On Oct. 22, Emperor Naruhito officially announced his ascendance to the throne. Although the new imperial era—Reiwa—technically began on May 1 after Emperor Akihito abdicated, the proclamation ceremony was an occasion where the imperial succession was publicly announced. The country concludes a six month celebration of the beginning the new imperial era with a parade on Nov. 10.
Looking back on the Heisei Era (1989-2019), one cannot help but think about the dramatic change the country has gone through. Japan tumbled from being the world's second-biggest economy into a period of economic stagnation that it is still trying to end.
The end of the Cold War did not bring the peace dividends that Japan had hoped for. In fact, with North Korea's missile and nuclear ambitions expanding and China increasingly growing assertive, Japan now finds itself in a much more insecure environment.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.