“Now starts a new era in Japan”

“Soon it is time for Japan to enter into a new era referred to as the”

“– There is something very special in Japan, it is like a millennieskifte, ” says Marie Söderberg, professor and director at the Japaninstitutet at the School.”

“Era begins with the crown prince Naruhito will take over as emperor on the first of may during what is called the golden week, which consists of a series of national holidays.”

“In Japan, it is tradition that every emperor has its epoch, referred to as the”

“When the crown prince Naruhitos gengo was presented in the beginning of april, arose initially some bryderier, because”

” It has been a controversial name, as rei can mean both orders and beautiful. Some said that reiwa meant the forced peace. But the royal family then went out and said that it meant beautiful peace, or harmonious peace, ” says Söderberg.”

“Even the foreign ministry in Tokyo has asserted that”

“An emperor genko is used in official contexts and is printed on coins and in newspapers. It is also used to say what year it is – even if many people in japan switches between gengo-reckoning and the western. To change the gengo is therefore an extensive bureaucratic work.”

“– When going into a new cover must, inter alia, change the name on all official documents, ” says Marie Söderberg and add to the parcel is very significant for the public.”

“– Many people in japan, for example, must go and see the flowering cherry blossom one last time in this age.”

“The japanese imperial family is widely popular in Japan, but it has not always been. The emperor lost his political power after the second world war, when many blamed him for the war.”

“A recent poll made by tv channel NHK shows that a clear majority of the japanese today have positive feelings for the imperial family – even though they only have ceremonial power.”

“This is probably because of emperor Akihito, who during his 30 years on the throne is considered to have modernized the office. He raised quite a stir both when he 1959 married out of love with a woman of the people, and when he expressed ”

“On 30 april, will be 85-year-old Akihito the first emperor to abdicate the throne in over 200 years. During the tronskiftesveckan occurs four national holidays which leads to something in Japan as unusual as the ten days off. Many shall look on the imperial ceremonies, and some the exploits of the time to a holiday – but there are also japanese people who are requesting to leave and is annoyed that schools have closed, according to local media.”

“– I’ll be honest, I do not know how I shall pass the time when we suddenly get ten days off, ” says the financier Seishu Sato, to the AFP news agency.”

“Government: Monarchy. The head of state is emperor Akihito (at the end of aprilu002Fmaj take crown prince Naruhito over as emperor)”

“head of Government: Prime minister Shinzo Abe (since 2012).”

“Citizens: Japan has 126,8 million inhabitants.”

“Capital: Tokyo, with 8.9 million inhabitants, excluding the suburbs.”

“Surface area: 378 835 square kilometre (to compare with Sweden 450 295).”

“Source: Landguidenu002FUI”