Welcome to the Year 22

For most of the world, this is the year 2010. In Japan, it is Year 22--the twenty second year of the Heisei Era, that is. The Heisei Era began when the present Emperor began his reign, and that was in 1989 by the rest of the world's calendar.

If you are Japanese, and you have to fill out an official document that includes a space for your birthday, you will see a blank line followed by the letters M, T, S, and H. The letters are shortcuts for the successive eras in Japan's calendar.

The Meiji Era sounds so long ago. For reference, it started just after America's Abraham Lincoln left the stage, and it ended the year the Titanic sank. You would have to be 98 years old or older to circle the M.

Taisho Era babies are a very exclusive group. The era lasted only fourteen years. The Showa Era, however, was a long one. Almost anyone now active in Japanese society circles the S when they write their birthdate.

That was true until yesterday.

January 11 was Coming of Age Day, a day to celebrate all the young people who officially become adults this year. This year, every single one of the new adults in Japan is a Heisei baby.

They are a small demographic now. Watch them grow!