Heisei to Western Year Converter — 平成 西暦 変換

平成を西暦に変換 — Convert Heisei years (平成1年–31年) to 1989–2019

Convert any Heisei era year (平成) to the Western Gregorian calendar instantly. The Heisei era ran from 1989 to 2019 — enter any Heisei year from 1 to 31 to find the Western equivalent. Free, no login required.

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Complete Heisei Year Chart — 平成 西暦 早見表 (全31年)

Heisei (平成) Western Year Notes
平成元年 (1年)1989Started Jan 8 — first 7 days were Showa 64
平成2年1990
平成3年1991
平成4年1992
平成5年1993
平成6年1994
平成7年1995Hanshin earthquake (Jan 17)
平成8年1996
平成9年1997
平成10年1998
平成11年1999
平成12年2000
平成13年2001
平成14年2002
平成15年2003
平成16年2004
平成17年2005
平成18年2006
平成19年2007
平成20年2008
平成21年2009
平成22年2010
平成23年2011Tohoku earthquake (Mar 11)
平成24年2012
平成25年2013
平成26年2014
平成27年2015
平成28年2016
平成29年2017
平成30年2018
平成31年2019Ended Apr 30 — Reiwa began May 1

平成元年 (1989) started on January 8 — January 1–7, 1989 were Showa 64. 平成31年 (2019) ended on April 30 — the Reiwa era began May 1, 2019.

How to Convert Heisei Years to Western Years (平成 西暦 変換方法)

Converting a Heisei year (平成) to the Western Gregorian calendar is simple: add 1988 to the Heisei year number. For example, Heisei 30 + 1988 = 2018, and Heisei 1 + 1988 = 1989. To convert the other way — Western to Heisei — subtract 1988. For instance, 2010 − 1988 = Heisei 22. Use the converter above or the complete reference table below for instant lookups.

The Heisei era (平成, meaning "Achieving Peace") began on January 8, 1989, following the death of Emperor Hirohito and the ascension of Emperor Akihito. It ended on April 30, 2019, when Emperor Akihito became the first Japanese emperor to abdicate in over 200 years. The following day, May 1, 2019, marked the beginning of the current Reiwa era under Emperor Naruhito.

About the Heisei Era (平成時代)

The Heisei era spanned 31 years and witnessed extraordinary change in Japan. It began amid Japan's economic bubble and saw the country navigate the subsequent "Lost Decade" of economic stagnation in the 1990s. Major events during Heisei include the Great Hanshin earthquake of Heisei 7 (1995), the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted with South Korea, and the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami of Heisei 23 (2011).

Many Japanese official documents, contracts, certificates, and records from this period use the Heisei year format. If you are reading a document showing a 平成 year, use the converter above to find the Western year instantly. For Showa era dates (1926–1989), see the Showa era converter. For current Reiwa dates, use the main era date converter.

Era date information sourced from the Japan Cabinet Office.

Frequently Asked Questions — Heisei Era (平成)

  • How do I convert Heisei year to Western year?
    To convert any Heisei year to a Western year, add 1988 to the Heisei year number. For example, Heisei 1 + 1988 = 1989, Heisei 30 + 1988 = 2018, Heisei 31 + 1988 = 2019. The Heisei era ran from January 8, 1989 to April 30, 2019.
  • What years did the Heisei era cover?
    The Heisei era (平成) ran from January 8, 1989 to April 30, 2019 — a span of 31 years. Heisei 1 corresponds to 1989 and Heisei 31 corresponds to 2019. Emperor Akihito reigned throughout the entire Heisei period before abdicating on April 30, 2019.
  • What is Heisei 31 in Western year?
    Heisei 31 is 2019 in the Western calendar. However, Heisei 31 lasted only until April 30, 2019 — Emperor Akihito abdicated on that date. The Reiwa era began the following day, May 1, 2019. So dates from May 1, 2019 onward are Reiwa 1, not Heisei 31.
  • What is Heisei 1 in Western year?
    Heisei 1 (平成元年) is 1989 in the Western calendar. The Heisei era began on January 8, 1989, the day after Emperor Hirohito passed away. Note that January 1–7, 1989 was still Showa 64 — Heisei 1 started from January 8 only.
  • How many years did the Heisei era last?
    The Heisei era lasted 31 years, from January 8, 1989 to April 30, 2019. It spanned the reign of Emperor Akihito and covered Japan's economic bubble, the 1995 Hanshin earthquake, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, and significant social and technological change.