The accession of Emperor Naruhito to the Chrysanthemum Throne has been picked as the top domestic news story of 2019 by senior editors of Kyodo News and its member or subscriber newspapers and broadcasters.
1. Emperor Naruhito's accession brings forth era change, succession rites
Japan celebrated on May 1 Emperor Naruhito's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne and the start of Reiwa, the new imperial era, bringing to an end the Heisei Era that spanned over 30 years.
Emperor Naruhito's father, former Emperor Akihito, abdicated the previous day -- the first Japanese monarch to do so in about 200 years -- and became known as His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus. The emperor also completed the two major rites to signify his enthronement: the "Sokuirei Seiden no gi" ceremony in October and the "Daijosai" great thanksgiving rite, offering new harvests to gods, in November.
2. Successive typhoons leave trail of damage across Japan, triggering power cuts, flooding
Typhoon Faxai devastated wide areas of Chiba Prefecture near Tokyo in early September, causing power cuts in around 930,000 households in the Kanto region.
The following month, Typhoon Hagibis made landfall over the Izu Peninsula and traveled from the Kanto region up to Tohoku, leaving over 90 people dead as the embankments of numerous rivers collapsed. Meanwhile, Chiba and Fukushima prefectures experienced record-breaking levels of rainfall on Oct. 25.
3. Arson attack on Kyoto Animation studio leaves 36 dead
Kyoto Animation's studio in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward, the center of its animation production, was set ablaze in July, killing 36 of the 70 people working inside and leaving another 33 with injuries.
Police obtained an arrest warrant for Shinji Aoba, 41, who was found collapsed near the site with severe burns. They are waiting for Aoba to recover from his injuries before formally arresting him on suspicion of murder and arson, among other charges.
4. Japan raises consumption tax to 10%, implements measures to minimize negative impact on spending
Japan's consumption tax rate was raised to 10 percent from 8 percent on Oct. 1. To cushion any negative effects, the government also implemented a set of measures ranging from a reduced tax rate system for food and other daily items, to a reward points program for cashless payments. It also introduced free early childhood education and daycare, for which part of the increased tax revenue will be allocated.
5. Japan hosts Rugby World Cup, national team makes best eight for the first time
Japan hosted its first ever Rugby World Cup from late September to early November. The Brave Blossoms beat Pool A favorites Ireland and Scotland to achieve their goal of making the best eight. "One Team," Japan's slogan for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, was picked as the country's buzzword of the year.
6. Kansai Electric chairman resigns to take responsibility for gift scandal
Over an approximately seven-year period until February 2018, 20 people at Kansai Electric Power Co., including Chairman Makoto Yagi and President Shigeki Iwane, received a total of around 320 million yen ($3 million) worth of gifts from Eiji Moriyama, the late deputy mayor of Takahama town in Fukui Prefecture hosting one of the company's nuclear plants.
The scandal came to light in late September, with executives resigning after Kansai Electric released the findings from its internal investigation.
7. Abe wins upper house poll but loses two-thirds majority needed to reform Constitution
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition won the upper house election in July but his long-held hope of constitutional reform moved further out of reach after pro-amendment forces lost the two-thirds majority needed to initiate it.
Two members with severe physical disabilities representing minor political party Reiwa Shinsengumi won seats and attended their first parliamentary interpellation in November.
8. Abe becomes longest-serving Japan prime minister, faces controversy over state-funded cherry blossom viewing party
Shinzo Abe became the longest-serving Japanese prime minister on Nov. 20 with a total of 2,887 days in office, breaking the previous record set by Taro Katsura over a century ago.
But a controversy over a cherry blossom viewing party cast a pall over Abe, who faced allegations by opposition lawmakers that he used the state-funded gathering for personal gain as hundreds of his supporters were invited.
9. Okinawa castle at World Heritage site destroyed in fire
The main buildings of Shuri Castle, a World Heritage site in Okinawa regarded as a symbol of the southern Japanese prefecture, burned to the ground in late October.
The fire engulfed seven wooden buildings occupying a total of more than 4,000 square meters. The original castle at the site dated back to the Ryukyu Kingdom, which spanned 450 years until Okinawa was annexed by Japan in 1879.
10. Shibuno wins Women's British Open golf tournament, Osaka wins Australian Open tennis title
Hinako Shibuno captured the Women's British Open to become the second Japanese golfer to win an overseas major, and the first in 42 years while Naomi Osaka was officially installed as the new women's world's No. 1 singles player after winning this year's Australian Open, her second Grand Slam title following her victory the previous September at the U.S. Open
