Timeline of Japanese history - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

This is a timeline of Japanese history. To read about the background to these events, see History of Japan

History of Japan

The history of Japan encompasses the history of the islands of Japan and the Japanese people, spanning the ancient history of the region to the modern history of Japan as a nation state. Following the last ice age, around 12,000 BC, the rich ecosystem of the Japanese Archipelago fostered human...

. See also the list of Emperors of Japan and Prime Ministers of Japan and the list of years in Japan.

This timeline is incomplete; some important events may be missing. Please help add to it.

Nara period (710–794)

Date	Event
710		Empress Gemmei Empress Gemmei , also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Gemmei's reign spanned the years 707 through 715.... moves the capital to Heijō-kyō Heijo-kyo Heijō-kyō , was the capital city of Japan during most of the Nara period, from 710–40 and again from 745–84. The Palace site is a listed UNESCO World Heritage together with other places in the city of Nara Heijō-kyō (平城京, also Heizei-kyō, sometimes Nara no miyako), was the capital city of Japan... (Nara Nara, Nara is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture... )
712		Kojiki Kojiki is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami... completed
713		Provinces ordered to compile cultural and geographical records (fudoki Fudoki are ancient records of the culture and geography of provinces of Japan. They contain agricultural, geographical, historical and mythological records, as well as folklore.Compilation of Fudoki began in 713 and was completed over a 20-year period.... )
718		Fujiwara no Fuhito Fujiwara no Fuhito Fujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful member of the imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods... compiles the Yōrō Code Yoro Code The was one iteration of several codes or governing rules compiled in early Nara period in Classical Japan. Major work on the Yōrō Code was completed in 718....
720		Nihon Shoki Nihon Shoki The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical... completed
724		Emperor Shōmu Emperor Shomu was the 45th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.-Traditional narrative:... enthroned
735		Genbō Genbō , also known as Gembō, was a Japanese scholar-monk and bureaucrat of the Imperial Court at Nara.In 717-718, he was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China along with Kibi no Makibi and Abe no Nakamaro... and Kibi Makibi Kibi Makibi was a Japanese scholar and noble during the Nara period. Also known as Kibi Daijin . Born in Bitchu Province as Shimotsumichi Asomi, he came from a line of local elites. Kibi was the name of the town or area he came from.In 716, he traveled to China to study. He stayed in China for 17 years... return from Tang Dynasty Tang Dynasty The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire... China
741		Emperor Shōmu Emperor Shomu was the 45th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.-Traditional narrative:... establishes provincial temple Provincial temple Emperor Shōmu of Japan established so-called provincial temples in each province of Japan... s
751		Kaifūsō Kaifuso is the oldest collection of Chinese poetry written by Japanese poets.It was created by an unknown compiler in 751. In the brief introductions of the poets, the unknown writer seems sympathic to Emperor Kōbun and his regents who were overthrown in 672 by Emperor Temmu after only eight months of the... poetry anthology completed
752		Great Buddha of Nara at Tōdai-ji Todai-ji , is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ... completed
754		Priest Ganjin arrives from China
757		Fujiwara no Nakamaro Fujiwara no Nakamaro , later also given the name of by Emperor Kōnin, was an aristocrat and poet of Nara period in Japan. His father was Fujiwara no Muchimaro, founder of Nanke lineage of Fujiwara clan.... defeats Tachibana no Naramaro's attempt to seize power
764		Fujiwara no Nakamaro Fujiwara no Nakamaro , later also given the name of by Emperor Kōnin, was an aristocrat and poet of Nara period in Japan. His father was Fujiwara no Muchimaro, founder of Nanke lineage of Fujiwara clan.... 's plot together with Emperor Junnin Emperor Junnin was the 47th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Junnin's reign spanned the years 758 to 764.-Traditional narrative:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Ōi-shinnō .... against retired Empress Kōken Empress Koken , also known as , was the 46th and the 48th emperor of Japan respectively, according to the traditional order of succession. Empress Kōken first reigned from 749 to 758, then she reascended the throne as Empress Shōtoku from 765 until her death in 770.... and the monk Dōkyō Dokyo was a Nara Period Japanese monk of the Dharma character school. As he was born in the family of Yuge, in the lineage of the Mononobe clan, Dōkyō was also known as . He was the brother of Yuge no Kiyoto.-Background:... fails
781		Emperor Kammu Emperor Kammu was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806.-Traditional narrative:Kammu's personal name was . He was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe , and was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne... enthroned
784		Capital moves to Nagaoka-kyō Nagaoka-kyo was the capital of Japan from 784 to 794. Its location was reported as Otokuni District, Yamashiro Province, and Nagaokakyō, Kyoto, which took its name from the capital...
788		Saichō Saicho was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan, based around the Chinese Tiantai tradition he was exposed to during his trip to China beginning in 804. He founded the temple and headquarters of Tendai at Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei near Kyoto. He is also said to have... builds Enryaku-ji Enryaku-ji thumb\|300px\|Konpon Chū-dō , Enryaku-ji's main hall is a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu, overlooking Kyoto. It was founded during the early Heian period. The temple complex was established by Saichō , also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayana Buddhism...
794		Emperor Kammu Emperor Kammu was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806.-Traditional narrative:Kammu's personal name was . He was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe , and was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne... moves the capital to Heian-kyō Heian-kyo Heian-kyō , was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180.... (Kyoto Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:... )

16th century

{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
! style="width:6% | Year || style="width:10%" | Date || Event
|-
| 1560 || || Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...

emerged victorious from the Battle of Okehazama

Battle of Okehazama

The took place in June 1560. In this battle, Oda Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto and established himself as one of the front-running warlords in the Sengoku period.-Background:...

.
|-
| 1582 || || Akechi Mitsuhide

Akechi Mitsuhide

, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...

, an Oda general, betrayed Nobunaga at Honnou-ji Temple and forced Nobunaga to commit seppuku
Seppuku
is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai. Part of the samurai bushido honor code, seppuku was either used voluntarily by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies , or as a form of capital punishment...

.
|-
| 1590 || || Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...

, acting as kampaku (regent) in lieu of Oda Nobukatsu

Oda Nobukatsu

was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. He was the second son of Oda Nobunaga. He survived the decline of the Oda clan from political prominence, becoming a daimyo in the early Edo period.-Kitabatake clan:...

17th century

{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
! style="width:6%" | Year || style="width:10%" | Date || Event
|-
| 1603 || || Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...

received from Emperor Go-Yōzei

Emperor Go-Yozei

was the 107th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Yōzei's reign spanned the years from 1586 through 1611, corresponding to the transition between the Azuchi-Momoyama period and the Edo period....

the title of shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...

.

Ieyasu ends the Toyotomi opposition by successfully defending Osaka Castle

Siege of Osaka

The was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, and ending in that clan's destruction. Divided into two stages , and lasting from 1614 to 1615, the siege put an end to the last major armed opposition to the shogunate's establishment...

.
|-
| 1605 || || Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

abdicated from office, his third son and heir, Tokugawa Hidetada

Tokugawa Hidetada

was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...

became shogun.
|-
| 1623 || || Hidetada

Tokugawa Hidetada

was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...

resigned the government to his eldest son and heir, Tokugawa Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...

|-
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1635 || || The Sakoku Edict of 1635

Sakoku Edict of 1635

This Sakoku Edict of 1635 was the third of a series issued by Tokugawa Iemitsu, shogun of Japan from 1623 to 1651. The Edict of 1635 is considered a prime example of the Japanese desire for seclusion...

was issued, barring Japanese from leaving Japan and barring Europeans from entering, on pain of death. It instituted strict penalties for the practice of Catholicism and severely restricted foreign trade.
|-
| || The policy of Sankin kōtai

Sankin kotai

was a policy of the shogunate during most of the Edo period of Japanese history. The purpose was to control the daimyo. In adopting the policy, the shogunate was continuing and refining similar policies of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1635, a law required sankin kōtai, which was already an established...

was established, which subjected the daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

to the will of the shogun.

|-1637 | 1637 || December 17 || Shimabara Rebellion
Shimabara Rebellion
The was an uprising largely involving Japanese peasants, most of them Catholic Christians, in 1637–1638 during the Edo period.It was one of only a handful of instances of serious unrest during the relatively peaceful period of the Tokugawa shogunate's rule...

: A rebellion began against the daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

Matsukura Katsuie over his persecution of Christianity and onerous tax code.
|-
| 1638 || April 15 || Shimabara Rebellion: The last of the rebels were defeated in their fortress at Shimabara

Shimabara, Nagasaki

is a city located on the north-eastern tip of the Shimabara Peninsula, facing Ariake Bay in the east and Mount Unzen in the west, in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan.-History:...

.
|-
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1651 || || Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...

died, leaving the Tokugawa dynasty at major risk. Tokugawa Ietsuna

Tokugawa Ietsuna

was the fourth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan who was in office from 1651 to 1680. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Iemitsu, thus making him the grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Early Life :...

with only ten years old became shogun. Until he came of age, five regents were to rule in his place.
|-
| || Keian Uprising
Keian uprising
The was a failed coup d'etat attempt carried out against the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan in 1651, by a number of ronin. Though it failed, the event is historically significant as an indication of a wider problem of disgruntled ronin throughout the country at the time...

: A coup d'état attempted by several ronin

Ronin

A or rounin was a Bushi with no lord or master during the feudal period of Japan. A samurai became masterless from the death or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or privilege....

and masterminded by Yui Shōsetsu

Yui Shosetsu

Yui Shōsetsu was a military strategist, and leader of the unsuccessful 1651 Keian Uprising. Though a commoner, and thus not officially of the samurai class, Yui was known as one of the "Three Great Ronin" along with Kumazawa Banzan and Yamaga Sokō.Born in Sunpu to humble origins, Yui is said to...

and Marubashi Chūya

Marubashi Chuya

was a ronin from Yamagata, and instructor in martial arts and military strategy, most famous for his involvement in the 1651 Keian Uprising which sought to overthrow Japan's Tokugawa shogunate...

failed.
|-
| 1680 || || Ietsuna

Tokugawa Ietsuna

died and was succeeded by his younger brother, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi

Tokugawa Tsunayoshi

was the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the younger brother of Tokugawa Ietsuna, thus making him the son of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu....

.
|-
|| || || Some of Tsunayoshi's realistic laws, which prohibited the harming of dogs and ordered the establishment of dog kennels, earned him the nickname of "dog shogun".
|}

18th century

{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
! style="width:6%" | Year || style="width:10%" | Date || Event
|-
| 1709 || February 19 || Tsunayoshi

Tokugawa Tsunayoshi

died. His nephew Tokugawa Ienobu

Tokugawa Ienobu

was the sixth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, thus making him the nephew of Tokugawa Ietsuna and Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the grandson of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the great-grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-great grandson of Tokugawa...

succeeded him as shogun.
|-
|| || || Ienobu transformed the bakufu from a military to a civilian institution, revised the Buke-Sho-Hatto, where language was improved and the gold coin was created to stabilize the economy
|-
| 1712 || November 12 || Ienobu

Tokugawa Ienobu

died and was succeeded by his five-year-old son, Tokugawa Ietsugu

Tokugawa Ietsugu

Tokugawa Ietsugu; 徳川家継 was the seventh shogun of the Tokugawa Dynasty, who ruled from 1713 until his death in 1716...

. The shogun's adviser Arai Hakuseki

Arai Hakuseki

was a Confucianist, scholar-bureaucrat, academic, administrator, writer and politician in Japan during the middle of the Edo Period, who advised the Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu. His personal name was Kinmi or Kimiyoshi . Hakuseki was his pen name...

ruled as regent.
|-
| 1714 || || Reform of the currency system and of trade rules.
|-
| 1716 || June 19 || Ietsugu

Tokugawa Ietsugu

Tokugawa Ietsugu; 徳川家継 was the seventh shogun of the Tokugawa Dynasty, who ruled from 1713 until his death in 1716...

died. Tokugawa Yoshimune

Tokugawa Yoshimune

was the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1716 until his abdication in 1745. He was the son of Tokugawa Mitsusada, the grandson of Tokugawa Yorinobu, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Lineage:...

, a great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Ieyasu

, became shogun.
|-
| 1745 || || Yoshimune

Tokugawa Yoshimune

retired, leaving his public office to his eldest son Tokugawa Ieshige

Tokugawa Ieshige

Tokugawa Ieshige; 徳川家重 was the ninth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.The first son of Tokugawa Yoshimune, his mother was the daughter of Okubo Tadanao, known as Osuma no kata. His childhood name was Nagatomi-maru. He underwent the genpuku coming-of-age ceremony in 1725...

, although he maintained some influence in the affairs of state.
|-
| 1760 || || Ieshige

Tokugawa Ieshige

retired, leaving his office to his eldest son Tokugawa Ieharu

Tokugawa Ieharu

Tokugawa Ieharu Tokugawa Ieharu Tokugawa Ieharu (徳川家治 (June 20, 1737 – September 17, 1786) was the tenth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, who held office from 1760 to 1786.Ieharu was the eldest son of Tokugawa Ieshige, the ninth shogun.-Events of the Ieharu's bakufu:...

.
|}

19th century

{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
! style="width:6%" | Year || style="width:10%" | Date || Event
|-
| 1862 || September 14 || Namamugi Incident
Namamugi Incident
The was a samurai assault on foreign nationals in Japan on September 14, 1862, which resulted in the August 1863 bombardment of Kagoshima, during the Late Tokugawa shogunate...

: Four British

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....

subjects were attacked on the Tōkaidō

Tokaido (road)

The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....

for failing to pay proper respect to a daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

. One, a merchant named Charles Lennox Richardson

Charles Lennox Richardson

Charles Lennox Richardson was an English merchant based in Shanghai who was killed in Japan during the Namamugi Incident. His name is properly spelled as “Charles Lenox Richardson” according to the census and family documents.-Merchant:Richardson was born in London in 1834. He relocated to...

, was killed.
|-
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1863 || July 2 || Representatives of the Satsuma Province

Satsuma Province

was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. Its abbreviation is Sasshū .During the Sengoku Period, Satsuma was a fief of the Shimazu daimyo, who ruled much of southern Kyūshū from their castle at Kagoshima city.In 1871, with the...

refused to turn over Richardson's

Charles Lennox Richardson

killers or pay an indemnity for his death.
|-
| August 15 || Bombardment of Kagoshima
Bombardment of Kagoshima
The Bombardment of Kagoshima, also known as the , took place on 15–17 August 1863 during the Late Tokugawa shogunate. The British Royal Navy was fired on from the coastal batteries near town of Kagoshima and in retaliation bombarded the town...

: Britain

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....

seized three Japanese warships to put pressure on the Satsuma Province

Satsuma Province

. The Satsuma fired in anger on the British, who responded by shelling the city for several days.
|-
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1868 || January 3 || Chōshū and Satsuma

Satsuma Province

forces occupied the Imperial household at Kyoto

Kyoto

is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...

and persuaded Emperor Meiji

Emperor Meiji

The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...

to declare his restoration to full power.
|-
| January 24 || Tokugawa Yoshinobu

Tokugawa Yoshinobu

was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful...

assembled an army to capture Kyoto

Kyoto

and obtain the rescindment of the imperial restoration.
|-
| 2011 || || Seikanron
Seikanron
The Seikanron debate was a major political conflagration which occurred in Japan in 1873....

: Debate in the government about the invasion of Korea

Korea

Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

.
|}

20th century

{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
! style="width:6%" | Year || style="width:10%" | Date || Event
|-
| 1904 || February 8 || 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...

: Japan launched a surprise torpedo attack on the Russian

Russian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...

navy at Port Arthur

Lüshunkou

Lüshunkou is a district in the municipality of Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Also called Lüshun City or Lüshun Port, it was formerly known as both Port Arthur and Ryojun....

.
|-
| 1905 || September 5 || Russo-Japanese War: The Treaty of Portsmouth

Treaty of Portsmouth

The Treaty of Portsmouth formally ended the 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War. It was signed on September 5, 1905 after negotiations at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine in the USA.-Negotiations:...

was signed, ceding some Russian

Russian Empire

The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...

property and territory to Japan and ending the war. After the war, Japanese resident general Ito Hirobumi forces King Gojong to sign a treaty named "EulsaJoyak". Japanese took diplomatic right of Korea without any agreement.
|- 1910- Japan annexes Korea with their army, and they brutally rule Korea. They tortured Korean people and killed them. Japanese soldiers raped Korean women.
| 1931 || September 18 || Japanese expansion in East Asia began in 1931 with the invasion of Manchuria.
|-
| 1937 || July 7–9 || Japan launched the full scale invasion of China.
|-
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | 1938 || July 29 || Battle of Lake Khasan
Battle of Lake Khasan
The Battle of Lake Khasan and also known as the Changkufeng Incident in China and Japan, was an attempted military incursion of Manchukuo into the territory claimed by the Soviet Union...

: The armed forces of Japanese Manchukuo

Manchukuo

Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...

attacked the Soviet

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

military at Lake Khasan.
|-
| August 31 || Battle of Lake Khasan: The battle ended in a Japanese defeat.
|-
| 1941 || April 13 || Soviet-Japanese Border Wars
Soviet-Japanese Border Wars
The Soviet–Japanese Border Wars were a series of border conflicts between the Soviet Union and Japan between 1932 and 1939.Before Japanese occupation of Manchukuo, the Soviet Union had conflict with China on the border of Manchuria...

: A Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact

Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact

The , more extensively known as was a pact between the Empire of Japan and the Soviet Union signed on April 13, 1941, two years after the brief Soviet-Japanese Border War .- Background and history :...

was signed.
|-
| 1941 || December 7 || Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and thrust the United States into World War II.
|-
| rowspan="5" valign="top" | 1945 || August 6 and 9 || Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...

.
|-
| August 16 || Soviet invasion of Manchuria: Soviet

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

armed forces landed on Sakhalin

Sakhalin

Sakhalin or Saghalien, is a large island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N.It is part of Russia, and is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast...

.
|-
| August 18 || Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation: Soviet

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

amphibious forces landed in Korea

Korea under Japanese rule

Korea was under Japanese rule as part of Japan's 35-year imperialist expansion . Japanese rule ended in 1945 shortly after the Japanese defeat in World War II....

.
|-
| August 20 || Invasion of Manchuria: The Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

captured Changchun

Changchun

Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and...

, the capital of Manchukuo

Manchukuo

.
|-
| August 25 || Invasion of Manchuria: The Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

captured Sakhalin's capital.
|-
| 1946 || May 5 || International Military Tribunal for the Far East

International Military Tribunal for the Far East

The International Military Tribunal for the Far East , also known as the Tokyo Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, or simply the Tribunal, was convened on April 29, 1946, to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of crimes: "Class A" crimes were reserved for those who...

: Japanese leaders are tried for war crimes.
|-
| 1964 || October 10 – October 24 || Tokyo hosts the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...

: This is the first time the Olympic games are held in Asia.
|-
| 1968 || || Japan surpasses West Germany to become the world's second largest economic power.
|-
| 1969 || January 18 || Japanese student protests against the Vietnam War and American use of bases on Japanese soil culminate in a short-lived leftist student takeover of Tokyo University.
|-
| 1974 || || Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Satō

Eisaku Sato

This article is about the Prime Minister of Japan. For the governor of Fukushima Prefecture of Japan of the same name, see Eisaku Satō ....

becomes first Asian to accept the Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...

.
|-
| 1991 || || Japanese asset bubble pops, resulting in an economic crisis beginning the lost decade

Lost Decade (Japan)

The is the time after the Japanese asset price bubble's collapse within the Japanese economy, which occurred gradually rather than catastrophically...

21st century

{| class="wikitable" width="100%"
! style="width:6%" | Year || style="width:10%" | Date || Event
|-
| rowspan="2" valign="top" | 2003 || November 9 || Japanese general election, 2003: The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)

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...

gained forty seats in the House of Representatives

House of Representatives of Japan

The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...

. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

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...

remained a plurality, but was forced to maintain its coalition with the New Komeito Party (NKP)

New Komeito Party

The , New Kōmei Party, or NKP is a centre-right political party in Japan founded by members of the Nichiren Buddhist organization Sōka Gakkai. The leadership and financing of the two groups are currently independent...

and the New Conservative Party

New Conservative Party

The New Conservative Party is a now-defunct political party in Japan originally led by Hiroshi Kumagai. Kumagai and 3 other disgruntled Democratic Party of Japan members defected in December 2002 and merged with the Conservative Party of Japan , forming the New Conservative Party...

.
|-
| November 19 || The Diet

Diet of Japan

The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...

reelected the incumbent 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...

of the LDP

Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)

.
|-
| rowspan="3" valign="top" | 2005 || rowspan="2" valign="top" | August 8 || The House of Councillors

House of Councillors

The is the upper house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers. If the two houses disagree on matters of the budget, treaties, or designation of the prime minister, the House of Representatives...

voted down a bill to break up and privatize Japan Post

Japan Post

was a government-owned corporation in Japan, that existed from 2003–2007, offering postal and package delivery services, banking services, and life insurance. It had over 400,000 employees and ran 24,700 post offices throughout Japan and was the nation's largest employer. One third of all Japanese...

.
|-
| Koizumi

Junichiro Koizumi

dissolved the House of Representatives

House of Representatives of Japan

and called new elections for September 11.
|-
| September 11 || Japanese general election, 2005: The LDP

Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)

coalition acquired a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives

House of Representatives of Japan

, enabling it to pass bills without the consent of the House of Councillors

House of Councillors

.
|}
2011- an 8.9 earthquake and 10 metre high tsunami hit the city of Sendai.
2011- after the disasters there are fears of a nuclear disaster

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