Reiwa era

The Japanese government on 1 April 2019 announced the name during a live televised press conference, as Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga traditionally revealed the kanji calligraphy on a board. Prime Minister Shinzō Abe said that Reiwa represents "a culture being born and nurtured by people coming together beautifully".

A shortlist of names for the new era was drawn up by a nine-member expert panel comprising seven men and two women with the cabinet selecting the final name from the shortlist.{{cite web |last1= Rich |first1= Motoko |title= Japan's New Era Gets a Name, but No One Can Agree What It Means |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/world/asia/japan-emperor-era-reiwa.html |work= The New York Times |access-date= 1 April 2019 |date= 1 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190401100741/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/world/asia/japan-emperor-era-reiwa.html |archive-date= 1 April 2019 |url-status= live }} The nine experts were:{{cite web |title= 「元号」有識者懇メンバー9人発表 |url= https://mainichi.jp/articles/20190401/k00/00m/040/023000c | work =Mainichi Shimbun |access-date= 1 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190401143124/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20190401/k00/00m/040/023000c |archive-date=1 April 2019 |date=1 April 2019 |language= ja}}

• {{nihongo|{{ill|Midori Miyazaki|ja|宮崎緑}}|宮崎緑}} – professor at Chiba University of Commerce
• {{nihongo|Itsurō Terada|寺田逸郎}} – former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Japan
• {{nihongo|Shinya Yamanaka|山中伸弥}} – Nobel Prize-winning stem-cell scientist, professor at Kyoto University
• {{nihongo |Mariko Hayashi|林真理子}} – screenwriter and novelist
• {{nihongo|Sadayuki Sakakibara|榊原定征}} – former chairman of the Japan Business Federation
• {{nihongo |{{ill|Kaoru Kamata|ja|鎌田薫}}|鎌田薫}} – trustee and president of Waseda University
• {{nihongo|{{ill|Kōjirō Shiraishi|ja|白石興二郎}}|白石興二郎}} – president of the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association
• {{nihongo |{{ill|Ryōichi Ueda|ja|上田良一}}|上田良一}} – president of the Japan Broadcasting Corporation
• {{nihongo |{{ill|Yoshio Ōkubo|ja|大久保好男}}|大久保好男}} – president of Nippon Television Holdings

The day after the announcement, the government revealed that the other candidate names under consideration had been {{Nihongo |Eikō|英弘}}, {{Nihongo|Kyūka|久化}},{{cite web |url= https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/03/national/banna-banpo-eiko-koshi-kyuka-japan-eras-beaten-reiwa/ |title= Banna, Banpo, Eiko, Koshi and Kyuka: The Japan eras that could have been, beaten out by Reiwa |website= The Japan Times |date= 3 April 2019 |access-date= 11 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190411111856/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/03/national/banna-banpo-eiko-koshi-kyuka-japan-eras-beaten-reiwa/ |archive-date= 11 April 2019 |url-status= live }} {{Nihongo |Kōshi or Kōji|広至}}, {{Nihongo |Banna or Banwa|万和}},{{cite web |url= https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20190402/k10011870041000.html |title= 新元号 ６原案中４つは 「英弘」「広至」「万和」「万保」 |website= NHK News Web |date= 2 April 2019 |access-date= 7 April 2019 |language= ja |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190406211729/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20190402/k10011870041000.html |archive-date= 6 April 2019 |url-status= dead }} and {{Nihongo|Banpo or Banhō|万保}},{{cite web |title= 新元号 ６案すべて判明 「令和」考案は中西進氏か |url= https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20190402/k10011870221000.html |work= NHK News Web |access-date= 2 April 2019 |date= 2 April 2019 |language= ja |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190402042757/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20190402/k10011870221000.html |archive-date= 2 April 2019 |url-status= dead }} three of which were sourced from two Japanese works, the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki.{{cite web|title=「令和」考案は中西進氏 古事記・日本書紀含め、3案が国書典拠|url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20190402/k00/00m/040/360000c|language=ja|access-date=3 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403104636/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20190402/k00/00m/040/360000c|archive-date=3 April 2019|url-status=live}} Official pronunciations and meanings of these names were not released, although the reading of Eikō was leaked; the other readings are speculative.{{cite web |url= https://japantoday.com/category/politics/4-era-names-the-japanese-government-rejected-before-deciding-on-reiwa |website= Japan Today |title= 4 era names the gov't rejected before deciding on Reiwa |first= Casey |last= Baseel |date= 3 April 2019 |access-date= 6 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190406091816/https://japantoday.com/category/politics/4-era-names-the-japanese-government-rejected-before-deciding-on-reiwa |archive-date= 6 April 2019 |url-status= live }}

File:Passers-by in Shinjuku watch Reiwa period announcement (1 April 2019).jpg]]

File:Minabe-Bairin Minabe Wakayama16bs2400.jpg, Wakayama ]]

The kanji characters for Reiwa are derived from the Man'yōshū, an eighth-century (Nara period) anthology of waka poetry. The kotobagaki (headnote) attached to a group of 32 poems (815–846) in Volume 5 of the collection, composed on the occasion of a poetic gathering to view the plum blossoms, reads as follows:{{citation needed|reason=This is true, and is therefore vastly superior to the popular mass media interpretations that have emerged in the day or so since the announcement was made and REPEATEDLY inserted here, but it needs a citation. Several Japanese-language RSes have included this information in part or in full, so a citation should be forthcoming. DO NOT rewrite this based on some bogus interpretation of an English or Spanish popular media source; pedantic self-tagging is not an excuse to reinsert inaccurate information gleaned from unreliable sources (and yes, the BBC and other western popular media are unreliable when it comes to Japanese classical literature; Japanese popular media are mildly preferable since their target audience generally at least has heard of the Man'yōshū).|date=April 2019}}

{{Blockquote|Original Kanbun text:

{{lang|ja|于時、初春令月、氣淑風和、梅披鏡前之粉、蘭薫珮後之香。}}{{Cite web |url= https://miko.org/~uraki/kuon/furu/text/waka/manyou/mana.htm |title= 真字萬葉集卷第五雜歌0815 |quote= 天平二年正月十三日，萃于帥老大伴旅人之宅，申宴會也。于時，初春令月，氣淑風和。梅披鏡前之粉，蘭薰珮後之香。加以，曙嶺移雲，松掛羅而傾蓋，夕岫結霧，鳥封穀而迷林。庭舞新蝶，空歸故鴈。於是，蓋天坐地，促膝飛觴。忘言一室之裏，開衿煙霞之外。淡然自放，快然自足。若非翰苑，何以攄情。請紀落梅之篇，古今夫何異矣。宜賦園梅，聊成短詠。 |access-date= 1 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190401151215/https://miko.org/~uraki/kuon/furu/text/waka/manyou/mana.htm |archive-date= 1 April 2019 |url-status= live }}}}

{{Blockquote|Classical Japanese translation (kanbun kundoku):

{{lang|ja|時に、初春の令月にして、気淑く風和ぎ、梅は鏡前の粉を披き、蘭は珮後の香を薫す。}}
{{transliteration|ja|Toki ni, shoshun no reigetsu ni shite, kiyoku kaze yawaragi, ume wa kyōzen no ko o hiraki, ran wa haigo no kō o kaorasu.}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO43167240R00C19A4000000/|title=新元号「令和」 首相談話「花を大きく咲かせたい」|date=1 April 2019|work=Nikkei|language=ja|access-date=1 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401042552/https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO43167240R00C19A4000000/|archive-date=1 April 2019|url-status=live}}}}

{{Blockquote|English translation:

It was in new spring, in a fair (rei) month,

When the air was clear and the wind a gentle (wa) breeze.

Plum flowers blossomed a beauty's charming white

And the fragrance of the orchids was their sweet perfume.}}

The Japanese Foreign Ministry provided an English-language interpretation of Reiwa as "beautiful harmony", to dispel reports that {{Nihongo|"Rei"|令}} here is translated as "command" or "order"{{cite web |title=Govt.: 'Reiwa' means 'beautiful harmony' |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190403_38/ |work=NHK World |date=3 April 2019 |access-date=1 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501035209/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190403_38/ |archive-date=1 May 2019 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title= Government says Reiwa translates as 'beautiful harmony' |url= http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201904030024.html |work= The Asahi Shimbun |date= 3 April 2019 |access-date= 1 May 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190501035211/http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201904030024.html |archive-date= 1 May 2019 |url-status= live }}{{cite web |title= Japan assures world that Reiwa is all about 'beautiful harmony' and has nothing to do with 'command' |url= https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/03/national/japan-assures-world-reiwa-beautiful-harmony-nothing-command/ |work= The Japan Times |date= 3 April 2019 |access-date= 3 April 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190403215933/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/04/03/national/japan-assures-world-reiwa-beautiful-harmony-nothing-command/ |archive-date= 3 April 2019 |url-status= live }} – which are the significantly more common meanings of the character, especially so in both modern Japanese and Chinese.{{cite news|url=http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201904030024.html|title=Government says Reiwa translates as 'beautiful harmony'|author=The Associated Press|date=3 April 2019|newspaper=Asahi Shimbun|access-date=27 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501035211/http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201904030024.html|archive-date=1 May 2019|url-status=live}} The Foreign Ministry also noted that "beautiful harmony" is rather an explanation than an official translation or a legally binding interpretation.

Prior to and naturally irrespective of the era announcement, within the context of the Chinese essay in the Man'yōshū from which the excerpt is cited, the expression {{lang|ja|令月}} (which characters constitute the word reigetsu in modern Japanese) has generally been academically translated or interpreted as "wonderful" or "good (Japanese: yoi) month" in published scholarly works, such as by Alexander Vovin in English as wonderful month in his 2011 commentary and translation of Book 5,{{cite book|date=2011|author=Vovin, Alexander|title=Man'yōshū: Book 5, a new English translation containing the original text, kana transliteration, romanization, glossing and commentary|publisher=Global Oriental|place=Folkestone|isbn=978-1-906876-20-3|language=en}} or by Susumu Nakanishi in Japanese as {{Nihongo|yoi tsuki|好い月}} in his commentary and translation into modern Japanese that was published in 1978.{{cite book|date=8 August 1978|author=Nakanishi, Susumu|title=Man'yōshū Zen'yakuchū Genbun-tsuki (Ichi)|script-title=ja:万葉集 全訳注原文付(一)|trans-title=Man'yōshū: a Full Translation and Commentary Containing the Original Text (Part 1)|publisher=Kodansha Bunko|isbn=978-4061313828|language=ja}}

Susumu Nakanishi, a scholar of Japanese literature, particularly of the Man'yōshū, is widely believed to have conceived the name Reiwa.{{Cite web |date=2019-04-02 |title=新元号「天が決める」＝考案者？の中西進氏：時事ドットコム |url=https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2019040200888&g=soc |access-date=2024-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402150255/https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2019040200888&g=soc |archive-date=2 April 2019 }}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-28 |title=「令和」に込められた思い…元号の考案者とされる中西進氏 高志の国文学館館長 退任の前に語る 富山 {{!}} TBS NEWS DIG (1ページ) |url=https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/402241 |access-date=2024-04-21 |website=TBS NEWS DIG |language=ja}} Following the announcement of Reiwa in 2019, Nakanishi advocated for understanding the character {{Nihongo|rei|令}} of the era name through the help of the Japanese word {{nihongo|uruwashii|うるわしい||fair (of sight, weather), beautiful, fine (also of mood) etc.}}, stressing that in the traditional dictionaries (such as Erya or the Kangxi Dictionary), the word {{lang|ja|令}} is explained with the word {{lang|ja|善}}.{{cite web |title=「令」に一番近い日本語は「うるわしい」 「令和」の考案者と目される国文学者が意味を解説 |url= https://www.dailyshincho.jp/article/2019/06010615/ |work= Daily Shincho |date= 17 May 2019|access-date= 22 November 2020|language=ja}} Nakanishi criticized the understanding of the

{{Nihongo|rei|令}} in Reiwa as Japanese {{nihongo|utsukushii|美しい||generally meaning "beautiful"}}, which was propagated by then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, pointing out that neither the etymology nor the exact sense are appropriate.

File:Man'yōshū Reiwa.jpg from which the kanji characters for "Reiwa" are derived]]

"Reiwa" marks the first Japanese era name with characters that were taken from Japanese literature instead of classic Chinese literature.{{cite news |last1=McCurry |first1=Justin |title=Reiwa: how Japan's new era name is breaking tradition| url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/01/reiwa-how-japans-new-era-name-is-breaking-tradition}}{{cite news |last1=Sim |first1=Walter |title=Sign of the times: Japan picks Reiwa to succeed Heisei as new imperial era from May 1| url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-to-unveil-new-imperial-era-name-in-worlds-oldest-monarchy}}{{cite news |last1=Osaki |first1=Tomohiro |title=Reiwa: Japan reveals name of new era ahead of Emperor's abdication}}{{better source needed|reason=JT has a dubious record when it comes to distinguishing "Chinese literature" and "literature in Chinese produced in Japan by and for the Japanese". In this case the MYS quote IS in Chinese. It's probably right, but a specialist source, even one in Japanese, would be better than a Japan Times article.|date=April 2019}}{{cite news|url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM3Z4V6QM3ZUTFK007.html?iref=pc_extlink|title=新元号は「令和」（れいわ） 万葉集典拠、国書由来は初|date=1 April 2019|work=Asahi News Digital|access-date=2 April 2019|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401175450/https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM3Z4V6QM3ZUTFK007.html?iref=pc_extlink|archive-date=1 April 2019|url-status=live}}

Robert Campbell, director-general of National Institute of Japanese Literature in Tokyo, provided an official televised interpretation to NHK, regarding the characters based on the poem,{{clarify|reason="The 32 poems"!?|date=April 2019}} noting that "Rei" is an auspicious wave of energy of the plum blossoms carried by the wind, and "Wa", the general character of peace and tranquility.{{cite news |title=Japanese Literature Expert on New Era Name |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20190401123903409/ |access-date=2 April 2019 |publisher=NHK World Japan |date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402131006/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/videos/20190401123903409/ |archive-date=2 April 2019 |url-status=live }}

Accordingly, the name marks the 248th era name designated in Japanese history.{{cite web |title=Japan announces "Reiwa" as new era name to begin under new emperor |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-04/01/c_137940162.htm |publisher=Xinhua |access-date=1 April 2019 |date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401055636/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-04/01/c_137940162.htm |archive-date=1 April 2019 |url-status=dead }} While the "wa" character {{lang|ja|和}} has been used in 19 previous era names, the "rei" character {{lang|ja|令}} has never appeared before.{{cite web |title=Japan's govt. chooses 'Reiwa' as new era name |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190401_54/ |publisher=NHK World Japan |access-date=1 April 2019 |date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402033110/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190401_54/ |archive-date=2 April 2019 |url-status=dead }} The character appeared in a proposed era name in 1864—Reitoku ({{lang|ja|令徳}})—that the ruling Tokugawa shogunate rejected, as it could be interpreted as the emperor commanding (rei) the Tokugawa.{{cite news|url=http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201904030024.html|access-date=27 June 2019|newspaper=Asahi Shimbun|date=3 April 2019|author=The Associated Press|title=Government says Reiwa translates as 'beautiful harmony'|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501035211/http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201904030024.html|archive-date=1 May 2019|url-status=live}}

On the other hand, according to {{nihongo|Masaaki Tatsumi|辰巳正明}}, professor of Japanese literature, and {{Nihongo|Masaharu Mizukami|水上雅晴}}, professor of Chinese philosophy, interviewed by the Asahi Shimbun shortly after the announcement was made, the phrase has an earlier source in ancient Chinese literature dating back to the second century AD, on which the Man'yōshū usage is allegedly based:{{Cite news|url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM3Y7524M3YULZU027.html|title=「日本が困難な時、万葉集がはやる」 令和は歴史的転換|last=Ozawa|first=Satoshi|date=1 April 2019|work=Asahi News Digital|access-date=2 April 2019|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401235410/https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM3Y7524M3YULZU027.html|archive-date=1 April 2019|url-status=live}}

{{Blockquote|

{{lang|zh|於是仲春令月，時和氣清；原隰鬱茂，百草茲榮。}}
{{transliteration|zh|Yú shì zhòng chūn lìng yuè, shí hé qì qīng; yuán xí yù mào, bǎi cǎo zī róng.}}

|Zhang Heng, Return to the Field}}

{{Poemquote|text=

Then comes young spring, in a fine month,

When the wind is mild and the air clear.

Plains and swamps are overgrown with verdure

And the hundred grasses become rank and thick.|sign=translation by Liu Wu-chi|source=An Introduction to Chinese Literature (1990){{cite book |last=Liu |first=Wu-chi |author-link=Liu Wu-chi |date=1990 |title=An Introduction to Chinese Literature|publisher=Greenwood Press of Greenwood Publishing Group|location=Westport, Connecticut|page=54|isbn=0-313-26703-0}}}}

According to the Japan Mint, all coins with the new era name have been released since October 2019. It takes three months to make preparations such as creating molds in order to input text or pictures. The Mint will prioritize creating 100- and 500-yen coins due to their high mintage and circulation, with an anticipated release by the end of July 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://bizspa.jp/post-142453/|title=「令和」の硬貨はいつ発行される？免許証、書類はどうなる… {{!}} ページ 2|date=2 April 2019|website=bizSPA!フレッシュ|language=ja|access-date=3 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403151221/https://bizspa.jp/post-142453/|archive-date=3 April 2019|url-status=live}}{{needs update|date=July 2020}}

{{Contains special characters|Uncommon Unicode|section}}

Anticipating the coming of the new era, the Unicode Consortium reserved a code point ({{unichar|32ff|SQUARE ERA NAME REIWA}}){{cite web |last1=Lunde |first1=Ken |title=Adobe-Japan1-7 Published! |url=https://blogs.adobe.com/CCJKType/2019/04/aj17-published.html |website=CJK Type Blog |publisher=Adobe |access-date=2 April 2019 |date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402021211/https://blogs.adobe.com/CCJKType/2019/04/aj17-published.html |archive-date=2 April 2019 |url-status=live }} in September 2018 for a new glyph which will combine half-width versions of Reiwa{{'s}} kanji, {{lang|ja|令}} and {{lang|ja|和}}, into a single character; similar code points exist for earlier era names, including Shōwa ({{unichar|337C|SQUARE ERA NAME SYOUWA}}) and Heisei ({{unichar|337B|SQUARE ERA NAME HEISEI}}) periods.{{cite web |title=New Japanese Era |url=http://blog.unicode.org/2018/09/new-japanese-era.html |website=The Unicode Blog |publisher=Unicode Consortium |access-date=1 April 2019 |date=6 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401120222/http://blog.unicode.org/2018/09/new-japanese-era.html |archive-date=1 April 2019 |url-status=live }} The resulting new version of Unicode, 12.1.0, was released on 7 May 2019.{{cite web |title=Unicode Version 12.1 released in support of the Reiwa Era |url=http://blog.unicode.org/2019/05/unicode-12-1-en.html |publisher=Unicode Consortium |access-date=9 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507232600/http://blog.unicode.org/2019/05/unicode-12-1-en.html |archive-date=7 May 2019 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Unicode 12.1.0 |url=https://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode12.1.0/ |publisher=The Unicode Consortium |access-date=2 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402032853/http://www.unicode.org/versions/Unicode12.1.0/ |archive-date=2 April 2019 |url-status=live }}

The Microsoft Windows update KB4469068 included support for the new era.{{Cite web |title=Summary of new Japanese era Windows updates - KB4469068| url=https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4469068/summary-of-new-japanese-era-updates-kb4469068 |access-date=17 August 2020| website=support.microsoft.com | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200730074247/https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4469068/summary-of-new-japanese-era-updates-kb4469068 |archive-date=30 July 2020}}

On 19 November 2019, Shinzo Abe became the longest-serving prime minister of Japan and surpassed the previous 2,883-day record of Katsura Tarō.{{cite news |last1=Harding |first1=Robin |title=Shinzo Abe becomes Japan's longest-serving prime minister |url=https://www.ft.com/content/f4323946-0a9f-11ea-bb52-34c8d9dc6d84 |access-date=20 November 2019 |work=Financial Times |date=20 November 2019}} Abe also beat Eisaku Satō's record of 2,798 consecutive days on 23 August 2020.{{cite web | last1=Yamaguchi | first1=Mari | title=Japan's PM sets mark for days in office amid health concerns | url=https://apnews.com/e827a93730630262bf73fc91d484a911 | date=24 August 2020 | work=Associated Press | access-date=24 August 2020}} He resigned for health reasons in September 2020 and was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga.{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/16/asia/yoshihide-suga-japan-prime-minister-intl-hnk/index.html|title = Yoshihide Suga officially named as Japan's new Prime Minister, replacing Shinzo Abe| date=16 September 2020 }}

In early 2020, Japan began to suffer from the COVID-19 pandemic as several countries reported a significant increase in cases by March 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020|title=WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19—11 March 2020|date=20 March 2020|publisher=World Health Organization|access-date=11 March 2020}} Japan and other countries donated masks, medical equipment, and money to China.{{cite web |date=26 January 2020 |title= |script-title=zh:日本民间捐100万口罩驰援武汉 |url=https://www.guancha.cn/internation/2020_01_26_533209.shtml |access-date=29 January 2020 |work=Guancha |publisher= |language=zh-CN}}{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=June 2023}}

In June 2020, Fugaku was declared the most powerful supercomputer in the world with a performance of 415.53 PFLOPS.{{Cite web |url=https://www.top500.org/system/179807/ |title=Supercomputer Fugaku - Supercomputer Fugaku, A64FX 48C 2.2GHz, Tofu interconnect D |website=TOP500 Supercomputer Sites |access-date=22 June 2020}} Fugaku also ranked first place in computational methods performance for industrial use, artificial intelligence applications, and big data analytics. It was co-developed by the RIKEN research institute and Fujitsu.{{cite web|title=Japan's Fugaku rated world's fastest supercomputer |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200623_10/ |publisher=NHK World |access-date=23 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623150545/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200623_10/ |archive-date=23 June 2020|url-status=live}}

A year later than originally scheduled, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were held in the summer of 2021.{{cite web |title=Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 |url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/tokyo-2020 |website=olympics.com/ |access-date=8 October 2024}}

In September 2021, Suga announced he would not stand in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, effectively ending his term as prime minister. He was succeeded by Fumio Kishida who took office as prime minister on 4 October 2021. Kishida was elected leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) a week prior. He was officially confirmed as the country's 100th prime minister following a parliamentary vote.{{Cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/04/asia/japan-prime-minister-kishida-intl-hnk/index.html|title = Fumio Kishida takes office as Japan's new Prime Minister| date=4 October 2021 }}

The first general election under the Reiwa era took place on 31 October 2021. The LDP retained its majority despite losing seats.{{Cite news |date=2021-10-31 |title=Japan's Kishida Defies Forecasts, Keeps Majority in Election |language=en |work=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-31/japan-s-ruling-party-may-not-keep-parliament-majority-nhk-says |access-date=2024-01-02}}

In March 2022, Russian invasion of Ukraine caused Japan to join sanctions against Russia.{{Cite news |date=2022-03-08 |title=Japan unveils new sanctions on Russians, bans refinery equipment exports |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-freezes-assets-32-more-russian-belarusian-officials-oligarchs-2022-03-08/ |access-date=2022-03-16}} Japan was the first Asian country to exert pressure on Russia.{{cite web |website=Deutsche Welle |title=Japan edges from pacifism to more robust defense stance |date=April 28, 2022 |author=Martin Fritz |url=https://www.dw.com/en/japan-edges-from-pacifism-to-more-robust-defense-stance/a-61612891 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709081227/https://www.dw.com/en/japan-edges-from-pacifism-to-more-robust-defense-stance/a-61612891 |archive-date=9 July 2022}}

In July 2022, the former prime minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by Tetsuya Yamagami in Nara.{{Cite web |title=Japan's former PM Abe Shinzo shot, confirmed dead {{!}} NHK WORLD-JAPAN News |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_53/ |access-date=8 July 2022 |website=NHK WORLD |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708102230/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_53/ |archive-date=8 July 2022}} By comparison, Japan had only 10 gun related deaths from 2017 to 2021 and 1 gun fatality in 2021.{{cite web |title=Shooting of Former Prime Minister Abe a Shock to Japan, Which Saw Just One Gun Fatality in 2021 |website=Nippon.com |url=https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01381/shooting-of-former-prime-minister-abe-a-shock-to-japan-which-saw-just-one-gun-fatality-in-.html |date=8 July 2022 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708164212/https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01381/shooting-of-former-prime-minister-abe-a-shock-to-japan-which-saw-just-one-gun-fatality-in-.html}}

On 16 December 2022, Second Kishida Cabinet announced a departure from Japan's defense-oriented policy by acquiring counterstrike capabilities and a defense budget increase to 2% of GDP by 2027.{{cite web |title=Japan approves major defense overhaul in dramatic policy shift |author=Jesse Johnson, Gabriel Dominguez |date=16 December 2022 |publisher=The Japan Times |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/12/16/national/japan-dramatic-defense-shift/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221216091100/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/12/16/national/japan-dramatic-defense-shift/ |archive-date=December 16, 2022}} This comes amidst growing security concerns over China, North Korea and Russia. This will make Japan the 3rd largest defense-spender (¥43 trillion ($315 billion) after the United States and China.{{cite journal |title=Japan Steps Up |journal=Foreign Affairs |author=Jennifer Lind |date=23 December 2022 |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/japan/japan-steps |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221223125056/https://www.foreignaffairs.com/japan/japan-steps |archive-date=23 December 2022}}

On 1 January 2024, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Ishikawa Prefecture in the Noto Peninsula, which killed 213 people and caused many more injuries.{{cite news |date=2 January 2024 |title=【能登半島地震】県内死者５７人に 約３万２０００人避難 |language=ja |trans-title=[Noto Peninsula Earthquake] 57 people died in the prefecture, approximately 32,000 people evacuated |agency=Hokkoku |url=https://www.hokkoku.co.jp/articles/-/1280333 |access-date=2 January 2024}}

Following the 2024 Japanese slush fund scandal, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warned that three factions of Liberal Democratic Party (Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai, Kōchikai, and Shisuikai) all announced their intention to dissolve to form a war cabinet. However, several LDP lawmakers were indicted, including incumbent lawmakers Yasutada Ōno and Yaichi Tanigawa, who both resigned from the party following their indictments.{{cite web |title=2 lawmakers from Abe faction indicted; others in LDP charged |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15120042 |website=asahi.com/}} Kishida became a controversial figure in Japanese politics, and due to his negative approval ratings, stepped down in September 2024 to be replaced as Prime Minister by Shigeru Ishiba.{{cite news |title=Japanese parliament confirms Ishiba as new PM |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/10/1/japanese-parliament-confirms-ishiba-as-new-pm |work=Al Jazeera |language=en}}

On 19 January 2024, Japan becomes the fifth country to successfully land on the surface of the Moon with the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) lunar lander mission.

• 2019 - Akira Yoshino, Chemistry
• 2021 - Syukuro Manabe, Physics
• 2024 - Nihon Hidankyo, Peace

To convert any Gregorian calendar year since 2019 to Japanese calendar year in Reiwa era, subtract 2018 from the year in question.

• 2019 in Japan
• 2020 in Japan
• 2021 in Japan
• 2022 in Japan
• 2023 in Japan
• 2024 in Japan
• 2025 in Japan

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Reiwa era}}

{{Wiktionary|令和}}

• [https://www.sprotte.name/reiwa-die-neue-regierungsdevise-in-japan-gengo/ Reiwa]

{{S-start}}

{{S-bef|before={{nihongo|Heisei|平成}}|years=8 January 1989 – 30 April 2019}}

{{S-ttl|title=Era of Japan
{{nihongo|Reiwa|令和}}|years=1 May 2019 – present}}

{{S-inc|recent}}

{{S-end}}

{{Japanese era names|selected=from 1264}}

Category:2019 establishments in Japan

Category:Japanese eras

Category:2019 neologisms

Category:2019 in Japan

Category:2020s in Japan

Category:2019 introductions