平成 · 1989–2019 · 31 YEARS
Emperor Akihito ascends. The Nikkei peaks at ¥38,957. Japan is the future.
EPOCH STARTThe bubble bursts. Asset prices collapse. The Lost Decade begins.
ECONOMICGreat Hanshin Earthquake. 6,434 dead. Kobe rebuilt from zero. Aum Shinrikyo attacks Tokyo subway.
CRISISi-mode launches. Japan invents the mobile internet. 40M users by 2001.
TECHNOLOGYFIFA World Cup co-hosted. Japan reaches Round of 16. National euphoria.
CULTURALInequality society. Freeters and NEETs. The promise of lifetime employment dissolves.
SOCIALGlobal financial crisis hits. Export economy contracts 12.7%. Second lost decade confirmed.
ECONOMICMagnitude 9.0. Tsunami. Fukushima. 19,747 dead. Japan's defining trauma.
CRISISThree arrows fired. BOJ unleashes quantitative easing. Tokyo wins 2020 Olympics bid.
ECONOMICEmperor signals abdication. First in 200 years. The era prepares to end.
IMPERIALApril 30. Abdication. Heisei closes. 令和 begins. An era of achieving peace — concluded.
EPOCH END