| Tatiana Maria |
04-03-2019 04:21 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess
(Post 2208748)
Interesting and nice to hear of the meaning behind the new era's name.
|
Prisma posted more information on the alternative (and potentially political) subtexts of the new name here:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Prisma
(Post 2208625)
5 other candidates in era name shortlist revealed - The Mainichi
Quote:
[...] The other five were "Eiko," "Kyuka," "Koshi," "Banna," and "Banpo."
According to the source, Eiko comes from Japanese literature, while Koshi is derived from China's oldest poetry anthology, the "Classic of Poetry," but also can be traced to Japanese works.
Both Banna and Banpo are based on Chinese classics, with Banna having two separate sources.
[...]
Among the latter group, Reiwa is derived from "Manyoshu," the oldest Japanese poetry anthology, while the other two are based on the "Chronicles of Japan" (Nihon Shoki) and the "Records of Ancient Matters" (Kojiki) [...]
|
Really?! "Koshi" was an option? The characters are different but that sounds similar to Prince Akishino's new title in Japanese. :ohmy:
広至 -> era name Koshi
皇嗣 -> new Kōshi title for Prince Akishino
Tatiana Maria, Ista: reaction in Japan seems mostly favorable. Yes, nationalistic sentiments has been noted, along with the government getting a name from a Japanese classic rather than a Chinese classic.
'Manyoshu': Know the Poetry Collection Where Japan’s New Era Name Comes From | JAPAN Forward
Quote:
[...] The English translation of the preface goes thus: “It is now the choice month of early spring, the weather is fine, the wind is soft. The plum blossom opens…”
In the original text, the words “choice month” (reigetsu, 令月) and “soft wind” (kaze odayaka, 風和 ) are the key influences, and by combining the characters 令 and 和, the era name Reiwa (令和) was created.
Commentators have also pointed out that 令 refers to the month of February, which is the birth month of Crown Prince Naruhito [...]
|
Some quotes and chaos from yesterday
Japanese public welcomes 'Reiwa' as new era name - The Mainichi
Quote:
"I'm glad there is the 'wa' character of 'heiwa' (the Japanese word for peace) included," said Masane Kudaka [...]
"There were many natural disasters during the Heisei era so I hope the coming years will be as good as the kanji character for 'wa' signifies," [Takako Miyasato] said.
[...]
"The kanji character for 'rei' is nice," [Rika Nozawa] said.
[...]
"The impression is cold. An era name, at least, should give a more gentle impression," said one.
Suspense novelist Kaoru Takamura said the character for "rei," which is also used to form a word meaning "to order," reminds people more of control and regulation, and by combining it with "wa" meaning harmony, the era name could be interpreted as "controlling people to harmonize."
"The sound of 'rei' gives off a cold impression, and does not carry a positive image..."
[...]
Meanwhile, people with the same name or names that use the same kanji characters as Reiwa expressed surprise.
"I was watching TV and I wondered why they were showing my name," said 80-year-old Yoshikazu Nakanishi, an Akashi city resident whose name is written exactly the same way as the new era. [...]
|
Public reacts to era name, shares hopes, dreams going forward: The Asahi Shimbun
Quote:
“It’s a good name, partly meaning peace,” said [Tomoya Hatano] [...] “As the Tokyo Olympics and Osaka Expo will be held in the near future, I want it to become an era for us to hold harmony with the world in high regard."
[...] “It sounds somewhat stiff, in my opinion,” said [Yu] Takada. “It’s hard to understand the meaning. I wish the name were more personable.”
|
Japanese excited as new era name 'Reiwa' revealed - The Mainichi
Quote:
Osaka's central train station was swamped with hundreds of passersby hoping to get a copy of a newspaper extra with the headline "New era name is Reiwa" for posterity. An ambulance arrived after several people including children and elderly were knocked down in the scramble.
|
Crown prince nods when learning new era name prepared for his reign - The Mainichi
Quote:
Crown Prince Naruhito nodded with a gentle smile when he learned Monday that the government had picked "Reiwa" [...]
"I understand," he was quoted as telling Yasuhiko Nishimura, the vice grand steward of the agency who explained the new era name to the crown prince prior to the announcement made to the public before noon.
[...]
The 85-year-old emperor looked calm as usual when he heard about the two Chinese characters that will replace the current era name, Heisei, according to the agency's Grand Steward Shinichiro Yamamoto. [...]
|
'Reiwa' era name announcement draws plaudits, mountains of internet mentions
Quote:
Some 64 percent of respondents to an online poll by internet search portal Yahoo! Japan approve of the next "Reiwa" era name [...]
As of just before noon on April 2, some 213,325 votes had been cast in the survey, with 64.3 percent in favor of the next era name. Some 28 percent said they did not think it was a good choice, with 8 percent stating they did not know or were indifferent.
[...] The survey will run until April 11. [...]
|
Foreign media focus on break in tradition in picking Japan's era names - The Mainichi
Quote:
[...] "The break from 1,400 years of drawing era names from Chinese classics was expected from Abe's conservative government, which is often hawkish toward China," the Associated Press said in a dispatch from Tokyo.
Under the headline, "Japan snubs China at dawn of new imperial era," British newspaper The Times reported the selection of "Reiwa" for the new era "reflects the nationalist pride of its prime minister, Shinzo Abe, and its tense relations with China."
[...]
The New York Times quoted Ken Ruoff, a professor of history at Portland State University, as saying Abe made an "unquestionably significant" choice by selecting an era name, or "gengo," from Japanese literature.
"He went out of his way to emphasize that this is Japanese tradition," Ruoff, an expert on the Japanese imperial system, was quoted as saying.
[...]
|
Political parties back new era name Reiwa, but some question use of character for 'rei' - The Mainichi
Quote:
[...]
Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi received a phone call from Abe soon after Suga announced the new era name. On March 28 [...] Abe had told Yamaguchi, "I want to make the (next) era one in which hopes and dreams bloom brilliantly." When Yamaguchi was asked by reporters whether he thought this provided a clue for the new era name, he responded, "Thinking about it now, I may be able to find common meanings."
[...] some received the character for "rei" less enthusiastically. Yamaguchi himself commented, "I thought it was a little unusual. I was a bit surprised." Former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, meanwhile, commented, "Everyone was like 'What?' when they saw it was the 'rei' from 'meirei' (order)." Another LDP executive commented, "It sounds a little cold."
Social Democratic Party leader Seiji Mataichi was even more critical of the use of the character than Ishiba. "You can't deny the feeling that it indicates a strengthening of discipline and control of the people, which the Abe administration is aiming for. I strongly request that the use of the new era name does not become mandatory," he said.
[...]
Kazuo Shii, chairman of the Japanese Communist Party, told reporters, "An era name is not something that fits in with the sovereignty of the people under the Constitution, but we do not oppose the public using it customarily."
[...]
|
|
Given the Abe administration's success at firming up the Prime Minister's control over the media, the civil service, and so forth, the comments from some critics that the name reminds them of controlling and disciplining the people might not be unwelcome in his eyes. ;) I'm sure the break with China will be popular with his supporters as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ista
(Post 2208940)
Interesting to see that other commenters on Twitter are expressing concerns about the nuances of the new era name. I was beginning to think I was reading too much into it, but apparently not.
|
Indeed, it's interesting that PM Abe seemingly decided to leave his fingerprints on the name of an era which will hopefully endure for many years after his last term in office and will be the posthumous name of an emperor who I suspect would not be an Abe supporter if he were a private citizen. I admit that it is probably only a soft nuance and not a strong one, seeing as a large majority in the polls, and not only Abe voters, perceive the name positively. |