How to read it

2000 minus 1989, the year Heisei began, plus one, gives 12: 平成12年. The shortcut Japanese people use: subtract 12 from a Heisei year and you have the last two digits of the Western year — 12 − 12 = 00. On paper it is H12: forms print the era options — 明・大・昭・平・令, or the letters M T S H R — beside the date box, and you circle one and write the number. Someone born in 2000 turns 26 in 2026. In kazoedoshi 数え年 — the traditional count that starts at one at birth and adds a year every New Year — they are 27.

2000 in the Chinese zodiac

2000 is the year of the Metal Dragon (庚辰). The zodiac year began on 5 February 2000.

Other years

• 1995平成7年
• 1996平成8年
• 1997平成9年
• 1998平成10年
• 1999平成11年
• 2001平成13年
• 2002平成14年
• 2003平成15年
• 2004平成16年
• 2005平成17年

Every year of the Heisei era → · How the Japanese calendar works, and every year 1868–2050