postponement)
In Depth (Background and Impact)
In August 2016, Emperor Emeritus Akihito released a video message titled "Words from His Majesty the Emperor Concerning His Duties as a Symbol of the State," expressing his wish to abdicate because of the difficulty of performing his duties at an advanced age. In response, the special measures law was enacted in June 2017. For the selection of the era name, scholars were asked to submit proposals, which were narrowed down by a panel of experts. The Cabinet finally selected one from "Reiwa," "Eikō," "Kyūka," "Kōshi," "Bannawa," and "Banpō". The proposer is said to have been Nakanishi Susumu, a scholar of the Man'yōshū. His Majesty Emperor Naruhito was born in 1960, graduated from Gakushuin University, and studied at the University of Oxford. His specialty is the history of medieval water transport. Empress Masako graduated from Harvard University and is a former diplomat.
- Change to the Reiwa Era = May 1, 2019
- Source of "Reiwa" = Man'yōshū, "In the early spring, in a fair month, the air is clear and the wind gentle"
- The first era name chosen from a Japanese classic(Japanese national text)
- Abdication during the Emperor's lifetime = first in about 202 years(since Emperor Kōkaku)
- 126th Emperor = His Majesty Emperor Naruhito; Empress = Her Majesty Empress Masako
- Consumption tax at 10% = October 1, 2019(start of the reduced tax rate system)
Points to Note (Easy to Confuse)
① The source of Reiwa is the Man'yōshū(a Japanese national text). It was groundbreaking because it did not come from a Chinese classic. ② Organize the order of succession: Akihito→Emperor Emeritus／Naruhito→Emperor／Akishino→Crown Prince／Prince Hisahito→the next generation. ③ The date of the era change(May 1) and the date of its announcement(April 1) are different. ④ The Tokyo Olympics were scheduled for 2020→held in July-September 2021 because of COVID-19, but the name remained "Tokyo 2020."
Practice
- On what year, month, and day did the Reiwa Era begin?
- What is the name of the Japanese classic that was the source of "Reiwa"?
- What number Emperor is the Emperor of the Reiwa Era?