Kimi ga Yo
Encyclopedia
is the national anthem
of post-1868 Japan
. It is also one of the world's shortest national anthems in current use, with a length of 11 measures and 32 characters. Its lyrics
are based on a Waka
poem written in the Heian period
(794-1185), sung to a melody written in the imperial period
(1868–1945). The current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed eleven years earlier. While the title Kimigayo is usually translated as His Majesty's Reign, no official translation of the title nor lyrics has ever been established by law.
Prior to 1945, "Kimigayo" was the official national anthem of the Japanese Empire. When the Empire of Japan (imperial period) fell and its successor state, the State of Japan (democratic period
) replaced it in 1945, the polity
therefore changed from absolutism
to democracy
. However, just as Emperor Hirohito
was not dethroned, so too was "Kimigayo" retained as the de facto
national anthem, becoming legally recognized as such in 1999 with the passage of Act on National Flag and Anthem.
Since the democratic period began, there has been controversy over the performance of the anthem at public ceremonies. Along with the Hinomaru flag
, "Kimigayo" has been claimed to be a symbol of Japanese nationalism
, imperialism and militarism
, with debate over whether "Kimigayo", as a remnant of Japan's imperial past, is compatible with Japanese democracy. Thus, essential points of controversies to the Hinomaru and "Kimigayo" are whether they express praise or condemnation to the Empire of Japan and whether the Empire of Japan (pre-1945) and the State of Japan (post-1945) are the same states or different states.
or earlier, the word "kimi" has been used either as a noun to indicate an emperor or one's lord (i.e., master); as an honorific noun or suffix to indicate a person or most commonly as a friendly, informal word for "you" For example, the protagonist of the Tale of Genji is also called .
Before the Japanese defeat in World War II
, Kimigayo was understood to mean the long reign of the emperor. With the adoption of the Constitution of Japan
in 1947, the emperor became no longer a sovereign
that ruled by divine right
, but a human who is a symbol of the state and of the unity of the people. The Ministry of Education did not give any new meanings for "Kimigayo" after the war; this allowed the song to mean the Japanese people. The Ministry also did not formally renounce the pre-war meaning of Kimigayo.
In 1999, during the deliberations of the Act on National Flag and Anthem, the official definition of Kimi or Kimi-ga-yo was questioned repeatedly. The first suggestion was given by Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka
that, due to the new status of emperor as established in Article 1 of the Constitution of Japan, kimi meant the "emperor as the symbol of Japan," and the entire lyrics wish for the peace and properity of Japan. Then Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi
confirmed this meaning with a statement on June 29, 1999:
Parties opposed to the Liberal Democratic Party
, which was in control of the government at the time Obuchi was prime minister, they strongly objected to the government's meaning of kimi and Kimigayo. From the Democratic Party of Japan, members objected due to the lack of any historical ties to the meaning. The harshest critic was Kazuo Shii, the chairman of the Communist Party of Japan, who strongly believed that "Japan" could not be derived from Kimigayo because the lyrics only mention wishing for the emperor for a long reign. Shii also objected to the use of the song as the national anthem because for a democratic nation, a song about the emperor is not appropriate.
The lyrics first appeared in a poem anthology, Kokin Wakashū, as an anonymous poem. The poem was included in many anthologies, and was used in a later period as a celebration song of a long life by people of all social statures. Unlike the form used for the current national anthem, the poem originally began with "Waga Kimi wa" ('you, my lord') instead of "Kimiga Yo wa" ('your reign'). The first lyrics were changed during the Kamakura period
, while the rest of the lyrics stayed the same. Because the lyrics were sung on formal occasions, such as birthdays, there was no sheet music for it until 1800s.
In 1869, John William Fenton
, a visiting Irish military band leader, realized there was no national anthem in Japan, and suggested to Iwao Ōyama
, an officer of the Satsuma Clan, that one be created. Ōyama agreed, and selected the lyrics. The lyrics may have been chosen for their similarity to the British national anthem
, due to Fenton's influence. After selecting the anthem's lyrics, Ōyama then asked Fenton to create the melody. After being given just two to three weeks to compose the melody and only a few days to rehearse, Fenton debuted the anthem before the Japanese Emperor in 1870. This was the first version of Kimigayo, which was discarded because the melody "lacked solemnity." However, this version is still performed annually at the Myōkōji Shrine in Yokohama
, where Fenton served as a military band leader. Myōkōji serves as a memorial to him.
In 1880, the Imperial Household Agency
adopted a new melody composed by Yoshiisa Oku and Akimori Hayashi. The composer is often listed as Hiromori Hayashi
, who was their supervisor and Akimori's father. Akimori was also one of Fenton's pupils. Although the melody is based on a traditional mode of Japanese court music, it is composed in a mixed style influenced by Western hymns, and uses some elements of the Fenton arrangement. The German musician Franz Eckert applied the melody with Western style harmony, creating the second and current version of Kimigayo. The government formally adopted Kimigayo as the national anthem in 1888 and had copies of the music and lyrics sent overseas for diplomatic ceremonies. By 1893, Kimigayo was included in public school ceremonies due to the efforts of the then Ministry of Education
.
At the turn of the century, Kimigayo was beginning to be closely associated with the idea of honoring the Emperor. It was also associated as a part of Japanese education. However, opinions expressed in an Osaka paper in 1904 calls Kimigayo a song for the imperial family and not the state as a whole. Uchimura Kanzo
, a Christian leader in Japan, stated at the turn of the century that Kimigayo is not the anthem of Japan by saying the song's purpose is to praise the emperor. According to Kanzo, a national anthem should express the feelings of the people. The Japanese were not familiar with Kimigayo as the anthem until there was a surge of celebrations after victories in the First Sino-Japanese
and Russo-Japanese War
s. Previously, papers were critical of fellow Japanese who could not sing Kimigayo properly at ceremonies overseas.
to restrict the use of Kimigayo by the Japanese government. This was different from the regulations issued that restricted the use of the Hinomaru flag. Along with the encouragement to use Kimigayo in the schools to promote defense education and patriotism, the national broadcaster NHK
began to use the song to announce the start and ending of its programming.
The Act on National Flag and Anthem was passed in 1999, choosing both the Hinomaru and Kimigayo as Japan's national symbols. The passage of the law stemmed from a suicide of a school principal in Hiroshima who could not resolve a dispute between his school board and his teachers over the use of the Hinomaru and Kimigayo.
Prime Minister
Keizō Obuchi
of the Liberal Democratic Party
(LDP) decided to draft legislation to make the Hinomaru and Kimigayo official symbols of Japan in 2000. His Chief Cabinet Secretary
, Hiromu Nonaka
, wanted the legislation to be completed by the 10th anniversary of the coronation of Akihito
as Emperor. This is not the first time legislation was considered for establishing both symbols as official. In 1974, with the backdrop of the 1972 return of Okinawa to Japan and the 1973 oil crisis
, Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei hinted at a law being passed legalizing both symbols.
Main supporters of the bill were the LDP and the Komeito (CGP), while the opposition included the Social Democratic Party
(SDPJ) and Communist Party
(CPJ), who cited the connotations both symbols had with the war era. The CPJ was further opposed for not allowing the issue to be decided by the public. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Japan
(DPJ) could not develop party consensus on it. President of the DPJ, Naoto Kan
stated that the DPJ must support the bill because the party already recognized both symbols as the symbols of Japan. Deputy Secretary General and future prime minister Yukio Hatoyama
thought that this bill would cause further divisions among society and the public schools.
Before the vote, there were calls for the bills to separated at the Diet. Waseda University
professor Norihiro Kato stated that Kimigayo is a separate issue more complex than the Hinomaru flag. Attempts to designate only the Hinomaru as the national flag by the DPJ and other parties during the vote of the bill were rejected by the Diet. The House of Representatives passed the bill on July 22, 1999, by a 403 to 86 vote. The legislation was sent to the House of Councilors on July 28 and was passed on August 9. It was enacted into law on August 13.
The lyrics and musical notation
of the anthem are given in the second appendix of the Act on National Flag and Anthem. As for the sheet music itself, it displays a vocal arrangement with no mention of tempo and all of the lyrics in hiragana
. The anthem is composed in 4/4 (common time
) in the key of C major
. The Act on National Flag and Anthem does not detail how one should show respect during performances of Kimigayo. In a statement made by Prime Minister Obuchi, the legislation will not impose new regulations on the Japanese people when it comes to respecting the flag or anthem. However, local government bodies and private organizations sometimes suggest or demand certain protocols be followed. For example, an October 2003 directive by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government required teachers to stand during the national anthem at graduation ceremonies. While standing, the teachers are required to sing Kimigayo while facing the Hinomaru
. United States military personnel in Japan, even when in civilian dress, are required by regulations to place their right hand over their heart when Kimigayo, The Star-Spangled Banner
, or any other national anthem is performed. The Act on National Flag and Anthem also does not dictate when or where Kimigayo should be played. The anthem, however, is commonly played at sporting events inside of Japan, or at international sporting events where Japan has a competing team. At sumō
tournaments, Kimigayo is played before the awards ceremony.
has issued statements and regulations to promote the usage of both the Hinomaru and Kimigayo at schools under their jurisdiction. The first of these statements was released in 1950, stating that it was desirable, but not required, to use both symbols. This desire was later expanded to include both symbols on national holidays and during ceremonial events to encourage students on what national holidays are and to promote defense education. The Ministry not only took great measures to explain that both symbols are not formally established by law, they also referred to Kimigayo as a song and refused to call it the national anthem. It was not until 1977 that the Ministry referred to Kimigayo as the national anthem (国歌, kokka) of Japan. In a 1989 reform of the education guidelines, the LDP-controlled government first demanded that the Hinomaru flag must be used in school ceremonies and that proper respect must be given to it and to Kimigayo. Punishments for school officials who did not follow this order were also enacted with the 1989 reforms.
The 1999 curriculum guideline
issued by the Ministry of Education after the passage of the Law Regarding the National Flag and Anthem decrees that "on entrance and graduation ceremonies, schools must raise the flag of Japan and instruct students to sing the "Kimigayo" (national anthem), given the significance of the flag and the song." Additionally, the ministry's commentary on the 1999 curriculum guideline for elementary schools note that "given the advance of internationalization, along with fostering patriotism and awareness of being Japanese, it is important to nurture school children's respectful attitude toward the flag of Japan and Kimigayo as they grow up to be respected Japanese citizens in an internationalized society." The ministry also stated that if Japanese students cannot respect their own symbols, then they will not be able to respect the symbols of other nations.
Schools
have been the center of controversy over both the anthem and the national flag. The Tokyo Board of Education requires the use of both the anthem and flag at events under their jurisdiction. The order requires school teachers to respect both symbols or risk losing their jobs. Some have protested that such rules violate the United Nations
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and the "freedom of thought, belief and conscience" clause in the Constitution of Japan
, but the Board has argued that since schools are government agencies, their employees have an obligation to teach their students how to be good Japanese citizens. Teachers have unsuccessfully brought criminal complaints against Tokyo Governor Shintarō Ishihara
and senior officials for ordering teachers to honor the Hinomaru and Kimigayo. After earlier opposition, the Japan Teachers Union
accepts the use of both the flag and anthem; the smaller All Japan Teachers and Staffs Union still opposes both symbols and their use inside the school system.
In 2006 Katsuhisa Fujita, a retired teacher in Tokyo, was threatened with imprisonment, and fined 200,000 yen
(roughly 2,000 US dollars
), after he was accused of disturbing a graduation ceremony at Itabashi High School by urging the attendees to remain seated during the playing of the anthem. At the time of Fujita's sentence, 345 teachers had been punished for refusing to take part in anthem related events, though Fujita is the only man to have been convicted in relation to it. On September 21, 2006, the Tokyo District Court ordered the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to pay compensation to the teachers
who had been subjected to punishment under the directive of the Tokyo Board of Education. The then Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi
commented, "It is a natural idea to treat the national anthem importantly". The ruling has been appealed by the Metropolitan Government. Since October 23, 2003, 410 teachers and school workers have been punished for refusing to stand and sing the anthem as ordered by school principals. Teachers can also be punished if their students do not stand while Kimigayo is played during school ceremonies.
On 30 May and 6 June 2011, two panels of the Supreme Court of Japan
ruled that it was constitutional to require teachers to stand in front of the Hinomaru and sing the Kimigayo during school ceremonies. In making the ruling, the panels ratified the decision of the Tokyo High Court
in ruling against 13 teachers who had asked for court relief after being disciplined between 2003 and 2005 for refusing to stand and sing the anthem.
and Mainichi Shimbun
often feature articles critical of the flag of Japan, reflecting their readerships' political spectrum.
Outside of the school system, there was a controversy regarding Kimigayo soon after the passage of the 1999 law. A month after the law's passage, a record containing a performance of Kimigayo by Japanese rocker Kiyoshiro Imawano
was removed by Polydor records for his next album Fuyu no Jujika. Polydor did not want a record to stir up emotion in the Japanese; in response, Imawano re-released the album through an independent label with the track in question.
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
of post-1868 Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is also one of the world's shortest national anthems in current use, with a length of 11 measures and 32 characters. Its lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
are based on a Waka
Waka (poetry)
Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
poem written in the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
(794-1185), sung to a melody written in the imperial period
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
(1868–1945). The current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed eleven years earlier. While the title Kimigayo is usually translated as His Majesty's Reign, no official translation of the title nor lyrics has ever been established by law.
Prior to 1945, "Kimigayo" was the official national anthem of the Japanese Empire. When the Empire of Japan (imperial period) fell and its successor state, the State of Japan (democratic period
Postwar Japan
Postwar Japan refers to the period in Japanese history immediately following the end of World War II in 1945 to the present day. Before and during the war Japan was known as an empire but is now officially the .-Occupation and democratization:...
) replaced it in 1945, the polity
Polity
Polity is a form of government Aristotle developed in his search for a government that could be most easily incorporated and used by the largest amount of people groups, or states...
therefore changed from absolutism
Absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government in which the monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government, his or her power not being limited by a constitution or by the law. An absolute monarch thus wields unrestricted political power over the...
to democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
. However, just as Emperor Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
was not dethroned, so too was "Kimigayo" retained as the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
national anthem, becoming legally recognized as such in 1999 with the passage of Act on National Flag and Anthem.
Since the democratic period began, there has been controversy over the performance of the anthem at public ceremonies. Along with the Hinomaru flag
Flag of Japan
The national flag of Japan is a white rectangular flag with a large red disk in the center. This flag is officially called in Japanese, but is more commonly known as ....
, "Kimigayo" has been claimed to be a symbol of Japanese nationalism
Japanese nationalism
encompasses a broad range of ideas and sentiments harbored by the Japanese people over the last two centuries regarding their native country, its cultural nature, political form and historical destiny...
, imperialism and militarism
Japanese militarism
refers to the ideology in the Empire of Japan that militarism should dominate the political and social life of the nation, and that the strength of the military is equal to the strength of a nation.-Rise of militarism :...
, with debate over whether "Kimigayo", as a remnant of Japan's imperial past, is compatible with Japanese democracy. Thus, essential points of controversies to the Hinomaru and "Kimigayo" are whether they express praise or condemnation to the Empire of Japan and whether the Empire of Japan (pre-1945) and the State of Japan (post-1945) are the same states or different states.
Etymology
Since the Heian periodHeian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
or earlier, the word "kimi" has been used either as a noun to indicate an emperor or one's lord (i.e., master); as an honorific noun or suffix to indicate a person or most commonly as a friendly, informal word for "you" For example, the protagonist of the Tale of Genji is also called .
Before the Japanese defeat in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Kimigayo was understood to mean the long reign of the emperor. With the adoption of the Constitution of Japan
Constitution of Japan
The is the fundamental law of Japan. It was enacted on 3 May, 1947 as a new constitution for postwar Japan.-Outline:The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights...
in 1947, the emperor became no longer a sovereign
Sovereign
A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority within its jurisdiction.Sovereign may also refer to:*Monarch, the sovereign of a monarchy*Sovereign Bank, banking institution in the United States*Sovereign...
that ruled by divine right
Mandate of Heaven
The Mandate of Heaven is a traditional Chinese philosophical concept concerning the legitimacy of rulers. It is similar to the European concept of the divine right of kings, in that both sought to legitimaze rule from divine approval; however, unlike the divine right of kings, the Mandate of...
, but a human who is a symbol of the state and of the unity of the people. The Ministry of Education did not give any new meanings for "Kimigayo" after the war; this allowed the song to mean the Japanese people. The Ministry also did not formally renounce the pre-war meaning of Kimigayo.
In 1999, during the deliberations of the Act on National Flag and Anthem, the official definition of Kimi or Kimi-ga-yo was questioned repeatedly. The first suggestion was given by Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka
Hiromu Nonaka
is a Japanese LDP politician and former member of the House of Representatives. He is currently a lecturer at Heian Jogakuin University.He has held the following posts:...
that, due to the new status of emperor as established in Article 1 of the Constitution of Japan, kimi meant the "emperor as the symbol of Japan," and the entire lyrics wish for the peace and properity of Japan. Then Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi
Keizo Obuchi
was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives for twelve terms, and ultimately as the 84th Prime Minister of Japan from July 30, 1998 to April 5, 2000. His political career ended when he suffered a serious and ultimately fatal stroke....
confirmed this meaning with a statement on June 29, 1999:
"Kimi" indicates the Emperor, who is the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people, and whose position is derived from the consensus-based will of Japanese citizens, with whom sovereign power resides. And, the phrase "Kimigayo" indicates our State, Japan, which has the Emperor enthroned as the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people by the consensus-based will of Japanese citizens. And it is reasonable to take the lyric of Kimigayo to mean the wish for the lasting prosperity and peace of such country of ours.
Parties opposed to the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
, which was in control of the government at the time Obuchi was prime minister, they strongly objected to the government's meaning of kimi and Kimigayo. From the Democratic Party of Japan, members objected due to the lack of any historical ties to the meaning. The harshest critic was Kazuo Shii, the chairman of the Communist Party of Japan, who strongly believed that "Japan" could not be derived from Kimigayo because the lyrics only mention wishing for the emperor for a long reign. Shii also objected to the use of the song as the national anthem because for a democratic nation, a song about the emperor is not appropriate.
Empire of Japan (1868-1945)
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
, while the rest of the lyrics stayed the same. Because the lyrics were sung on formal occasions, such as birthdays, there was no sheet music for it until 1800s.
In 1869, John William Fenton
John William Fenton
John William Fenton was an Irish musician, the leader of a military band in Japan at the start of the Meiji period...
, a visiting Irish military band leader, realized there was no national anthem in Japan, and suggested to Iwao Ōyama
Oyama Iwao
|-...
, an officer of the Satsuma Clan, that one be created. Ōyama agreed, and selected the lyrics. The lyrics may have been chosen for their similarity to the British national anthem
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
, due to Fenton's influence. After selecting the anthem's lyrics, Ōyama then asked Fenton to create the melody. After being given just two to three weeks to compose the melody and only a few days to rehearse, Fenton debuted the anthem before the Japanese Emperor in 1870. This was the first version of Kimigayo, which was discarded because the melody "lacked solemnity." However, this version is still performed annually at the Myōkōji Shrine in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, where Fenton served as a military band leader. Myōkōji serves as a memorial to him.
In 1880, the Imperial Household Agency
Imperial Household Agency
The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
adopted a new melody composed by Yoshiisa Oku and Akimori Hayashi. The composer is often listed as Hiromori Hayashi
Hiromori Hayashi
Hiromori Hayashi was a Japanese composer credited with composing the Japanese national anthem Kimi ga Yo.-Life and career:He held several positions in the royal court starting in his youth. He moved to Tokyo after the Meiji Restoration and in 1875 helped carry out 1875 orders to fuse Western...
, who was their supervisor and Akimori's father. Akimori was also one of Fenton's pupils. Although the melody is based on a traditional mode of Japanese court music, it is composed in a mixed style influenced by Western hymns, and uses some elements of the Fenton arrangement. The German musician Franz Eckert applied the melody with Western style harmony, creating the second and current version of Kimigayo. The government formally adopted Kimigayo as the national anthem in 1888 and had copies of the music and lyrics sent overseas for diplomatic ceremonies. By 1893, Kimigayo was included in public school ceremonies due to the efforts of the then Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)
The , also known as MEXT or Monkashō, is one of the ministries of the Japanese government.The Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871....
.
At the turn of the century, Kimigayo was beginning to be closely associated with the idea of honoring the Emperor. It was also associated as a part of Japanese education. However, opinions expressed in an Osaka paper in 1904 calls Kimigayo a song for the imperial family and not the state as a whole. Uchimura Kanzo
Uchimura Kanzo
was a Japanese author, Christian evangelist, and the founder of the Nonchurch Movement of Christianity in the Meiji and Taishō period Japan.-Early life:...
, a Christian leader in Japan, stated at the turn of the century that Kimigayo is not the anthem of Japan by saying the song's purpose is to praise the emperor. According to Kanzo, a national anthem should express the feelings of the people. The Japanese were not familiar with Kimigayo as the anthem until there was a surge of celebrations after victories in the First Sino-Japanese
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
and Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
s. Previously, papers were critical of fellow Japanese who could not sing Kimigayo properly at ceremonies overseas.
1945 to 1999
During the American occupation of Japan, there were no directives by the Supreme Commander of the Allied PowersSupreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
to restrict the use of Kimigayo by the Japanese government. This was different from the regulations issued that restricted the use of the Hinomaru flag. Along with the encouragement to use Kimigayo in the schools to promote defense education and patriotism, the national broadcaster NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
began to use the song to announce the start and ending of its programming.
Since 1999
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
Keizō Obuchi
Keizo Obuchi
was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives for twelve terms, and ultimately as the 84th Prime Minister of Japan from July 30, 1998 to April 5, 2000. His political career ended when he suffered a serious and ultimately fatal stroke....
of the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
The , frequently abbreviated to LDP or , is a centre-right political party in Japan. It is one of the most consistently successful political parties in the democratic world. The LDP ruled almost continuously for nearly 54 years from its founding in 1955 until its defeat in the 2009 election...
(LDP) decided to draft legislation to make the Hinomaru and Kimigayo official symbols of Japan in 2000. His Chief Cabinet Secretary
Chief Cabinet Secretary
__notoc__The of Japan is a Minister of State who is responsible for directing the Cabinet Secretariat. The main function of Chief Cabinet Secretary is to coordinate the policies of ministries and agencies in the executive branch...
, Hiromu Nonaka
Hiromu Nonaka
is a Japanese LDP politician and former member of the House of Representatives. He is currently a lecturer at Heian Jogakuin University.He has held the following posts:...
, wanted the legislation to be completed by the 10th anniversary of the coronation of Akihito
Akihito
is the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In...
as Emperor. This is not the first time legislation was considered for establishing both symbols as official. In 1974, with the backdrop of the 1972 return of Okinawa to Japan and the 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
, Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei hinted at a law being passed legalizing both symbols.
Main supporters of the bill were the LDP and the Komeito (CGP), while the opposition included the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Japan)
The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also known as the Social Democratic Party of Japan (abbreviated to SDPJ or SDP in English) is a political party that advocates for the establishment of a...
(SDPJ) and Communist Party
Japanese Communist Party
The Japanese Communist Party is a left-wing political party in Japan.The JCP advocates the establishment of a society based on socialism, democracy and peace, and opposition to militarism...
(CPJ), who cited the connotations both symbols had with the war era. The CPJ was further opposed for not allowing the issue to be decided by the public. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Japan
Democratic Party of Japan
The is a political party in Japan founded in 1998 by the merger of several opposition parties. Its socially liberal platform is generally considered center-left in the Japanese political spectrum...
(DPJ) could not develop party consensus on it. President of the DPJ, Naoto Kan
Naoto Kan
is a Japanese politician, and former Prime Minister of Japan. In June 2010, then-Finance Minister Kan was elected as the leader of the Democratic Party of Japan and designated Prime Minister by the Diet to succeed Yukio Hatoyama. On 26 August 2011, Kan announced his resignation...
stated that the DPJ must support the bill because the party already recognized both symbols as the symbols of Japan. Deputy Secretary General and future prime minister Yukio Hatoyama
Yukio Hatoyama
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan between 16 September 2009 and 2 June 2010, and was the first ever Prime Minister from the modern Democratic Party of Japan....
thought that this bill would cause further divisions among society and the public schools.
Before the vote, there were calls for the bills to separated at the Diet. Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
professor Norihiro Kato stated that Kimigayo is a separate issue more complex than the Hinomaru flag. Attempts to designate only the Hinomaru as the national flag by the DPJ and other parties during the vote of the bill were rejected by the Diet. The House of Representatives passed the bill on July 22, 1999, by a 403 to 86 vote. The legislation was sent to the House of Councilors on July 28 and was passed on August 9. It was enacted into law on August 13.
Protocol
Musical notation
Music notation or musical notation is any system that represents aurally perceived music, through the use of written symbols.-History:...
of the anthem are given in the second appendix of the Act on National Flag and Anthem. As for the sheet music itself, it displays a vocal arrangement with no mention of tempo and all of the lyrics in hiragana
Hiragana
is a Japanese syllabary, one basic component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana, kanji, and the Latin alphabet . Hiragana and katakana are both kana systems, in which each character represents one mora...
. The anthem is composed in 4/4 (common time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
) in the key of C major
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
. The Act on National Flag and Anthem does not detail how one should show respect during performances of Kimigayo. In a statement made by Prime Minister Obuchi, the legislation will not impose new regulations on the Japanese people when it comes to respecting the flag or anthem. However, local government bodies and private organizations sometimes suggest or demand certain protocols be followed. For example, an October 2003 directive by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government required teachers to stand during the national anthem at graduation ceremonies. While standing, the teachers are required to sing Kimigayo while facing the Hinomaru
Flag of Japan
The national flag of Japan is a white rectangular flag with a large red disk in the center. This flag is officially called in Japanese, but is more commonly known as ....
. United States military personnel in Japan, even when in civilian dress, are required by regulations to place their right hand over their heart when Kimigayo, The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
, or any other national anthem is performed. The Act on National Flag and Anthem also does not dictate when or where Kimigayo should be played. The anthem, however, is commonly played at sporting events inside of Japan, or at international sporting events where Japan has a competing team. At sumō
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
tournaments, Kimigayo is played before the awards ceremony.
Public schools
Since the end of World War II, the Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)
The , also known as MEXT or Monkashō, is one of the ministries of the Japanese government.The Meiji government created the first Ministry of Education in 1871....
has issued statements and regulations to promote the usage of both the Hinomaru and Kimigayo at schools under their jurisdiction. The first of these statements was released in 1950, stating that it was desirable, but not required, to use both symbols. This desire was later expanded to include both symbols on national holidays and during ceremonial events to encourage students on what national holidays are and to promote defense education. The Ministry not only took great measures to explain that both symbols are not formally established by law, they also referred to Kimigayo as a song and refused to call it the national anthem. It was not until 1977 that the Ministry referred to Kimigayo as the national anthem (国歌, kokka) of Japan. In a 1989 reform of the education guidelines, the LDP-controlled government first demanded that the Hinomaru flag must be used in school ceremonies and that proper respect must be given to it and to Kimigayo. Punishments for school officials who did not follow this order were also enacted with the 1989 reforms.
The 1999 curriculum guideline
Curriculum guideline
is a standard issued by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology that specifies materials taught at all of elementary, middle and high schools in Japan, either public or private. The authority of the ministry to issue the standard is due to . The ministry also publishes...
issued by the Ministry of Education after the passage of the Law Regarding the National Flag and Anthem decrees that "on entrance and graduation ceremonies, schools must raise the flag of Japan and instruct students to sing the "Kimigayo" (national anthem), given the significance of the flag and the song." Additionally, the ministry's commentary on the 1999 curriculum guideline for elementary schools note that "given the advance of internationalization, along with fostering patriotism and awareness of being Japanese, it is important to nurture school children's respectful attitude toward the flag of Japan and Kimigayo as they grow up to be respected Japanese citizens in an internationalized society." The ministry also stated that if Japanese students cannot respect their own symbols, then they will not be able to respect the symbols of other nations.
Schools
Education in Japan
In Japan, education is compulsory at the elementary and lower secondary levels. Approximately 98% of all students progress to the upper secondary level, which is voluntary . Most students attend public schools through the lower secondary level, but private education is popular at the upper...
have been the center of controversy over both the anthem and the national flag. The Tokyo Board of Education requires the use of both the anthem and flag at events under their jurisdiction. The order requires school teachers to respect both symbols or risk losing their jobs. Some have protested that such rules violate the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly . The Declaration arose directly from the experience of the Second World War and represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled...
and the "freedom of thought, belief and conscience" clause in the Constitution of Japan
Constitution of Japan
The is the fundamental law of Japan. It was enacted on 3 May, 1947 as a new constitution for postwar Japan.-Outline:The constitution provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights...
, but the Board has argued that since schools are government agencies, their employees have an obligation to teach their students how to be good Japanese citizens. Teachers have unsuccessfully brought criminal complaints against Tokyo Governor Shintarō Ishihara
Shintaro Ishihara
is a Japanese author, actor, politician and the governor of Tokyo since 1999.- Early life and artistic career :Shintarō was born in Suma-ku, Kobe. His father Kiyoshi was an employee, later a general manager, of a shipping company. Shintarō grew up in Zushi...
and senior officials for ordering teachers to honor the Hinomaru and Kimigayo. After earlier opposition, the Japan Teachers Union
Japan Teachers Union
, often just called , is Japan's largest and oldest labor union of teachers and school staffs. The union is known for its critical stance against the conservative Liberal Democratic Party government on such issues as Kimi ga Yo, the Flag of Japan, and the screening of history text books since its...
accepts the use of both the flag and anthem; the smaller All Japan Teachers and Staffs Union still opposes both symbols and their use inside the school system.
In 2006 Katsuhisa Fujita, a retired teacher in Tokyo, was threatened with imprisonment, and fined 200,000 yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
(roughly 2,000 US dollars
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
), after he was accused of disturbing a graduation ceremony at Itabashi High School by urging the attendees to remain seated during the playing of the anthem. At the time of Fujita's sentence, 345 teachers had been punished for refusing to take part in anthem related events, though Fujita is the only man to have been convicted in relation to it. On September 21, 2006, the Tokyo District Court ordered the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to pay compensation to the teachers
who had been subjected to punishment under the directive of the Tokyo Board of Education. The then Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
commented, "It is a natural idea to treat the national anthem importantly". The ruling has been appealed by the Metropolitan Government. Since October 23, 2003, 410 teachers and school workers have been punished for refusing to stand and sing the anthem as ordered by school principals. Teachers can also be punished if their students do not stand while Kimigayo is played during school ceremonies.
On 30 May and 6 June 2011, two panels of the Supreme Court of Japan
Supreme Court of Japan
The Supreme Court of Japan , located in Chiyoda, Tokyo is the highest court in Japan. It has ultimate judicial authority to interpret the Japanese constitution and decide questions of national law...
ruled that it was constitutional to require teachers to stand in front of the Hinomaru and sing the Kimigayo during school ceremonies. In making the ruling, the panels ratified the decision of the Tokyo High Court
Tokyo High Court
is a high court in Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The Intellectual Property High Court is a special branch of Tokyo High Court....
in ruling against 13 teachers who had asked for court relief after being disciplined between 2003 and 2005 for refusing to stand and sing the anthem.
Present-day perception
According to polls conduced by mainstream media, most Japanese people had perceived Kimigayo as the national anthem even before the passage of the Act on National Flag and Anthem in 1999. Despite this, controversies surrounding the use of the anthem in school events or media still remain. For example, liberal newspapers such as Asahi ShimbunAsahi Shimbun
The is the second most circulated out of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 7.96 million for its morning edition and 3.1 million for its evening edition as of June 2010, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun...
and Mainichi Shimbun
Mainichi Shimbun
The is one of the major newspapers in Japan, published by .-History:The history of the Mainichi Shimbun begins with founding of two papers during the Meiji period. The Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun was founded first, in 1872. The Mainichi claims that it is the oldest existing Japanese daily newspaper...
often feature articles critical of the flag of Japan, reflecting their readerships' political spectrum.
Outside of the school system, there was a controversy regarding Kimigayo soon after the passage of the 1999 law. A month after the law's passage, a record containing a performance of Kimigayo by Japanese rocker Kiyoshiro Imawano
Kiyoshiro Imawano
, born , was a Japanese rock musician, lyricist, composer, musical producer, and actor from Tokyo, Japan. He was dubbed "Japan's King of Rock". He formed and led an influential rock band RC Succession....
was removed by Polydor records for his next album Fuyu no Jujika. Polydor did not want a record to stir up emotion in the Japanese; in response, Imawano re-released the album through an independent label with the track in question.
Lyrics
| Official | Hiragana Hiragana is a Japanese syllabary, one basic component of the Japanese writing system, along with katakana, kanji, and the Latin alphabet . Hiragana and katakana are both kana systems, in which each character represents one mora... |
Rōmaji Romanization of Japanese The romanization of Japanese is the application of the Latin alphabet to write the Japanese language. This method of writing is known as , less strictly romaji, literally "Roman letters", sometimes incorrectly transliterated as romanji or rōmanji. There are several different romanization systems... |
English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
君が代は 千代に八千代に さざれ石の いわおとなりて こけの生すまで |
Kimigayo wa Chiyo ni yachiyo ni Sazare-ishi no Iwao to narite Koke no musu made |
May your reign Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations, Until the pebbles Grow into boulders Lush with moss |
| Poetic English translation by English professor Basil Hall Chamberlain Basil Hall Chamberlain Basil Hall Chamberlain was a professor of Tokyo Imperial University and one of the foremost British Japanologists active in Japan during the late 19th century. He also wrote some of the earliest translations of haiku into English... |
|---|
Thousands of years of happy reign be thine; Rule on, my lord, till what are pebbles now By ages united to mighty rocks shall grow Whose venerable sides the moss doth line. |
Other versions
- The Slovenian band LaibachLaibach (band)Laibach is a Slovenian avant-garde music group associated with industrial, martial, and neo-classical musical styles. Laibach formed June 1, 1980 in Trbovlje, Slovenia . Laibach represents the music wing of the Neue Slowenische Kunst art collective, of which it was a founding member in 1984...
recorded an arrangement of Kimigayo for their album VolkVolk (album)Volk is a concept album by Slovenian industrial group Laibach. Originally, Volk is the German word for "people" or "nation" but also Slovenan for "wolf"...
. - As a way to avoid that type of punishment, teachers who are opposed to the compulsory singing of the anthem have tried to expand various English-language parody lyrics across Japan and through the Internet. The parodies take the Japanese syllables and replace them with English phonetic equivalents (for example, in one of the more popular versions, "Kimi ga yo wa" becomes "Kiss me girl, your old one"), allowing those who sing the new version to remain undetected in a crowd. Japanese conservatives deride what they describe as 'sabotage'. There is also a political significance to some of the alternative English lyrics as they can allude to comfort womenComfort womenThe term "comfort women" was a euphemism used to describe women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.Estimates vary as to how many women were involved, with numbers ranging from as low as 20,000 from some Japanese scholars to as high as 410,000 from some Chinese...
.
See also
- Flag of JapanFlag of JapanThe national flag of Japan is a white rectangular flag with a large red disk in the center. This flag is officially called in Japanese, but is more commonly known as ....
- Imperial Seal of JapanImperial Seal of JapanThe Imperial Seal of Japan is a mon or crest used by members of the Japanese Imperial family. Under the Meiji Constitution, no one was permitted to use the Imperial Seal except the Emperor of Japan, who used a 16 petal chrysanthemum with sixteen tips of another row of petals showing behind the...
- Rising Sun FlagRising Sun FlagThe is the military flag of Japan. It was used as the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army and the ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy until the end of World War II...
- Korean Empire AegukgaKorean Empire AegukgaThe Anthem of the Greater Korean Empire was the first national anthem of Korea...
(modified to resemble the Kimigayo during Japanese rule in Korea)