“Reiwa”: Japan yesterday revealed the name of the era that would define the new emperor’s reign when he ascends the Chrysanthemum Throne next month following the first abdication in about 200 years.
The new imperial name consists of two characters: “Rei”, which can mean “order,” but also “auspicious,” and “Wa,” usually translated as “peace” or “harmony.”
After weeks of fevered speculation and top-secret discussions, the two Kanji characters were unveiled to reveal a name that is to last as long as new emperor Naruhito’s rule.
Photo: AP / Kyodo News
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the term “Reiwa” came from the Manyoshu, an anthology of Japanese poems dating back 1,200 years that “symbolizes 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,” Abe said.
“It is the first time it comes from a Japanese text” rather than Chinese, said Abe, often considered a nationalist.
Crowds gathered around Japan to watch live broadcasts of the announcement, many cheering as the Japanese chief Cabinet secretary held up a board with the name inked in stylized 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,” 24-year-old Shun Fujimoto said, 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 father said.
Emperor Akihito, 85, is to step down on April 30 in favor of Crown Prince Naruhito, who is to take the throne the next day.
A highly secretive nine-member panel including a Nobel Prize winner whittled down various options for the new name in closed-door talks.
To prevent leaks, the panel was locked away in a special room in the prime minister’s office, swept for bugs, and had their phones confiscated.
No official translation was immediately available, but Ryan Shaldjian Morrison, a lecturer at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies and a Japanese literature expert, said: “To my mind, ‘venerable harmony’ is the most appropriate English translation.”
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