Japan declares a new imperial era for when Crown Prince Naruhito becomes emperor May 1: Reiwa.
The country had been anxiously awaiting the new era name, or "gengo," which is used on coins, calendars, newspapers and in official paperwork, and over time captures a national mood.
The first character is most often used to mean"command" but can also mean"good" and"beautiful," while the second means"peace" or"harmony". The announcement came a month early so government offices and companies can update computer software and make preparations to avoid glitches when the new era begins.
"The idea that you should just give in to orders from those above you -- that's probably their wish but that doesn't give me the sense they want peace for ordinary people," said one Twitter user. "It's a collection that expresses our nation's rich culture, which we should take pride in, along with our nation's beautiful nature," Abe said."We believe this national character should be passed along to the next era."
Guidelines stipulated that the era name should be appropriate to the ideals of the nation, consist of two"kanji," or Chinese characters, and be easy to write and read. It also can't be a repeat of a previous combination.
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