But Reiwa’s meaning has generated confusion and controversy.

The first character, “rei,” is often used to mean “command” or “order,” imparting an authoritarian nuance that offends some. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his government prefer “good” or “beautiful”, a less widely known sense.

The second character, “wa,” is defined as “peace” or “harmony”, and together they mean “beautiful harmony,” Japan’s consulate in New York said in a bid to dispel confusion.

“It does not mean ‘order and harmony’ as has been reported in the press,” the consulate said in a statement.

The name is chosen by the cabinet, rather than the emperor, from a short list proposed by scholars.

While many Japanese were positive about the new name, to some, particularly young people, it sounded harsh.

“Do they mean ‘Give in to orders?’ They probably want another militarist era,” said one Twitter user.