A country that is on the front line

JAPAN’S NEW imperial era began in spring 2019, when a nondescript man in a dark suit revealed its name: Reiwa. The first character, rei, means “auspicious” or “orderly”; wa means “harmony” or “peace” (officials chose “beautiful harmony” as the English rendering). For the first time the name came not from classical Chinese literature, but from Japan’s Manyoshu poetry anthology, compiled over a millennium ago: “In this auspicious (rei) month of early spring, the weather is fine and the wind gentle (wa).”