Heisei era

Overview

The Heisei era (平成, へいせい) was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Akihito, from 8 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. The era began the day after the death of Emperor Hirohito, when his elder son, Akihito, acceded to the throne as the 125th Emperor of Japan. In accordance with Japanese custom, Hirohito was posthumously renamed Emperor Shōwa on 31 January 1989.

Because the era change occurred on 8 January, the year 1989 contains two era names. Up to 7 January, the year was Shōwa 64; from 8 January, it became Heisei 1 (平成元年, Heisei gannen; gannen means "first year"). The Heisei era ended on 30 April 2019 (Heisei 31) with Akihito's abdication from the Chrysanthemum Throne. It was succeeded by the Reiwa era as then-Crown Prince Naruhito ascended the throne at midnight on 1 May local time.

What Defined the Era

The Heisei era opened with the death of the Shōwa emperor, whose 63-year reign had spanned war, defeat, occupation, and rapid economic growth. Akihito's accession marked a generational shift in the imperial institution, and his reign was shaped by a public posture of reflection on the wartime past and by an emphasis on reconciliation with Japan's Asian neighbours.

Economically, the era began amid the tail end of the asset-price bubble of the late 1980s. The bubble burst in the early 1990s, and the subsequent stagnation—often called the Lost Decades—defined much of the period. Growth slowed, deflation persisted, and the banking sector struggled with non-performing loans for years.

Demographically, Heisei saw Japan's population begin to decline, with a falling birth rate and an ageing society. The era also witnessed a series of natural disasters, including the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995 and the Great East Japan earthquake and Fukushima nuclear accident of 2011, both of which prompted large-scale national responses.

Key Events

The Heisei era began with the formal accession of Akihito on 8 January 1989, following the death of Hirohito the previous day. The posthumous renaming of Hirohito as Emperor Shōwa took place on 31 January 1989.

In 1995, the Great Hanshin earthquake struck the Kobe area in January, killing thousands and causing widespread destruction. Later that year, in March, the Aum Shinrikyo cult carried out a sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, killing 13 people and injuring hundreds.

The era's later years were marked by the Great East Japan earthquake of 11 March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake that triggered a devastating tsunami and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The triple catastrophe caused thousands of deaths and led to a prolonged nuclear crisis.

The Heisei era ended with an unprecedented event: the abdication of a living emperor. Akihito stepped down on 30 April 2019, the first Japanese emperor to abdicate in over two centuries. Naruhito ascended the throne on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era.

The Name in Japanese

The era name is written 平成, read in kana as へいせい, and romanised as Heisei. The name was announced on 8 January 1989, the same day the era began.

The name consists of two kanji:

• 平 (へい, hei) — meaning "peace" or "level". This character appears in words like 平和 (へいわ, heiwa, "peace") and 平等 (びょうどう, byōdō, "equality"). In this era name, it carries the sense of calm and stability.

• 成 (せい, sei) — meaning "become" or "accomplish". This character appears in words like 成功 (せいこう, seikō, "success") and 成人 (せいじん, seijin, "adult"). In this era name, it carries the sense of achieving or bringing about.

Together, 平成 conveys the idea of "achieving peace" or "peace being accomplished". The reading へいせい combines the on'yomi (Chinese-derived reading) of each character. The name was chosen to express the hope that the new era would bring peace and stability to Japan.

How the Era Name Works

Japanese era names, called 元号 (げんごう, gengō), are used to count years in the official Japanese calendar. Each era name corresponds to the reign of an emperor, and the first year of an era is called 元年 (がんねん, gannen), meaning "first year". Thus, 1989 is Heisei 1, or 平成元年.

Years within an era are counted sequentially. Heisei 2 began on 1 January 1990, Heisei 3 on 1 January 1991, and so on. The era ended on 30 April 2019, which was Heisei 31. The following day, 1 May 2019, became Reiwa 1.

Era names are used in official documents, calendars, and everyday life in Japan. A person's birth year is often expressed by the era name in use at the time of their birth. For example, someone born in 1995 was born in Heisei 7.

The choice of an era name follows strict conventions. The name must consist of two kanji, must be easy to read and write, and must carry a positive meaning. The Heisei name was selected from a list of candidates proposed by scholars, and its announcement on 8 January 1989 was made by the chief cabinet secretary.

The abdication of Akihito in 2019 was exceptional because era names had previously changed only upon an emperor's death. The Reiwa era that followed began with Naruhito's accession on 1 May 2019, and its name was announced a month in advance, on 1 April 2019, to allow the public and government to prepare for the change.