Japanese getting excited on advent of new era name on Emperor's abdication

January 28, 2019

Japanese getting excited on advent of new era name on Emperor's abdication

The year of 2019 should be remembered as a unique, unprecedented year for Japanese people, who will see a new era name emerge following Emperor Akihito's planned abdication.
Unlike the New Year's greetings Japanese usually exchange, the phrase, "This is the last year in the Heisei era, isn't it?" often came up in their conversations this year.
Japan is the sole country with its own era name in today's world, though some countries observe original calendar years, among other things, the Hijri calendar used mainly in Islamic states.
The current era name of Heisei was proclaimed on January 7, 1989, following the demise of Emperor Hirohito, the father of Emperor Akihito. The name will be replaced with a yet-to-be-announced new Imperial era name on May 1, when his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
The change of the era name is seen unlikely to have a direct influence on the people's daily life, but the unique occasion is coming to have something like an exciting mood among the people. The planned event is prompting some businesses to launch new services or release commemorative products in a joyous mood.
Many Japanese harbor special feelings while recalling a series of occurrences during the 30-year reign of Emperor Akihito, who can be seen as the first Emperor for various reasons.
Born on December 23, 1938, he experienced Japan's surrender in the Pacific war in 1945, when he was a child. He saw Japan try hard to rebuild itself from the ashes of the war, which was fought in the name of his father.
He was the first Emperor to get married with a commoner and the first Japanese monarch to visit Okinawa, the southernmost Japan island which became a fierce battle field in the war. with his wife, Empress Michiko.
Under Japan's current constitution, established after Japan's defeat in the war, the Emperor is designated as "the symbol of the unity of the people."
The years under his reign are expected to be recalled with a host of extensive natural disasters, too.
The Emperor endeavored to get the Imperial family closer to the people, visiting disabled and socially weak people and calling disaster-hit people to console them on their sufferings.
In a message to the people on his last birthday on the throne, on December 23, 2018, Emperor Akihito noted that the era of his reign is coming to an end without Japan having fought any war, again. This "gives me deep comfort," he said.
The Emperor will be the first living Japanese monarch to leave the throne in Japan's modern history.
Japan's era names had been changed occasionally by the then rulers, by the Tokugawa shogunate government until before the Meiji Restoration of 1868. However, the era name has been established for the reign of each Emperor since the Meiji government came to power.
Emperor Akihito indirectly made known his wish to relinquish the throne in 2017, noting his age and declining health have made it difficult for him to perform his official duties. This prompted the government to amend the Imperial Household Law last year, making it possible for the Emperor to abdicate the throne.
The planned succession to the throne comes at a time when the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is trying to revise Japan's pacifist constitution. The coming happy event must be closely watched so that it may not be used for political purposes, notably, for boosting moves toward a constitutional revision, some experts say.
This means that Japanese people will have to ask themselves how Japan's  Emperor system should be for their life from now on.