politics

Japan gov't sticks with plan to unveil new era name before May 1

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How do birthdays work?

I presume someone born on May 1st will be born in ‘OO 1’...

but if someone is born on April 30th will that be ‘Heisei 31’ or ‘OO 1’ ?

I suppose what I’m asking is will 2019 officially have 2 Japanese years?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What I'm curious about, just for trivia's sake, is what they are going to do about the "Emperor's birthday" next year. The current Emperor's birthday is 12/23, but he will abdicate before his next. The Crown Prince's birthday is February 23rd, but he won't start until May. Now, I realize of course that they current Emperor's birthday will become a holiday from next year, but I'm asking specifically about the Emperor's birthday. One right-winger I know is actually in a bit of a tizzy about this for some reason when I pointed out that technically there can be no Emperor's birthday next year.

I am as well! I tend to think that the government here is going to come up with some reason to keep the current Emperor's birthday as a holiday as there would be no official holidays in December.

Out of Meiji, Taisho, and Showa, only Taisho's birthday is no longer a holiday. The Meiji Emperor's birthday is Culture Day (Nov 3rd) and Showa's is April 29th.

I get the feeling the government will come up with some "excuse" to keep December 23rd too!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My driving license expires in Heisei 33. There will not be Heisei 33. Can I use my driving license after the gengo changes? Or my license must be renewed?

With the other posts you made I think you know the answer to that!

For others, NO, you wont have to renew the drivers license! Official documents here will still use the current "gengo" until it is changed officially. Just like Showa, and I am sure you were alive back then too.

The official change date is Oct 22, the date that Naruhito ascends the to the throne.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I think it”ll be “Hikari” or 光栄or similar meaning.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My guess it won't start with an M, T, S or H so as to avoid single-letter abbreviations being confused with Meiji, Taisho, Showa and Heisei.

But what do I know, given the J government.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A new name of a new ear. I simply can not wait,. What could it be? I am on the edge of my seat. Tell us already! What is it?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It's nice that they are using our tax money to bicker over something that is rooted purely in the Imperial realm, which is explicitly separate from state. And what are these conservatives so uptight about that it has to be after? although the always pathetic "it'll confuse the people" excuse for doing it before is weak, to say the least, too. Who cares? The only thing that surprises me is that the government hasn't given in to the demands (going back a while) of the publication companies to know early so that they can print it on calendars beforehand.

What I'm curious about, just for trivia's sake, is what they are going to do about the "Emperor's birthday" next year. The current Emperor's birthday is 12/23, but he will abdicate before his next. The Crown Prince's birthday is February 23rd, but he won't start until May. Now, I realize of course that they current Emperor's birthday will become a holiday from next year, but I'm asking specifically about the Emperor's birthday. One right-winger I know is actually in a bit of a tizzy about this for some reason when I pointed out that technically there can be no Emperor's birthday next year.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

If its an era for the Emperor, the answer is not "2019", that's the era for Jesus.

Ir would be say ming1, (next 1stMay) ming2 and so on till he passes away.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

We are puzzled often filling in documents at offices. Some require to use gengo and other western years.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Fantastic! So everybody that signs a new contract this coming April will have to change it the following month. Way to go Japan, NOT!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I got my Driver's License renewed last month. I was hoping that finally, with the change of eras known, that perhaps Gengo dates would disappear from Driver's Licenses, but, no, nothing has changed. My new license expires in Heisei 36, even though the government knows that there will be no Heisei 36. I think I need to put a sticker on it somewhere to remind me to renew it by January 2024. Changes of era are confusing if you use Gregorian dates for most transactions and Gengo dates for government documents. It is easy enough to remember the current year, but easy to make mistakes when you are counting foward or backward. Especially when next year will be XXXXX gannen, and the year after XXXXX ninen.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Gengo began in China and was adopted in Japan and Korea. Today, it is only used in Japan. Some say it should be unified in Gregorian calendar and abolish gengo. Others refer to the goodness of gengo. With gengo, flow of time is punctuated.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

yes it's called 2019!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It seems the government plans to announce in advance "hear ye hear ye, the next era will be called 'MaruMaru' and we will start using it May 1st" but conservatives want the era name to be both announced to the public and implemented on the same day? I'm also having a hard time understanding this article.

I'm just surprised there is room for debate and not a clear protocol for this kind of thing, though I guess an abdication hasn't happened in modern times.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I would suggest the new era be named 2019.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

We have to buy two calendars for the next year. A Good business chance for printing companies.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I just finished reading this and feel no more informed than when I started. No idea what they're talking about.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

My driving license expires in Heisei 33. There will not be Heisei 33. Can I use my driving license after the gengo changes? Or my license must be renewed?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Like we're in a real rush to hear.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

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