Summary

Define Japanese new Era character.

Problem

A new code point U+32FF will be assigned for the upcoming Japanese new era [1]. Currently the code point in JDK 11 implementation is unassigned, thus various static methods in java.lang.Character class returns values for an invalid code point.

[1] http://blog.unicode.org/2018/09/new-japanese-era.html

The Java SE 11 specification currently states that the java.lang.Character class derives data from the Unicode Standard, version 10.0.0. To help industry and end users, implementation and normative, exceptions are requested so that this one important new code point U+32FF can be defined in future JDK 11u updates.

Solution

Add a paragraph in java.lang.Character class description explaining the behavioral change in its different static methods for U+32FF code point.

Since the solution involves normative spec change, it requires a maintenance release to update the Java SE 11 specification. Below is the openJDK mail link that talks about MR for 11u release:-

http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/jdk-updates-dev/2018-December/000308.html

This CSR covers normative spec changes for adding a paragraph to java.lang.Character class to explain that code point U+32FF, is reserved by the Unicode Consortium to represent the Japanese square character for the new era that begins from May, 2019 and relevant methods in the java.lang.Character class return the same properties as for the existing Japanese era characters.

There is follow-on CSR JDK-8215944 to cover implementation changes.

Specification

Class description of java.lang.Character is updated to clearly explain that code point U+32FF, is reserved by the Unicode Consortium to represent the Japanese square character for the new era that begins from May, 2019 and relevant methods in the Character class return the same properties as for the existing Japanese era characters.

Below is extract from suggested patch:

 + * <p>
 + * The code point, U+32FF, is reserved by the Unicode Consortium
 + * to represent the Japanese square character for the new era that begins
 + * May 2019. Relevant methods in the Character class return the same
 + * properties as for the existing Japanese era characters (e.g., U+337E for
 + * "Meizi"). For the details of the code point, refer to
 + * <a href="http://blog.unicode.org/2018/09/new-japanese-era.html">
 + * http://blog.unicode.org/2018/09/new-japanese-era.html</a>.