EWC: ジャパンインフォメーション

Japanese Calendar

Although most people in Japan use, or at least are familiar with, the Western calendar (seireki), the traditional calendar is used for official documents. A conversion chart is provided below.

The traditional Japanese calendar is based on the reign period of the emperor. Each time a different emperor begins to rule, a new counting of the years begins and the period acquires a new name.

1912 - 1926: Taisho Era
1926 - 1989: Showa Era
1989 - present: Heisei Era

Western Calendar	Japanese Calendar
2012	Heisei 24
2011	Heisei 23
2010	Heisei 22
2009	Heisei 21
2008	Heisei 20
2007	Heisei 19
2006	Heisei 18
2005	Heisei 17
2004	Heisei 16
2003	Heisei 15
2002	Heisei 14
2001	Heisei 13
2000	Heisei 12
1999	Heisei 11
1998	Heisei 10
1997	Heisei 9
1996	Heisei 8
1995	Heisei 7
1994	Heisei 6
1993	Heisei 5
1992	Heisei 4
1991	Heisei 3
1990	Heisei 2
1989	Showa 64 / Heisei 1
1988	Showa 63
1987	Showa 62
1986	Showa 61
1985	Showa 60
1984	Showa 59
1983	Showa 58
1982	Showa 57
1981	Showa 56
1980	Showa 55
1979	Showa 54
1978	Showa 53
1977	Showa 52
1976	Showa 51
1975	Showa 50
1974	Showa 49
1973	Showa 48
1972	Showa 47
1971	Showa 46
1970	Showa 45
1969	Showa 44
1968	Showa 43
1967	Showa 42
1966	Showa 41
1965	Showa 40
1964	Showa 39
1963	Showa 38
1962	Showa 37
1961	Showa 36
1960	Showa 35
1959	Showa 34
1958	Showa 33
1957	Showa 32
1956	Showa 31
1955	Showa 30
1954	Showa 29
1953	Showa 28
1952	Showa 27
1951	Showa 26
1950	Showa 25
1949	Showa 24
1948	Showa 23
1947	Showa 22
1946	Showa 21
1945	Showa 20
1944	Showa 19
1943	Showa 18
1942	Showa 17
1941	Showa 16
1940	Showa 15
1939	Showa 14
1938	Showa 13
1937	Showa 12
1936	Showa 11
1935	Showa 10
1934	Showa 9
1933	Showa 8
1932	Showa 7
1931	Showa 6
1930	Showa 5
1929	Showa 4
1928	Showa 3
1927	Showa 2
1926	Taisho 15 / Showa 1