Reiwa: Govt announces new era name

Japan’s government has announced the name of the country’s next era, Reiwa.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga held a press conference this morning in Tokyo.

A select group of leading professionals discussed 5 possible candidate names this morning.

Cabinet ministers also gave their input before the final name was made public.

Reiwa was selected from Manyoshu, an ancient Japanese collection of poetry.

It’s the first era name not pulled from a Chinese literary classic.

Era names in Japan are attached to the reign of specific emperors.

Emperor Akihito is set to abdicate on April 30.

Crown Prince Naruhito will become Emperor on May 1, the first day of the Reiwa Era.

Reiwa is Japan 248th era.

Heisei, the previous era under Emperor Akihito, began in January of 1989.