The 126th of Japan, in his public address on the first day of his reign, promised to "reflect deeply on the course followed" by his father Emeritus who abdicated on Tuesday, bringing an end to the 30-year-old Heisei era.

The new era under Naruhito's rule will be known as "Reiwa," comprising the words "Rei", means "good fortune" and "Wa" that can be translated into "peace" and "harmony".

is the first Japanese emperor to abdicate since Kokaku in 1817. Akihito's had to be approved by parliament.

"Looking back, His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus, since acceding to the throne, performed each of his duties in earnest for more than 30 years, while praying for peace and happiness of the people, and at all times sharing in the joys and sorrows of the people," NHK quoted Emperor as saying, expressing gratitude to his father.

"In acceding to the Throne, I swear that I will reflect deeply on the course followed by His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus and bear in mind the path trodden by past emperors, and will devote myself to self-improvement," he stated as people all across ushered in the Reiwa imperial era with celebrations on May 1.

"I also swear that I will act according to the Constitution and fulfil my responsibility as the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people of Japan, while always turning my thoughts to the people and standing with them. I sincerely pray for the happiness of the people and the further development of the nation as well as the peace of the world," he added.

The 59-year-old Emperor took part in two key ceremonies to mark his accession to the Chrysanthemum throne. The first saw the sacred sword and jewel being passed down to the erstwhile Crown Prince, symbolising that he has inherited the Imperial Regalia from his father. The is proof of an Emperor's status in

He then met with the representatives of the people, including the Prime Minister, the Heads of both chambers of the Diet, the of the Supreme Court, and local government leaders. The Emperor then gave his first speech since acceding to the throne.

The Emperor Emeritus had indicated his desire to abdicate in a rare address made to the Japanese populace around three years ago, citing concerns related to his advanced age. The Diet enacted a law to specifically allow him to retire, as there was no provision in Japanese law for him to stand down.

The three-decade-long started on January 8, 1989, when Emperor acceded the throne following his father, Emperor Hirohito's, death. This is the first time Japan's modern history that the country has both an Emeritus.

Even though the reigning monarch has a 17-year-old daughter, Aiko, traditional imperial rules bar her from acceding to the throne after her father's Her 12-year-old cousin, of Akishino, who is Emperor Emeritus Akihito's only grandson and Emperor Naruhito's nephew, is now the second-in-line. </s> Naruhito has officially been named the new emperor of Japan, commencing a new era in the country's history, named "Reiwa", which can be translated as "beautiful harmony". The ceremony for passing the imperial regalia on to the new 59-year-old monarch will take place on 1 May.

85-year-old Akihito delivered his final speech as emperor on 30 April, expressing his "heartfelt gratitude to the people of Japan" before abdicating after a 30-year reign. With his voluntary move to step down, unique in the past 200 years, Akihito ended the country's previous historical era, which was named "Heisei", roughly interpreted as "peace everywhere".

With the adoption of the post-war constitution in 1946, the emperor began to play a more symbolic rather than political role in Japan. The imperial succession and the change of era are now purely symbolic in the country.

READ MORE: As Japanese Emperor Prepares Handover, What's Next for the 'Lost Generation'?

The last time that a Japanese emperor willingly vacated the Chrysanthemum Throne was in 1817, when Emperor Kokaku abdicated in favour of his son, Nink, after 37 years of reign. </s> In a much-awaited moment that heralded the approach of a new chapter in Japan’s history, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced Monday that the new Imperial era will be named Reiwa, in one of the final steps toward initiating the nation’s first Imperial succession in three decades.

Holding up a placard that displayed the kanji characters for the new era, Suga said the name was formulated based on the introduction to a set of poems from “Manyoshu,” the oldest existing compilation of Japanese poetry. The first character represents “good fortune,” while the second can be translated as “peace” or “harmony.”

The new era will be the 248th in the history of Japan, which has used the Chinese-style system for indicating the year since 645. In modern times, each era has run the length of an emperor’s reign. This is said to be the first time that the characters chosen were drawn from Japanese classical literature, with prior era names, or gengō, having used kanji from Chinese literature.

The poem from which they are taken describes an ume Japanese apricot flower in full bloom in early spring after surviving a cold winter.

The new era will start on May 1, when Crown Prince Naruhito ascends to the Chrysanthemum Throne following the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito, a day earlier.

The arrival of the Reiwa Era will in turn end the 30-year run of the Heisei (“achieving peace”) Era, which began in Jan. 8, 1989.

Later on Monday, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a news conference that the government chose the kanji characters because they signify “a culture being born and nurtured by people coming together beautifully.”

He also pointed out that “Manyoshu,” which was compiled more than 1,200 years ago, contained poems by people of various social status, including emperors, noblemen and noblewomen, warriors and ordinary farmers. “I hope the new era name will take root among the public and be widely accepted by the people,” Abe said.

In addressing the nation after Suga’s announcement, Abe said Reiwa reflects his hope that it will “help pass Japan’s long history, noble culture and beautiful, four-season nature down to the next generations.”

“I hope each and every one of the Japanese people can bloom their own magnificent flowers — this is the kind of Japan I had in my mind when I settled on the name Reiwa.”

Citing Reiwa’s connection with the ume flower, Abe referred to “Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana (The One and Only Flower in the World),” a smash-hit song sung by boy band SMAP that became one of the best-selling hits of the Heisei Era.

Noting how today’s tech-savvy youth have the potential to “create a new movement” and break through the status quo in society, Abe said, “I hope the next era will see these people from a younger generation fulfill their potential as they move toward realizing their hopes and dreams.”

The naming of a new Imperial era is a significant event here, with such names playing an integral role, both practically and psychologically, in the lives of Japanese people.

With gengō often seen as reflective of the zeitgeist, speculation had been rife about what the new era would be named.

In a nation where gengō have long been cherished as a way of identifying a year — as in Heisei 31, which corresponds to 2019 in the current era — in official documents and computer systems, its change has far-reaching practical implications.

Local municipality officials, computer engineers and calendar manufacturers, for example, have spent months preparing for the various adjustments involved.

On Monday, Reiwa was approved by Abe’s Cabinet after undergoing scrutiny by a group of representatives from the business community, media and education industry, as well as chairpersons of the legislature.

It is the first time that particular kanji for “rei” was chosen for an era name, according to a Japanese official.

The private sector representatives invited to pore over the shortlist included novelist Mariko Hayashi; Shinya Yamanaka, a Nobel Prize-winning researcher at Kyoto University who developed iPS cells; Itsuro Terada, former chief justice of the Supreme Court; and Ryoichi Ueda, chairman of public broadcaster NHK.

After the next era name was announced, Yamanaka told reporters he thinks of the new gengō as a combination of the new and old. The first-ever use of the kanji “rei” and the nostalgic touch evoked by “wa” — the same character that was used in Showa — makes the forthcoming gengō “perfectly befitting today’s Japan, which both cherishes tradition and strives to try out new things,” he was quoted as telling reporters.

The Manyoshu passage that inspired Reiwa was written by poet Otomo no Tabito as an introduction to 32 ume-themed poems penned by his poet friends, according to officials. In the introduction, “rei” was used to refer to “reigetsu,” or “auspicious month,” while “wa” described the peaceful manner of an early spring breeze.

Having never been used before, the choice of “rei” came as a surprise for many.

Many Japanese people are not familiar with use of “rei” to mean “good fortune” or “auspicious.” For most, the first phrase that comes to mind is likely to be “meirei,” which literally means an order or command from a supervisor.

Some took to Twitter to express their confusion over what they said was “meirei no rei” or “(‘rei’ as in command)” — causing the keyword to briefly trend over social network services.

Masaharu Mizukami, a professor of Chinese and Japanese literature at Chuo University, said the choice of “rei” makes sense given positive phrases such as “reijō” and “reisoku” — a respectable way of referring to someone’s daughter or son, respectively.

But on the other hand, “rei” has a history of being screened out in the past due to its authoritative implications, Mizukami said.

In the twilight years of the Tokugawa shogunate, the era name Reitoku was once presented as a candidate, only to elicit strenuous opposition from the Tokugawa-led government because the proposed gengō — with “toku” naturally representing the shogunate — could have been read as “commanding Tokugawa,” the professor said.

Meanwhile, according to Asao Kure, an associate professor at Kyoto Sangyo University who specializes in legal history and is an expert on Imperial era names, people shouldn’t focus too much on the meanings associated with one kanji that constitutes the gengō.

What is more important is what classical text the gengō draws from, as well as how the two kanji compliment each other, he explained.

“The new era name draws on text about nature, which is unlike the previous era names,” he said.

“Past era names have usually posited specific political principles, but ‘Reiwa’ instead puts forth a new kind of social philosophy inspired by nature — one that aims to achieve harmony among individuals in the same way that harmony and balance is found in natural phenomena,” he explained.

“I do feel that the new gengō is aligned with modern ways of thinking, in that it focuses more on harmonious relationships between individuals to create a diverse society, rather than putting forward a specific principle,” Kure said.

What differentiated the arrival of the latest era from its past four predecessors — Heisei, Showa, Taisho and Meiji — is that the government announced its name while the reigning Emperor is still alive.

In a rare address to the nation in August 2016 Emperor Akihito hinted at his desire to abdicate due to his advanced age, in contrast to his immediate predecessors who reigned until their deaths. His unprecedented address launched preparations for what will be the first abdication by a sitting Japanese monarch in around 200 years. </s> Japan’s new imperial era to begin on May 1, when Crown Prince Naruhito becomes emperor, will be called Reiwa, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced on Monday, adding that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would explain its meaning shortly in a national address. The era name, or “gengo”, is used widely in Japan – on coins, calendars, newspapers and in official paperwork. Although use of the Western calendar has become widespread, many Japanese count years by gengo or use the two systems interchangeably.

Naruhito’s ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne will come a day after his father, Emperor Akihito, abdicates on April 30, ending the Heisei era, which began in 1989. Akihito will be the first emperor to abdicate in Japan in over two centuries. </s> Japan has revealed the name of its next imperial era to be "Reiwa," set to begin May 1 as Crown Prince Naruhito is expected to take the throne.

Yoshihide Suga, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, announced the name at a press conference Monday morning local time, unveiling a board with the two kanji characters written on it. While there was some deliberation over the exact meaning, the two characters that make up the new name, or the "gengo," translate roughly to "good fortune" and "peace" or "harmony," according to The Japan Times.

"We hope [the era name] will be widely accepted by the people and deeply rooted as part of their daily lives," Suga told reporters.

The announcement comes as the current "Heisei" era draws to a close after three decades, with Emperor Akihito set to step down on April 30 in the first abdication of the throne in over 200 years.

Since the mid-19th century, each era has coincided with the reign of an individual emperor, starting with the "Meiji" and "Taisho" eras. The "Showa" ("enlightened harmony") era corresponded to the reign of Emperor Hirohito from 1926 to 1989. The "Heisei" era, which translates to "achieving peace," began in 1989 after Hirohito died and Akihito ascended the throne.

In August 2016, Akihito —who is now 85 years old— signaled that he wanted to step down, citing his health and advancing age. But he ran up against Japanese law, which does not allow the emperor to abdicate.

In June 2017, Japan's parliament passed what amounts to an exception for Akihito, allowing him to step down and pass the role to his son. By the end of 2017, a panel of Japanese leaders had set the abdication date for the end of April in 2019.

Announcing the name one month in advance gives companies and government entities time to incorporate the name into paperwork and computer systems, The Guardian reports. Even as the Western calendar has become more widespread in Japan, the era name is still used frequently, including on newspapers, coins and official documents like driving licenses. Under the system, 2019 is known as Heisei 31, or the 31st year of Akihito's reign.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a news conference Monday that the name "Reiwa" stems from the "Manyoshu," the oldest existing anthology of Japanese poetry, collected sometime after A.D. 759. The Associated Press reports, that marks a break from the tradition of drawing era names from Chinese classical texts.

Japan's cabinet picked the name from a list of nominations drawn up by scholars and narrowed down by experts from various fields, including Nobel prize-winning stem-cell scientist Shinya Yamanaka, according to AP. The top-secret discussions took place amid a media frenzy to scoop the new era name. </s> Japan has witnessed a rare handover of its Chrysanthemum Throne by a living emperor.

New Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne on Wednesday after his father Akihito abdicated Tuesday night and became emperor emeritus. It was Japan's first abdication in two centuries.

The transition started Tuesday as Akihito, wearing a monarch's dark orange robe and a headdress, reported his retirement at three main shrines, including one where the sun goddess Amaterasu, said to be the direct ancestress of the imperial family, is enshrined.

Akihito, 85, later formally announced his retirement in his final address to his people, thanking them for their support.

Akihito took the throne in 1989 and devoted his career to making amends for a war fought in his father's name while bringing the aloof monarchy closer to the people. His era was the first in Japan's modern history without war.

The nation celebrated the imperial succession prompted by retirement rather than death. Many stood outside the palace to reminisce about Akihito's era; others joined midnight events when the transition occurred; and more came to celebrate the beginning of Naruhito's reign.

Naruhito, at a succession ceremony Wednesday, pledged to emulate his father in seeking peace and staying close to the people. He received the imperial regalia of a sacred sword and jewel as proof of his succession.

On his way to and from the palace, he lowered his car window, smiled and waved at people cheering on the sidewalk.

Naruhito is the first emperor born after World War II and the first to have studied overseas. </s> Tokyo -- A new emperor has taken over in Japan. Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne after his father, now-Emperor Emeritus Akihito, abdicated. It was the first time a Japanese emperor has stepped down in 200 years.

The change ushered in a new "era" in Japan. The era of Naruhito's reign on the Chrysanthemum Throne, as Japan's imperial seat has been known for centuries, has been dubbed Reiwa, or "enlightened happiness."

As CBS News senior foreign correspondent Elizabeth Palmer reported on Wednesday, Naruhito is widely expected to continue the work of his father; humanizing the emperor's role, as well as pressing for modern reforms to normalize life for the royal family.

In a brief ceremony, Naruhito, 59 vowed to stay close to the Japanese people and work for world peace.

Japan's imperial court is a rigidly formal world, and the new emperor only escaped it once, briefly, when he went to Oxford to study history in the 1980s -- years he's described as the happiest of his life.

In 1993 he married Masako, a brainy Harvard-educated Japanese diplomat, and immediately the couple came under fierce pressure to produce an heir. When the first and only baby arrived, though, she was a girl; Princess Toshi.

Then-Princess, now Empress Masako expressed her joy at Toshi's birth, but in a country where girls can't take the throne, it wasn't good enough for everyone.

In rare public appearances the royal couple came across as happy, and surprisingly casual, but in private, Masako fell ill with depression.

"Naruhito tried to protect her but she continues to be somewhat reserved and not fully healthy," Professor Koichi Nakano of Sophia University told CBS News. "So I don't think she's likely to take her new role with great zeal or with an agenda."

As the Empress appeared alongside Naruhito on Wednesday, it was impossible to tell what she was thinking. But everybody in Japan knows big questions loom, with only three direct male successors left in Japan's royal family.

Naruhito is on record as backing reforms that would mean the next time the elaborate ceremony is performed, his daughter could be ascending the Chrysanthemum Throne.

Surveys show a majority of Japanese people would be in favor of opening the line of succession to girls, but so far, the conservative power elite is standing in the way of change. </s> TOKYO (AP) — Japan says next emperor Naruhito's era name is 'Reiwa,' effective May 1 when he takes the throne from his father. </s> TOKYO - Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito inherited the Imperial regalia of sword and jewel and seals as proof of his succession in his first official duty as emperor Wednesday a day after his father abdicated. Naruhito succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne at midnight after Emperor Emeritus Akihito retired the previous day. At another ceremony later in the morning, Naruhito will make his first address to the people.

His wife, Empress Masako, a Harvard-educated former diplomat, and their daughter Princess Aiko, were barred from the first ceremony, where only adult male royals participated. Only his brother, now Crown Prince Fumihito, and his uncle Prince Hitachi were allowed to witness. Their guests included a female Cabinet minister, however, as the Imperial House Law has no provision on the gender of the commoners in attendance. The regalia, which include sword and jewel, in a box each and wrapped in cloth, were presented to Naruhito, who wore a tuxedo with decorations. Japan was in a festive mood celebrating an imperial succession that occurred by retirement rather than by death. Many people stood outside the palace Tuesday to reminisce about Akihito’s era, others joined midnight events when the transition occurred, and more came to celebrate the beginning of Naruhito’s reign.

From a car window on his way to palace, Naruhito smiled and waved at the people on the sidewalk who cheered him. He and his family still live at the crown prince’s Togu palace until they switch places with his parents. He is the nation’s 126th emperor, according to a palace count historians say could include mythical figures until around the 5th century. The emperor under Japan’s constitution is a symbol without political power. Naruhito is free of influence from Japan’s imperial worship that was fanned by the wartime militarist government that had deified the emperor as a living god until his grandfather renounced that status after Japan’s 1945 war defeat. Naruhito has promised to emulate his father in seeking peace and staying close to people. Palace watchers say he might focus on global issues, including disaster prevention, water conservation and climate change, which could appeal to younger Japanese. He will also face uncertainties in the Imperial household. Only his younger brother, Prince Akishino, 53, and Akishino’s 12-year-old son, Prince Hisahito, can currently succeed him. The Imperial House Law confines the succession to male heirs, leaving Naruhito’s daughter, Aiko, now 17, out of the running.

Naruhito’s wife Masako is a Harvard-educated former diplomat who may prove an adept partner in his overseas travels and activities. But much will depend on her health, since she has been recovering from what the palace describes as stress-induced depression for about 15 years. Naruhito, the first Japanese emperor to have studied abroad, is considered a new breed of royal, his outlook forged by the tradition-defying choices of his parents. Akihito devoted his three-decade career to making amends for a war fought in his father’s name while bringing the aloof monarchy closer to the people. Empress Emeritus Michiko was born a commoner and was Catholic educated. Together, they reached out to the people, especially those who faced handicaps and discrimination, and natural disasters.

Naruhito is also the first monarch raised by his own parents, as Akihito and Michiko, who was born a commoner, chose to take care of their children instead of leaving them in the hands of palace staff. They also supported his choice to attend Oxford University, where he researched the history of the Thames River transportation systems. In an annual news conference marking his Feb. 23 birthday, Naruhito said he was open to taking up a new role that “suits the times.” But he said his father’s work will be his guidepost.
The Japanese Era Reiwa (令和) begins as Emperor Naruhito accedes to the Chrysanthemum Throne as the 126th Emperor of Japan. The Emperor inherits two of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan during a symbolic ceremony, which formalises his ascension.