Name of Next Japanese Era to Be Unveiled Month before Change

May 18, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's government plans to unveil the name of the country's next era a month before the change slated for May 1 next year, officials said Thursday.

The shift from the current Heisei era will coincide with the enthronement of Crown Prince Naruhito as the new emperor. Emperor Akihito is scheduled to abdicate on April 30 that year.

The government referred to the timing of announcing the name of the new era in an effort to minimize problems in people's lives resulting from the change.

The government decided on the timing as a survey of the public and private sectors found that about a month will be needed for system updates, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference.

The specific date for the announcement will be decided after the government carefully considers it, taking into account impacts on people's lives, Suga said.

Each government agency is supposed to basically finish its own system updates related to the change in the name of the era before the shift, the officials said.

Government systems connected externally will be updated similarly. But if updates are not finished by then, systems will be adjusted to make both of the old and new era names available for use.

The government plans to discuss how to deal with cases in which the old era name remains on certificates such as driver's licenses.

Options cited include correcting the old era name with seals, informing certificate holders that documents are valid even if the old era name is written on them and replacing documents with updated ones if they wish.

The name of Heisei is likely to continue to be used for a certain period after May 1 next year. Jiji Press