Companies in Japan have a little more than six weeks to revamp their computer software to respond to the country's first era change in the digital age when a new Emperor is enthroned on May 1. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, or METI, is calling on companies to check where they use the Japanese calendar in their computer systems, modify necessary programs and carry out tests to detect potential problems. Eras are how Japan defines its history, so drivers' licenses, newspapers and a host of official documents use it to mark the years, with 2019 currently referred to as the "31st year of Heisei." The government will announce on April 1 the name of the new era, which will begin on May 1 in line with Crown Prince Naruhito's accession to the throne. According to the Information-Technology Promotion Agency, an independent administrative agency, systems using the current Heisei and other era names require program modifications.