Japan to Allow 10 Straight Days Off around Imperial Succession

June 27, 2018

Tokyo- The Japanese government has started the final stages of discussions to set May 1, 2019, the date for Crown Prince Naruhito's accession to the Imperial throne, as a national holiday, government sources said Tuesday.

The move is expected to allow 10 straight days off under the national holidays law that sets a weekday between national holidays as a nonworking day.

The government aims to introduce a bill to set up a special law to make the Imperial succession day a holiday only for 2019 to an extraordinary session of the Diet this autumn, the sources said.

Emperor Akihito will abdicate the day before the Crown Prince's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

On May 1, "Kenji to Shokei no Gi," in which the new Emperor inherits the Imperial regalia and the state and privy seals, and "Sokuigo Choken no Gi," in which the Emperor meets with administrative, legislative and judicial heads for the first time, are planned as part of "Sokui no Rei" enthronement ceremonies.

The government has been considering whether to designate the date as a holiday or nonworking day.

Under the law, a holiday and a nonworking day are differently defined. With the law stipulating that a weekday between holidays becomes a nonworking day, 10 consecutive days off from April 27 through May 6 will be realized if May 1 is set as a holiday.

If May 1 is designated as a nonworking day, April 30 and May 2 will be normal working days.

Some government officials claimed that the date should be designated as a nonworking day, worrying about possible negative effects on economic indicators due to a drop in the number of business days. But they moved toward supporting efforts to enliven the country's celebratory mood for the Imperial succession.

The government will continue to examine related issues.

As the date is expected to become a holiday only for 2019, the government will not revise the law, but set up a special law.

The government is also considering making Oct. 22 a national holiday under the envisaged special law, as the "Sokuirei Seiden no Gi" core ritual of enthronement ceremonies will take place that day.

When the core ritual was held for the current Emperor on Nov. 12, 1990, the date was set as an extraordinary nonworking day. Jiji Press