Japan mulling making date for imperial accession as holiday

December 7, 2017

Tokyo- The Japanese government is considering designating May 1, 2019, the planned date for Crown Prince Naruhito's rise to the throne, as a national holiday, informed sources said Wednesday.

The move would allow 10 consecutive days off, from April 27 to May 6 in 2019, under the national holidays law stipulating that a weekday between national holidays is designated a day off.

At present, April 29 and May 3-5 are national holidays. If May 1, 2019, is designated a national holiday, April 30 and May 2, both weekdays that year, will be days off under the law.

Under a plan agreed on by the Imperial House Council, Emperor Akihito will abdicate on April 30, 2019, and Crown Prince Naruhito will accede to the throne on May 1 that year, when the era name is also set to change from the current Heisei.

If the era name is changed on a nonworking day, confusion related to system changes in both public and public sectors will be minimized, sources familiar with the situation said.

Nov. 12, 1990, when Emperor Akihito's enthronement ceremonies took place, was designated a day off. Jiji Press