ISLAMABAD - Japanese embassy on Wednesday said that new era of Japan, which begins May 1, will be named “Reiwa” following the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet decision to change the name of era.

The era is being renamed prior to the abdication of Emperor of Japan Akihito and the accession to the imperial throne by Crown Prince of Japan Naruhito.

In Japan, new era name “Reiwa” will be used from May 1 when the Crown Prince of Japan will accede to the imperial throne.

The term “Rei-wa” consists of two kanji characters: “rei” beautiful, “wa” means harmony. Moreover, this name “Reiwa” includes the meaning of culture coming into being and flourishing when people bring their hearts and minds together in a beautiful manner, an embassy statement said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said that the name of new era was selected by his government with the hope of making Japan a nation where every person could achieve dreams, like the plum flowers that bloom beautifully after a severe winter to signal the start of spring.

For the first time in the Japanese history, the name of an era is cited from Japanese own literature. “Reiwa” is quoted from Japan’s oldest poetry anthology “Manyoshu,” compiled more than 1,200 years ago.