Japan's Emperor may abdicate in 2019, leading to a possible 10-day holiday — sparking heated discussions among netizens in Taiwan and Japan

▲Emperor Akihito of Japan will abdicate on April 30, 2019. (Photo / Getty Images / AP)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The Japanese government held an Imperial House Council at the Imperial Household Agency on December 1, also deciding that April 30, 2019, would be the abdication date of Emperor Akihito, with Crown Prince Naruhito ascending the throne on May 1. However, Taiwanese netizens who love traveling to Japan are very concerned about whether there will be a 10-day golden holiday. Because if a 10-day holiday is confirmed, it is bound to trigger a domestic travel boom in Japan, making accommodations more expensive and harder to book, while popular attractions may become overcrowded. Some netizens suggest avoiding traveling to Japan during this period.

Japan has multiple national holidays from the end of April to early May each year, commonly known as Golden Week. April 29 is Showa Day, May 3 is Constitution Memorial Day, May 4 is Greenery Day, and May 5 is Children's Day. These, combined with weekends, create consecutive holidays, and many Japanese people choose to travel during this time.


▲The abdication of the Japanese Emperor and the enthronement of the new Emperor may result in a 10-day holiday, potentially triggering a domestic travel boom in Japan. The photo shows the Niomon Gate at the entrance of Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Japan. (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

If Crown Prince Naruhito’s ascension to the throne on May 1, 2019, is also a holiday, according to Japan’s Holiday Law, weekdays between two national holidays are also holidays. Therefore, April 30 and May 2, sandwiched between two national holidays, will also become holidays. In addition, since Children's Day on May 5 falls on a Sunday, May 6 will be a compensatory holiday. This could lead to a super-long 10-day Golden Week from April 27 to May 6.

However, although the Imperial House Council has confirmed that Crown Prince Naruhito will ascend the throne on May 1, the Japanese government has not yet decided to designate this day as a national holiday. Whether a 10-day holiday will actually happen remains uncertain. Nonetheless, it has already sparked discussions among Japanese netizens, and there may even be promotional discounts to celebrate the new Emperor's enthronement. But since early May is usually Japan’s Golden Week, some netizens suggest that those who love traveling to Japan should still avoid this period. Besides the difficulty in booking accommodations, many famous attractions will also be crowded with people.