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© 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Abe explains choice of Reiwa for next era name
By Mari Yamaguchi TOKYO©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
119 Comments
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Ganbare Japan!
Beautiful! Thank you, Suga sensei.
kurisupisu
Abe giving orders again....
Yubaru
Going to be interesting how folks here will translate this one. Rei.....has numerous different meanings, one of which is "command, or order" and of course "heiwa" is peace.
finally rich
mmm... mixed feelings
zones2surf
So....
Showa...
Heisei....
Reiwa...
Hmmm.....
Not particularly impressed, but....
techall
Very cool, harmonious name.
Wallace Fred
What particular meaning are they going with though?
William77
Today is an important day for our Japanese friends and for us to live here.
Let this new era be peaceful and prosper for this country and it’s people.
papigiulio
What does it mean. Command for peace? Peace order? It's not that bad. could be worse. Mazzeltov to a new era.
Wolfpack
I never took to Heisei - and this one is not even close to being as good as that. Maybe in time Reiwa will start to sound better. Trying to get a good sense of what the meaning is intended to be - hopefully something other than ‘ordering peace’.
aleef
I was watching the announcement with some Japanese and they seemed disappointed. They said it didn't sound very impressive, and the first kanji bothered them a little.
Carcharodon
Meh. Not inspired.Sounds very much like a kids name. Riea Rei Reiya Reita.
Come across plenty of those.
.
Rei - orders/command
Wa - Harmony
Hmmm, what are the undertones here?
Alfie Noakes
The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia are going to be pleased with this.
NCIS Reruns
Weird. The phonetic represented by "R" didn't even exist in native Japanese. It is only used to represent sounds that are pronounced "L" in Chinese, like 亮 (ryo, i.e., liana) and 令 (rei, ling). I wonder what those scholars were thinking when they came up with this...
garypen
So, R1 doesn't begin until May 1, and it's H31 until April 30?
So, when filling in forms many years from now, how many people will make an error assigning dates up to April 30 to R1, and/or dates after May 1 to H31?
Or, is 2019 both H32 and R1, with all 2019 dates correctly used with either H31 or R1?
Madden
Peace and Order, or Orderly Peace? Well either way, it describes the mentality of Japanese society perfectly!
Carcharodon
social media hashtag count at 12:00
17900 Instagram
50400 twitter
the tweets are firing off
Jimizo
Easy to remember. Does the job.
daito_hak
So representative of what is Japan today. No ambition, no creativity, no imagination, no innovation.
The best they achieved to name the new era was asking a panel of old dudes still living in the past who couldn't do better than coming up with a name that is at the same time predictable and backward thinking.
itsonlyrocknroll
Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako, opinion and input?
In fact why not involve the younger members of the Imperial House?
Flavia Antonella
here they are,people thinking who are japanese but they are foreigners living in Japan comment about the new Era name " is not impressive.
WELCOME REIWA !!!!
finally rich
still unable to type [令和] on Linux Windows or iPhone here....
chugmagaga
Wishing Japan all the best for the new Era.
gokai_wo_maneku
It looks like "dictated peace". Not sure I like it. Maybe it describes the coming age. But they say it is taken from the Manyoshu (万葉集), the old poetry collection, but no commentaries have been published yet.
gokai_wo_maneku
@finallyl rich I can type 令和 already. Microsoft must have inserted it quickly.
ThonTaddeo
NCIS Reruns, this sound did exist in Yamato kotoba; it just didn't occur at the beginning of a word.
Hello Kitty 321
@finally rich
Why not? My iphone has no problem with it.
yoshisan88
Although I do not live here, I wish Japan and it's people all the best in this new era.
Carcharodon
Well it appears the younger generation in Japan are already mocking it and having fun. 令和18年 r18年 is trending: R18 children born 18 years from now, will have adult video restrictions. I don't really get it, but the memes are flowing, the twitterverse is having fun. Rather strange, but is is interesting how people react to things these days.
Sh1mon M4sada
I like it, has connotation of 'the order of harmony', or 'harmony rulezzz'.
Perhaps a rebuffs to Abe's constitutional plans :-)
Disillusioned
I think it's pretty easy to understand. It means, do as you are told and there will be peace. Perfect for Japanese society and business.
Owain T. Yamanaka
"Brimming with hope" seems to be a more accurate translation.
MarkX
But I’m disappointed they are going to use the letter “L” to represent the era and not “R”.
daito_hak
Sorry this is a pile of nonsense.
yoshisan88
和 "peace" is a good word. 令 means "command" but if they are put together it can be interpreted as make this place peaceful. It is a good choice.
daito_hak
Makes no sense either.
redelmotalking
I take it to mean “orderly peace or orderly harmony”.
Japan may wish for Reiwa, but in reality it may be a forlorn hope, with the severe demographic challenges ahead meaning more reliance on foreign labour coming in, and the increasingly hostile security environment all around them and globally. Only time will tell whether Japan continues to prosper in the manner they are hoping for with this era change.
Schopenhauer
Poor naming. Most Japanese do not understand the meaning of the new era name.
gokai_wo_maneku
The Nikkei has an article saying that this is from a poem in the Manyoshu:「初春の令月にして気淑く風和ぎ、梅は鏡前の粉を披き、蘭(らん)は珮(はい)後の香を薫らす」Where 令月 means "auspicious month" and 風和 means "calm winds", but 和 means "peace". So maybe they are going for "auspicious peace" (not "dictated peace" as I was afraid of).
Deadforgood
I kinda like it, it sounded odd at first though.
TIJ
Would have been helpful if there was the kanji and translation into English of "Reiwa" in the article, JT.
garypen
Looks like a typical English non-sequitor written on the packaging of a frypan or flowerpot at Donki.
Jonathan Prin
I like it.
Mke peace (and love for next time!)
goldorak
Hmmm, I really like how it conveys both stability & strength yet expresses hope for the future and love. And it also symbolises the contrast betw... ok that's lunch!
(personally, i would have gone with 'law & order' or 'order & progress' but i think it's already taken)
finally rich
meanwhile twitter already booming with 令和18年生れ (R18) jokes..
Serrano
It's not that bad. could be worse
I think so too.
"We hope (the era name) will be widely accepted by the people and deeply rooted as part of their daily lives"
I will do my best to have this name deeply rooted in my daily life.
Cricky
The announcement allows only a month ahead of the switch for government, businesses and other sectors to adjust to the change that still affects many parts of Japan's society, even though the system is not compulsory and the emperor has no political power under Japan's postwar constitution.
businesses other than a Calander have no change. Not compulsory so it's on par with a "Premium Friday". The government decided not the New Emperor that's pretty obvious he has no power not even naming his own era.
Dio
Most of my Japanese friends were disappointed of Rei in Reiwa.
And when Abo was explaining it they nearly puked.
nandakandamanda
The first phrase that leaps to my lips is "Rei wa iranai", or "No need to say thank you!"
This shows the broader meanings of Rei, equivalent to much more in English. It includes manners too, and respect towards the ancestors and to one another, country to country, etc.
Down at the Post Office just now, the ladies were talking about it. They wondered if 令和 should be rendered Leiwa, or Reiwa, in English. They genuinely did not know.
yokohamarides
Perfect for a society that has historically put “chian iji” (maintaining order) above all else.
Anonymous
Great choice. Looks good, sounds good, significant.
buzzyboy
First time in 1300 years that it's not taken from Chinese literature??? This is a definite political statement. Peace my foot!
u_s__reamer
"Reiwa" bristles with connotations, some with ominous implications. Everyone will have their own interpretation. 令 might have originally signified a gift or revelation from the gods ( an offer one cannot refuse?). Since the ruling authorities in Japan have traditionally enhanced and augmented their power by designating themselves as "divine", the connotation of "order" and "obedience" must have appealed to Abe's authoritarian leanings.
Schopenhauer
令 is often used with military terms such as 司令部 (commanding headquarter)、司令長官 (commander).
MacArthur 司令部 is well known. Pacific Command of U.S. Forces in Hawaii 太平洋司令部 etc.
runner3
I don't understand why Abe or the government has anything to do with this. It should be up to the Royal family!
Bugle Boy of Company B
Ooops!
https://reiwa.com.au/
Cameron
I came to Japan in the last year of Showa / first year of Heisei, so I have been here for the entire reign of Heisei. There have been so many disasters (environmental and economic), as well as scandals (locally and globally) during this period that it feels as if we did not achieve our Vision/Mission of peace and prosperity these past 30 years.
I was kind of hoping for something more forward looking; something that would instill:
Success ー 成功
Correct ー 正解
Society ー 社会
World ー 世界
in order to denote “success and prosperity, transparency in business, health and happiness for society, a growing global presence and increased and improved collaboration around the world.”
Wa 和 is nice, but Rei 令 I don’t like so much (similar reasons noted above). Also, and this will not likely factor in much, as it is a name not really used outside Japan, but the correct pronunciation of “r” in Japanese does not exist in English. It is somewhere between “r”, “l”, and “d”.
Let is all raise our cups to Reiwa and work hard to make Japan a better place for all.
Anonymous
@u_s__reamer
Would you find 冷和 less ominous?
Laguna
Read more about it here: https://www.facebook.com/Kumamotoi/photos/a.129499733790134/2521787701227980/?type=3¬if_id=1554090942525829¬if_t=page_post_reaction
itsonlyrocknroll
Reiwa.......whatever the context, aspirationally Prime Minster Abe has set the bar high,
"With this selection of a new era name, I renew my commitment to pioneer a new era that will be filled with hope," Abe said.........
I apologise for my scepticism, I have lost count of pledges, promises, and commitments, Prime Minster Abe san LDP ruling government could be rightly accused of failing to deliver.
One only has to scroll down to the article, Ladies & The Law, to question the whole theory, commitment and policy underpinning womenomics to present an example.
I fear Reiwa, could well become a fanciful illusion of hope. The implied "commitment", another contradiction to reality.
idir13013
Very ironic to keep using a Japanese calendar for the sake of an old tradition, all while breaking a 1300 year old tradition of picking the name up from Chinese litterature !
Yubaru
Right, no problems here!
What difference will it make talking about the future possibility that some person will screw this up? The same this would have occurred every time the "gengo" changed. You just get used to it.
I suppose you would have asked this question after Hirohito died and the year changed after January 7th.
Right, but Heisei 31 is ONLY used until April 30th. From May 1st it will be Reiwa Gan-nen or the first year of Reiwa!
Akiyoshi
The serious problem is that most of the people here who are nagging, showing lack of respect and giving negative comments, literally, can speak Japanese probably or their level is not that high enough to understand.
令, has the 訓読み verb 令む(しむ) which means: to make happen
和, as we all know it, peace.
So, basically and literally means: to make the peace happen.
However, it means Clear or Beautiful Peace.
He explained in the announcement the meaning behind it by saying:
“初春の令月にして、氣淑く風和ぎ、梅は鏡前の粉を披き、蘭は珮後の香を薫す”
John Richardson
Its their passive aggressive 'Ijiwaru' mentality. Maybe he thinks putting this up is going to make people think they are about peace while they are trying to change their current contract of the denouncement of war. I really do hope they can honor and strive for peace, but my personally experiences with them beg to differ.
GW
Punched the kanji into an online dictionary to what it would spit out, but said NOTHING FOUND :)
Carcharodon
it's a the Japanese equivalent of a portmanteau. Whoever created it has grabbed the two kanji and stuck them together.
Its how the roll with Gengo.
therougou
I bet many new "gaijin" will circle 令和 instead of 昭和 by mistake on various application forms.
socrateos
Schopenhauer:
Yes it is often used that way, but 令 has another meaning. For example 令嬢, which means "noble, fine, or beautiful young lady", not "commanding lady".
The phrase 令月 in the poetry, from which the new era's name was derived is more similar to the later. It CANNOT be "commanding Moon."
When Mr Abe explained it as "beautiful," he was correct.
So 令和 means "Noble, beautiful Peace."
simon g
Most new forms are going with Western Calendar years. And what is a new gaijin? Babies, don't usually fill out forms. Do Japanese babies?
DaveAllTogether
I am not happy with it. I’ve never liked the syllable ‘rei’ No matter the meaning associated with it has always sounded harsh. My wife actually wanted to give our “oldest” daughter the middle name of ‘rei’, but I was able to persuade her otherwise. Reading this name I wonder if the ascending monarch had any input which choice.
Phoenixikki
It's admirable to discover little used and obscure meanings in otherwise commonly used words/kanji, but the era name isn't supposed to be a Kanji test for the advanced. Nor should people be expected to make immediate associations with classic Japanese language and its use of old forms like 令む. I feel many here are missing the point.
If the intention was to say "beautiful", there are several other, better and most importantly straightforward choices. For the common folks 令 is a stiff and restricting kanji, hence the reactions.
San Miguel
From this morning's UK Guardian: "TV commentators struggled to offer a direct translation, but the two characters, taken from the eighth-century work Man’yoshu, the oldest existing anthology of Japanese poetry, can be read as “fortunate” or “auspicious”, and “peace” or “harmony. In Tokyo, people watching giant screens greeted the announcement with applause and, in a few cases, tears. “I was surprised by the choice – I didn’t expect those kanji characters, but I’ll have to start getting used to them,” one woman told public broadcaster NHK. “One of them is the character for peace, so there is a serious meaning behind it.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/01/reiwa-japan-prepares-to-enter-new-era-brimming-with-hope
Joe Yan
Ultra-conservative..?? LDP is convervative but definitely not ultra-conservative. Only a small fraction within the party has ultra-conservative views and mainstream LDP policies are not ULTRA-conservative. I see the writer and/or the editor are clearly left wingers and are bias in their work.
Soon Eel
it is obvious that it is not an easy task
to make everybody happy..there is a criticization as well. 令和 litterally
means good harmony..but what i mean is that harmony itself is good so no need to add 令 rather think of some other words..
Serrano
Down at the Post Office just now, the ladies were talking about it. They wondered if 令和 should be rendered Leiwa, or Reiwa, in English. They genuinely did not know.
I vote Leiwa!
From Lost In Translation:
Charlotte: Why do they switch the r's and the l's here?
Bob: Uh, for yuks. You know? Just to mix it up. They have to amuse themselves, 'cause we're not making them laugh.
Schopenhauer
socrateos
What about 逮捕令状、召集令状? I hope it will not happen to me. Also, "Reiwa" does not sound phonetically beautiful in Japanese.
JeffLee
"Wa" frequently refers to "Japanese," like "wagyu" and washoku," Japanese beef and food, and even the archaic "wajin" (Japanese person).
So this phrase could be interpreted as "disciplined Japanese" or "ordered Japanese." Harks back to an earlier age, doesn't it. LOL.
Danny Bloom
Actual pronunciation is lei wah, lay wah, not Ray wah. Japanese say the r sound as l sound. Love is rub. ramen is lamen. Ask any Japanese person. The new era name is said as lay wah, but written sadly as rei wa. Wrong. Write it and say it as lay wah. I dare anyone to disagree with me.
socrateos
Schopenhauer:
Do not worry. Moon in the night sky does not issue orders. The meaning of any word is determined only in the context it is used. In our case of 令和、the context is 令月 in the poetry、an adjective to admire Moon in the night sky. It is a similar usage as in 令嬢、"noble, beautiful young lady," the expression we still use today.
Chico3
Did he also explain that the 2nd day of the 2nd year will be R2D2? Great news for Star Wars fans.
theResident
Totally Disagreeing with you. Never bought a bowl or Lamen in my life regardless of how it sounds in Japanese. Nor have I have been in Rub with anyone.
Don't be so pendantic! I douible dare you..haha.
browny1
dannybloom - well not exactly.
Pure Japanese pronunciation will see it as not quite Rei & not quite Lei, but as kind of mix halfway between the two.
And seeing that it will be spelt Reiwa in romaji & English (I guess), 99% of non-Japanese will certainly read it as "Ray Wa".
Try telling the English speaking world that Karaoke is not "curry-oki".
oyatoi
Was enjoying 冷コー ☕️when 令和 was announced.
JenniSchiebel
Reiwa ... I like it.
socrateos
Schopenhauer:
If you still have any doubt, here is a typical example of sentence, using 令嬢.
It describes a product ”令嬢ブラウス” (Reijo-Blouse) , a female clothing, "with collar in flower motif of neat and clean, high class ladies."
https://www.tocco-closet.co.jp/SHOP/186-136879.html
Yubaru
Wow, just as bad as a Japanese person trying to correct an English speaker about their English!
alien-earthling
Before expressing any critical assessment of the expression, a reading of the poem from the Manyoshu would be warranted.
Anonymous
AnonymousToday 01:19 pm JST
Great choice. Looks good, sounds good, significant.
-6( +1 / -7 )
Thank you all for your support. Bigly.
令和 is a great choice. Looks good, sounds good, significant AND presses all the right buttons.
Danny Bloom
Lay wah
snakes9000
A joker dj started playing clapton's layla and rambling on about the pronunciation. Now I have a serious 'reiwa' earworm. lol
shoganai
imho, maybe they should amend the law to include "being easy to read and write, with meanings that the masses can easily understand and relate to, not more abstract meanings only appreciated by a tiny minority of literature scholars."
the initial not so positive reactions of many average japanese speaks volumes about the connotations of the 1st word used.
Toasted Heretic
The whole point of the comments section is for people to express their views on the new era naming. Regardless of their nationality. It's kind of what JT is all about.
Personally, it sounds a bit right wing to me. I hope that isn't the case and my beloved Japan continues on a peaceful, non-militaristic path.
(Well, I can always hope, can't I?)
IloveCoffee
"command peace" or "harmony through coercion" sounds like a good description of Japanese culture.
Well that's technically not true at all. Cultures change when social norms change.
quercetum
You can be sure there won’t be protests in the streets on this name.
GyGene
I liked it until I read some comments. I reckon I still like it okay. 令和。Types easily enough. Sounds good. Reiwa. Reiwa. Okay, let's get used to saying it. 令和。Yes, it'll work quite good.
JohnDigsJapan
Not being Japanese or having permanent residence, I realized I am in the peculiar position of having been in Japan on day 1 of Heisei 1 and will be there on day 30 of Heisei 31, meaning I will have been there on the first and last day of Heisei. Not too many foreigners can say that....
cleo
Didn't like it when I first heard it; the first impression from 令 is a bit hard, with the connotations from 令状 (arrest warrant, call-up notice, etc). Not to mention the fact that it reminded me of the name of the much loved pet dog of a close family member, Reina.
And Abe's 'explanation' didn't help at all.
But it doesn't seem too bad when I recall the use of 令 to express respect; 令嬢 (your/his/her honourable daughter), 令夫人 (your/his honourable wife). If Abe just shuts up, it will probably grow on me.
Nadège
HOPE IS FREE
°
Reiwa : the divine natural order found in harmony, when people work together in peace to reach the next goal. It is a new balance.
°
Showa ? The japaneese civilisation peak under colonial threatening ? Military taking power over kings & emperors ? I am afraid Japan is not China. It is an interesting debate. But, the conclusion will not come for the next decade. Japan would have to be open about many things that I don't believe she is ready for. And, the colonial world will do anything and everything to break it to happen.
But most important, the will of the people is to get ride of noble men instead of kingship. Noble love their war spirit too much in Japan. And, their sons never understood, the need for long time true respect. They still go on brutal power ruling without contest. That is the japan nature problem. The next step might not be for their usual blood heirloom.
In the emperor order ( who become king's order ) there is a past order that suit Abe's dream more than the next's truth where each generation have to proove itself wise for inheritance above the poorest. This will be about virtu instead blood.
Good luck to Reiwa. Let's hope the law of the king is not a bad omen. Because it won't be enough for the japan size.
°
NadAge
Jimi
bread and circuses, just join the gregorian calendar like the rest of the world and stop living in a bubble.
JohnDigsJapan
Zichi,
I don't live in Japan. I was in Japan from Showa 62 to Heisei 1 as a member of the armed forces. I have since traveled to Japan on 11 occasions and the 12th will coincide with the last day of Heisei. People who live there will have been there all of the Heisei era (if they're old enough), but I am not a resident; I am a traveler. It's just a coincidence that I will have been there on the very first and very last day, that's all.
Akie
Jimi, Japanese live without gregorian calendar for at least since there were Japanese, can live without it till there will be no gregorian calendar, as simple as that.
Chop Chop
I like it. It's beautiful and meaningful era name. I was born in the Showa era.
inkochi
So, do we all need new drivers licences like last time?
Personally I think shiritori should be the system for choosing new era names.
Heisei - sei...
If so, I had thought 'ri' could have been an inventive final component after some of the inventive economic policy of the incumbent regime.
Good luck to 'Reiwa Tenno-sama'
Bill Fryer
It might have been nice if the Japanese people had been allowed to vote on the name themselves rather than this obscure name being selected selfishly by a few elites.
Anonymous
@inkochi
“Reiwa Tenbo”? Sounds like he’s died before even taking the throne.
talaraedokko
Abe-san, your words culture is born and grows when people come together and "care for each other beautifully.” Please remember that the millions of people entering and setting up residence here will be part of this nation’s future and will depend on these very words in their process of integration.
smithinjapan
'Abe said the name means that culture is born and grows when people come together and "care for each other beautifully."'
Yeah, or it means when you are ordered to do so by the government, and the only way forward in peace is to obey the orders without question.
browny1
AkieToday 02:28 am JST
Jimi, Japanese live without gregorian calendar for at least since there were Japanese, can live without it till there will be no gregorian calendar, as simple as that.
Akie - I think in Japan the Era calendar and the Gregorian calendar can sit comfortably alongside each other.
But to live without the Gregorian calendar - the de facto World calendar - would be impossible. Unless you wanted to shut youself off from the world.
For better or worse, the Imperial Era calendar system will probably decrease in popularity and use over the next generation as it has done from the previous generation.
Culture shifts, change occurs - it's inevitable. Kimonos still exist and are an inherent part of Japanese culture, but witness how many kimono clad men and women you see everyday.
Era names will probably follow suit, but not just yet.
Anonymous
Make that Tenno.
bullfighter
In other words, Japan needs someone to make the country great again, right?
No, they have not, least of all during the 1930s-1940s. The top leadership both civilian and military were technocrats and they based their claims to legitimacy on their technical expertise.
Indeed. There are a few serious nut jobs in the LDP but in European terms the LDP is center right. Compare Abe and the LDP with Viktor Orban in Hungary or Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil to get an idea of what the real “far right” is like. On some things, the LDP is, in American terms, far left. You don’t see the LDP trying to ban abortion or trying to dismantle our national health insurance system.
Andrew
I am very surprised few have seen the real command: 'culture is born' we need more births, 'and grows' which will become workers, 'when people come together' in our hungry market labour, and 'care for each other beautifully' to work hard and diligently, so that 'culture is born' again for more births.
TheReds
I think they should get a handsome actor or beautiful celebrity to hold the sign instead of Suga-san.