Age ChartBorn in 1940 (Shōwa 15)
Last updated:
School years in Japan
In Japan a school year starts on 1 April; children born from 2 April to 1 April of the next year are in the same grade.
| Born 1 Jan – 1 Apr 1940 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1940 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1946 (Shōwa 21) | 1947 (Shōwa 22) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1952 (Shōwa 27) | 1953 (Shōwa 28) |
| Junior high school entry | 1952 (Shōwa 27) | 1953 (Shōwa 28) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1955 (Shōwa 30) | 1956 (Shōwa 31) |
| High school entry | 1955 (Shōwa 30) | 1956 (Shōwa 31) |
| High school graduation | 1958 (Shōwa 33) | 1959 (Shōwa 34) |
| University entry | 1958 (Shōwa 33) | 1959 (Shōwa 34) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1962 (Shōwa 37) | 1963 (Shōwa 38) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1958 (Shōwa 33) |
| Turns 20 | 1960 (Shōwa 35) |
Traditional longevity celebrations
Customs differ: celebrations are held either in the year of the full age or, traditionally, by the old count in which a person is 1 at birth.
| Celebration | Age | Year (full age) | Year (traditional count) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanreki | 60 | 2000 (Heisei 12) | 1999 (Heisei 11) |
| Koki | 70 | 2010 (Heisei 22) | 2009 (Heisei 21) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2017 (Heisei 29) | 2016 (Heisei 28) |
| Sanju | 80 | 2020 (Reiwa 2) | 2019 (Heisei 31 / Reiwa 1) |
| Beiju | 88 | 2028 | 2027 |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2030 | 2029 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2039 | 2038 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2040 | 2039 |
Other years of the Dragon
Method
Ages are computed from today’s date in Japan time. ‘Birthday passed’ means the birthday in the current year has already come. The traditional count adds one to the current year minus the birth year. Japanese era years follow the Era Name Act and the cabinet orders changing the era; in a year when the era changed, both names are shown. School years follow the School Education Act and the Act on Age Calculation (a person reaches an age on the day before the birthday, so those born on 1 April join the earlier grade). Adulthood follows Article 4 of the Civil Code.
About this page
People born in 1940 (Shōwa 15, year of the Dragon) are 86 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 85.