日本新年号为“令和” 5月1日启用

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announces the new era name "Reiwa" during a press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, April 1,2019. [Photo/IC]

The reign of Japan’s next emperor will be known as the Reiwa era, after the new imperial name was unveiled before an expectant nation on Monday morning.

4月1日上午，在全国民众的期盼中，日本下一任天皇的年号正式公布，为“令和”。

The new era will begin on May 1, a day after the emperor, Akihito – whose era is known as Heisei (achieving peace) – makes way for his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, in Japan’s first imperial abdication for more than 200 years.

日本现任明仁天皇，年号“平成”，将在4月30日退位，皇太子德仁将于5月1日即位新天皇，当日零时开始正式启用新年号。这也是200多年以来日本天皇首次退位变更。

日本官房长官菅义伟透露，新年号的出处是日本古籍《万叶集(Manyoshu)》中的诗句“初春令月，气淑风和”，《万叶集》是现存最古老的日本诗歌总集(the oldest existing compilation of Japanese poetry)。

这也是日本年号首次取自日本典籍，之前的年号汉字均选自中国典籍。比如，当前正在使用的“平成(Heisei)”年号来自中国《史记》“内平外成”及《尚书》“地平天成”之说，此前的“昭和”则来自于《尚书》中“百姓昭明，协和万邦”之语。

日本政府于当地时间4月1日上午9点半起在首相官邸召开关于年号的专家恳谈会(penal discussion)，就新年号原案征求意见。为了防止泄密，内阁成员在参与决定前必须交出手机和移动设备，并一直留在决策室中，直到正式宣布为止。一旦有候选年号被泄露给媒体，则立即失去候选资格(any names leaked to the media ahead of the announcement would immediately be withdrawn)。

People try to receive a copy of extra edition of Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reporting the name of new era "Reiwa" in Tokyo, April 1, 2019. [Photo/IC]

对于年号的选择，日本首相安倍晋三表示，这个词代表日本丰富的国民文化和悠久的传统(our nation’s profound public culture and long tradition)。

他说：

Just like amazing plum flowers in full bloom that signal the arrival of spring after bitter cold, each and every Japanese person can hope for the future and make their own flowers blossom.

就像美丽的梅花绽放象征着寒冬之后春天的到来，每一个日本民众也可以期待未来，让他们自己的花绽放。

Our nation is facing up to a big turning point, but there are lots of Japanese values that shouldn’t fade away. We are very proud of our history, culture and tradition, and this term expresses the Japan of tomorrow, the one we want to build for future generations. That was the most decisive point in making the choice.

我们国家正在面临一个巨大的转折点，但很多日本的价值观不该淡化。我们为我们的历史、文化和传统感到自豪，而这个词表达的是日本的明天，是我们想要为子孙后代建设的日本。这就是我们做出这个选择的决定性因素。

日本官房长官表示，不会公布新年号的提供者姓名(the identity of the expert who suggested the new gengo)，也不会公布其他候选年号(the other candidate names)。

An Otaria, South American sea lion poses after writing the Kanji of Japan's new era name "Reiwa" at Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea paradise in Kanagawa Prefecture on April 1, 2019. [Photo/IC]

Era names, or "gengo" as they are known in Japanese, are used in Japan for the length of an emperor's reign.

日本的年号用于天皇在位期间。

The new era name is usually announced after the accession of the new monarch, but the government decided to announce the new name in advance of the accession of the new Emperor.

新年号一般会在新天皇继位之后宣布，不过这一次政府决定在新天皇继位之前宣布新年号。

In this way companies and the general public have time to prepare for the change and disruption is kept to a minimum.

这样，企业和民众有时间提前准备，将各种可能的混乱影响降至最低。