Thread:Great Mara/@comment-35086773-20180624202734/@comment-3409031-20180624210121

It does take place in 2016 due to the matching dates in the calendar to that of the real life calendar. There's also hints here and there, like Great Mara said there's also info on Rise, TV specials in P5 where Chie is mentioned to still be in the police academy... meaning that it's clear it's in 2016 and not in 2022 because if it was the latter she should at least be mentioned as a rookie cop.

The game possibly didn't make a clear cut year due to the political themes it deals with. And I don't know why you have to ask "why it would take place in such a year" since there doesn't need to be a reason. There's no reason for P1 to take place in 1996, P2 in 1999 and 2000, P3 in 2009 and P4 in 2011... they just take place in such years.