Why April means new beginnings in Japan

Shinseikatsu (新生活) is a term you would have encountered frequently from late February to the end of March. Shinseikatsu, which translates to “new life,” denotes the start of a new stage in your life. Although most people think of January as the time to make changes in their lives, new beginnings can occur at any time. The new fiscal year, school year, and working year all begin in April in Japan. Let’s take a closer look at why April in Japan signifies fresh starts.

why April

Spring has long represented renewal and new beginnings for cultures worldwide, and Japan is no exception. While it’s hard to pinpoint an exact date, starting in the Meiji Restoration, the new Japanese government sought to centralize its systems, including the fiscal year. According to some experts, the April-to-March system was based on the United Kingdom’s system, but this is up for debate.

The income tax year lasts from January 1 to December 31, but corporate taxes follow the government fiscal year. Public schools, which required funding, soon followed suit, and by the 1900s, all educational institutes had shifted to an April start (according to the Elementary School Law of 1900.)

It later became common for companies to have newly hired staff begin working in April as well, as it matched both the fiscal year and the graduation period for students. Most new graduates start work in April after graduating in March of the same year. They begin looking for work in November to February of the year prior.

Many people come to Japan in March before their work begins in April in order to acclimatize, go through training, and otherwise set up for their new life abroad. It’s a new, exciting chapter in their lives.

“I’ve literally been shaking since I got the news that I was hired. I’ve spent every day since then doing something to prepare for the move. I have so much to fit into a single year there” (Sara, ESL Teacher, 24).

April is the start of a new chapter in many people’s lives, especially in Japan, though whether this is a good or bad thing varies. Unfortunately for many Japanese people specifically, April goes from the positive association of graduations and new beginnings to one tied to their jobs.

“April makes me tired. I have so much to wrap up in March, and then I have to start all these projects, do welcome events, train people and whatever in April. I just want a nap” (Sachiko, Civil Servant, 33).

It’s a busy month, made even more exciting by the Golden Week holidays that arrive at the end of April and last into May. May begins with holidays but also marks the start of the longest stretch of no public holidays in the Japanese calendar year. From May 5th until July 21st, there aren’t any holidays in Japan, which is stressful even for the happiest of workaholics. May also has its own troubles, like gogatsu-byo (May sickness).