Twitter erupted in a flood of posts Monday morning as the Japanese government revealed the country’s new era name, Reiwa 令和, which is set to go into effect starting May 1. Keywords and hashtags related to the revelation captured most of the top trending spots on the social-media network, but the much-awaited announcement was just one of the final steps toward initiating the Japan’s first Imperial succession in three decades, when Emperor Akihito abdicates at the end of this month.

Reactions to Reiwa: Japan’s new era

RELATED PHOTOS People snap photos with their smartphones of a placard displaying Japan's new era name, Reiwa, in front of the Wako department store in Tokyo's Ginza district on Monday. | KYODO