2015 Event The Japanese Diet enacts a defense policy allowing the nation's troops to aid allies in conflicts that also threaten Japan; Prime Minister Shinzo Abe supports the law, but it is opposed by many who wish to maintain the country's pacifist constitution 2015 Event Japanese protesters gather outside the nation's parliament building to oppose changes proposed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to allow Japanese combat defense aid to allied nations for cases in which Japan itself is not under attack 2015 Event Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asserts Japan's continued pursuit of a world free of nuclear weapons as the city of Nagasaki commemorates the 70th anniversary of its destruction by atomic bombing 2015 Event Kazumi Matsui, mayor of Hiroshima, Japan, calls upon world leaders to free the world of nuclear weapons during a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city 2015 Event The Brain Kids, a team of robots from Japan's Chiba Institute of Technology, wins this year's RoboCup, a robotic football (soccer) tournament started 18 years ago to encourage new developments in the robotics field 2015 Event Philippine President Benigno Aquino announces that his nation will enter a 'visiting forces' agreement with Japan, which will allow Japanese usage of Philippine military bases for activities such as refueling 2015 Event The world's oldest living person, Gertrude Weaver of the U.S., dies at age 116, just five days after the death of the previous record holder, Misao Okawa of Japan, who died at age 117 2014 Event Japan passes a $29 million fiscal stimulus package to improve the economy; the funds will be allocated to supporting small businesses, stimulating local economic activity, and strengthening areas damaged by destructive natural forces 2014 Event In the recent Japan elections, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gains victory, and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party wins the majority of lower house elections 2014 Event Japan launches an explorer that will take samples and collect data from the surface of an asteroid; the six-year trip will include eighteen months of study and data collection 2014 Event An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale hits Nagano, Japan; no deaths were reported, but dozens of people were injured or trapped in their homes, and over 80 people evacuated to a shelter 2014 Event After two years of hostility between Japan and China over control of certain islands in the East China Sea, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Linping shake hands during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit 2014 Event Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten is seeking to buy U.S. online rebate service Ebates Shopping.com Inc. for $950 million; in recent years, Rakuten has been making acquisitions to expand its interests outside of Japan 2014 Event Continued rain in the Hiroshima province of Japan poses a risk of additional landslides, which have caused the death of at least 42 people to date 2014 Event Japan updates its constitution to allow self-defense forces to assist in defending allied nations that come under attack. The change does not extend to assisting in other external military conflicts. 2014 Event The world's oldest man, Alexander Imich, passes away at age 111 in New York; the oldest living woman is currently 116 years old and lives in Japan 2014 Event The World Bank reports that India is now the third-largest economy behind the U.S. and China on the basis of purchasing power parity; India replaces Japan, though Japan remains in third place when GDPs are compared on an exchange-rated basis 2014 Event The U.S. and Japan have made progress in their joint efforts on the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement; though an agreement has not been reached, both nations are interested in continuing negotiations 2014 Event The International Court of Justice at the U.N. agrees that Japanese whaling is conducted for commercial purposes, not scientific research; Japan accepts the order to cease all whaling activities in the Antarctic 2014 Event Rising Asian demand for Champagne will represent increasing export growth, with Japan currently the fourth-largest export market after the U.K., the U.S. and Germany 2014 Event GE is focusing on development of wind power in Japan, seeing an opportunity for the nation to expand its renewable energy portfolio after Fukushima; GE has designed a wind turbine capable of weathering the country's distinct weather challenges 2013 Event Shinzo Abe the Prime Minister of Japan visits the Yasukuni Shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo; the shrine commemorates those who died while in the service of the Empire of Japan during the Meiji Restoration, which stored imperial rule to Japan in 1868 2013 Event In Japan, the Nissan Leaf self-driving car completes its very first road test on the Sagami Expressway; it is the first self-driving car ever to be tested in Japan 2013 Event A report from Japan's Coast Guard and earthquake experts claims that a new islet has been created; a volcanic eruption raised the new island, which is located off the coast of Nishinoshima - a small, uninhabited island in the Ogasawara chain, far south of Tokyo 2013 Event On the first day of its release, Sony's PlayStation 4 sells 1 million units in the U.S. and Canada; the PS4 launches in Europe November 29th, and Japan February 22, 2014 2013 Event An 7.3-magnitude earthquake off of Japan's east coast prompts the country's emergency agencies to issue a tsunami warning 2013 Event Japan's Hisaki satellite is carried to the Uchinoura Space Center by the new Epsilon rocket, which was launched by two laptop computers 2013 Event The International Olympic Committee holds its 125th Session, and announces Tokyo, Japan won the bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics 2013 Event Reports citing leaks of radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant lead South Korea to ban all fishery imports from eight of Japan's prefectures 2013 Event Japan reports on the International Nuclear Event Scale that they've upgraded the leak of radioactive water at the Fukushima nuclear disaster site to Level 3, a 'serious incident' 2013 Event Southern Japan's Mount Mount Sakurajima erupts for the 500th time, covering the city of Kagoshima in ash 2013 Death The world's oldest living person and verified longest lived man ever, Jiroemon Kimura, dies in the city of Kyotango, Japan at age 116 2013 Event The ambassador from the People's Republic of China is summoned by Japan's government after a flotilla of Chinese ships sail near the disputed Senkaku Islands 2013 Event The defense ministry of China accuses the United States of increasing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region by increasing its military presence and supporting Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines in long-term territorial disputes with the country 2013 Event Japan's Honda, Nissan and Mazda automakers announce plas to recall 3.4 million cars due to airbag defects. 2013 Event Japan set Patriot missiles in central Tokyo and Okinawa Island and sent two warships to patrol the Sea of Japan 2013 Event In Japan, optimism for economic revival sparked Bank of Japan's stimulus plan, impacts Japan's stock market index; following its release, the Nikkei 225 hits its highest level in nearly five years 2013 Event The U.S. military used B-52 bombers in joint military drills with South Korea; in response, North Korea threatens to attack America's military bases in Japan 2013 Event According to a report released by the U.S. Treasury Department, in June 2012 Japan surpassed China as the leading foreign holder of U.S. Treasury securities 2013 Event In a speech directed at Japan's Self-Defense Forces, the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, vows to defend the Senkaku Islands 2013 Event In efforts to turn its back on nuclear power, Japan announces plans to build the world's largest offshore wind farm in the Fukushima Prefecture, near the site of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant 2012 Event At 115 years old and 266 days, Jiroemon Kimura of Japan becomes the world's oldest living person 2012 Event Japan holds it's general election, with Shinzo Abe, former Prime Minister and opposition Liberal Democratic Party leader, predicted as winner 2012 Event Amid tension with China, Keen Sword, the biennial naval training exercise between the United States and Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, takes place off the shore of Okinawa 2012 Event Japan appoints its new finance minister, Koriki Jojima, and Seiji Maehara as its new minister of national strategy and economic policy 2012 Event Chinese bookstore suspend the sale of books by or about Japan, and all books by Japanese authors 2012 Event Vice foreign minister to Japan, Chikao Kawai, is sent to China to help improve the status of relations between the two countries 2012 Event A leadership ballot held by the Democratic Party of Japan is won by Japan's Prime Minster, Yoshihiko Noda 2012 Event Japan wins their third title in the 2012 Women's Baseball World Cup 2012 Event In an apparent effort to keep his contract, a subcontractor at Japan's defunct Fukushima's nuclear power plant shielded dosimeters with lead plates to ensure they did not reach radiation limits, and workers to lie about possible high radiation exposure 2012 Event Astronauts, Sunita Williams of the United States, Yuri Malenchenko of Russia and Aki Hoshide of Japan, arrive at the International Space Station for a three-month long mission 2012 Event Japan mourns the loss of a 6-day old rare giant panda, born naturally in captivity at a Tokyo zoo 2012 Event South Korea announces that it plans to sign a pact with Japan that encourages the sharing of sensitive military intelligence 2012 Event The last nuclear reactor in Japan is shut down, leaving the country without nuclear power since 1970 2012 Event Japan's car sales soar significantly after last year's earthquake and tsunami, coming in at a 92% rise year-over-year 2012 Event Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the Cabinet of Japan approves a bill placing a 40-year cap on the life of nuclear reactors 2011 Event Japan's Government apologizes to Canada for the treatment of its POWs during World War II 2011 Event The exchange rate of the Japanese yen with the U.S. dollar is reduced by the Government of Japan after the yen reached record highs 2011 Event Japan's government announces they require a $157 billion additional budged to cover costs for recovering from the tsunami and earthquake in March 2011 2011 Event Japan asks South Korea to refute a plan to build a Korean World War II 'comfort women' monument near Seoul's Japanese embassy 2011 Event A 6.6 magnitude earthquake occurs off the coast of Japan, setting off a series of aftershocks 2011 Event The National Diet of Japan, Japan's bicameral legislature, approves Yoshihiko Noda as its new Prime Minister 2011 Event Japan's National Police Agency discloses that 90% of cyberattacks on its web site came from IP addresses in the People's Republic of China 2011 Event With weak economic prospects and significant levels of public debt, Japan is downgraded to Aa3 by Moody's credit rating agency 2011 Event Typhoon Muifa approaches Japan's island of Okinawa; the typhoon is expected to be one of the most powerful storms to hit China in recent years 2011 Event Japan's Iwate prefecture experiences a 6.7 magnitude earthquake 2011 Event In efforts to fund rising social security costs, the Government of Japan plans to double its sales tax over four years 2011 Event Japan's economy officially enters a recession, partially due to financial strain caused by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami 2011 Event The Tokyo Electric Power Company together with the Government of Japan will not cap compensation payments resulting from the Fukushima I nuclear accidents 2011 Event In a Schrodinger's cat experiment, researchers in Japan and Australia successfully teleport wave packets of light; this is the first transfer of quantum information from one point to another 2011 Event Following the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, Japan raises the crisis level to 7, equal to the disaster in Chernobyl 2011 Event One month after the Tohoku earthquake shook Japan, a 6.6 magnitude aftershock hit Japan, lasting nearly an hour 2011 Event Japan's Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, visits areas devastated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami 2011 Event In Tokyo, anti-nuclear activists rally, demanding change in Japan's nuclear industry 2011 Event Newspapers report that Japan will issue over 10 trillion yen in emergency government bonds to help pay for their earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts 2011 Event Over 200,000 people are evacuated from Japan as fear of nuclear contamination from the power plants grows 2011 Event Japan estimates over 46,000 structures were damaged in the 9.0 magnitude earthquake 2011 Event Following the earthquake and tsunami, Japan deploys 50,000 Self-Defense Forces personnel in search and rescue efforts 2011 Event Sendai, a major 9.0 earthquake strikes offshore of Japan's Miyagi Prefecture; 10-meter high tsunami's are produced near its epicenter, reaching land through the Pacific ocean 2011 Event Japan's Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant suffers a radiation leak after the earthquake; thousands of nearby residents are evacuated 2011 Event A 7.2 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Honshu, Japan prompts the release of tsunami alert 2011 Event Under pressure from conservationists and diplomats, Japan's whaling fleet leaves the Antarctic 2011 Event Japan experiences its fifth outbreak of bird flu, forcing the slaughter of 150,000 chickens 2011 Event Australia and Japan win their semi-final games and will play in the AFC Asian Cup final 2011 Event All bullet trains in northern and central Japan were temporarily halted due a computer glitch; thousands of passengers are affected 2010 Event Qantas, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Air France and seven other carriers were fined millions of euros for fixing the price of air cargo between 1999 and 2006 2010 Event Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia, visits the Kuril Islands, the subject of a dispute with Japan 2010 Event Eastern Japan braces itself as Typhoon Chaba heads its way, carrying winds of up to 162 kilometers per hour near its center 2010 Event Japan's Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission and the Tokyo Stock Exchange conduct an insider trading investigation of Japanese companies 2010 Event In a dispute over the use of rare earth metals, China cancels a meeting with Japan and South Korea 2010 Event Japan's government approves a $60 billion economic stimulus package 2010 Event South Korea states that North Korea fired over 100 rounds of artillery into the Sea of Japan, signaling tension along the Korean Peninsula 2010 Event Japan's Mayor Tomihisa Taue appeals to eliminate nuclear weapons at the 65th anniversary commemoration of the 1945 bombing of Nagasaki 2010 Event South Korea develops a long-range cruise missile reportedly capable of striking North Korea, Japan, Russia and China 2010 Event No reports of damage or casualties are reported after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hits central Japan 2008 Event Taro Aso becomes the new Prime Minister of Japan 2007 Event Earthquake in Japan damages nuclear power plan releasing 300 gallons of radioactive water 2007 Death Kiichi Miyazawa, dies in Tokyo, Japan, of natural causes, at 87 2006 Event Japan elects Shinzo Abe as new Prime Minister of Japan 2005 Event Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan suffers a 5.8 magnitude earthquake 2005 Event Magnitude 7 earthquake strikes west of Kyushu Island, Japan 2003 Death Maki Ishii, composer, contemporary classical music, dies of thyroid cancer in Kashiwa, Japan, at age 66 2000 Event After years of preparation for Y2K, only minor computer-related problems were reported (a problem with Hotmail, with a nuclear power plant in Japan and with apartment heating in Korea) 1998 Event Japan Golf Classic 1998 Event 18th Winter Olympic games close at Nagano Japan 1998 Event U.S. hockey team destroys their rooms at Olympic village in Japan 1998 Event 18th Winter Olympic games open at Nagano Japan 1997 Event Liselotte Neumann wins LPGA Toray Japan Queens Cup 1997 Event Toray Japan Queens Cup 1997 Event Toray Japan Queens LPGA Cup 1997 Event USA beats Japan 23-13 at LPGA Nichirei International 1997 Event Japan's maglev train breaks world speed record at 280.3 mph 1997 Event Vancouver Canucks beats Mighty Ducks, 3-2 in Japan 1997 Event Cartoon Channel premieres in Japan 1997 Event Rocker Rick Danko gets suspended sentence in Japan for drug smuggling 1997 Event America On Line, begins service in Japan 1997 Event NHL announce Might Ducks and Vancouver Canucks to open 1998 in Japan 1996 Event Mayumi Hirase wins LPGA Toray Japan Queens Cup 1996 Event Toray Japan Queens Cup 1996 Event U.S. beats Japan, 21 -14, at Nichirei International Golf Tournament 1996 Event Nintendo 64 video game system debuts in USA (3 months after Japan) 1996 Event Nintendo 64 goes on sale in Japan 1996 Death Shin Kanemaru, Vice President of Japan (1986-87), dies at 81 1995 Event Woo-Soon Ko wins LPGA Toray Japan Queens Cup Golf Tournament 1995 Event U.S. beats Japan, 19-17, at Nichirei International LPGA Golf Tournament 1995 Event Japan's Shinshinto Party wins local elections 1995 Event 7.2 earthquake destroys Kobe Japan killing 5,372 die 1995 Event Major earthquake kills 5,092 in Kobe Japan 1994 Event Woo-Soon Ko wins LPGA Toray Japan Queens Golf Cup 1994 Event 102.4 degrees F (39.1 degrees C) in Tokyo Japan: record 1994 Event Socialist, Tomiichi Murayama, elected premier of Japan 1994 Event Taiwan Airbus A-300 crashes at Nagoya Japan, 262 killed 1994 Event Tsutomu Hata elected premier of Japan 1994 Event Ice Dance Championship at Chiba Japan won by Gritschuk and Platov (RUS) 1994 Event Yuka Sato of Japan wins world figure skating championship in Tokyo 1994 Event Largest omelet (1,383 ft) made with 160,000 eggs in Yokohama Japan 1993 Death W Edwards Deming, U.S. economist (helped Japan after WW II), dies at 93 1993 Death Kakuei Tanaka, premier of Japan (1972-74), dies at 75 1993 Death Kakuei Tanaka, Prime Minister of Japan 1972 - 1974, dies 1993 Event Betsy King wins LPGA Toray Japan Queens Cup Golf Tournament 1993 Event Japan Hosokawa government begins 1993 Event Liberal-Democratic Party loses Japan's parliamentary election 1993 Event 7.8 earthquake hits Hokkaido Japan, 160 killed 1993 Event 7.5 earthquake strikes northern Japan, 2 die 1992 Event Betsy King wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1992 Event Battleship USS Missouri, on which, Japan surrendered, decommissioned 1992 Event Stan Hansen beats Jumbo Tsuruta to win All Japan Triple Crown 1991 Event Liselotte Neumann wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1991 Event Kiichi Miyazawa elected premier of Japan 1991 Event Mount Unzen erupts in Japan, worst eruption in Japanese history 1991 Death Harry Glicken, volcanologist, killed by Mount Unzen Volcano in Japan 1991 Event 42 die in a train collision is Japan 1991 Death Shintaro Abe, minister of Exterior of Japan (1982-86), dies 1991 Event Largest wrestling crowd in Japan (64,500) at Tokyo Dome 1991 Event Jumbo Tsuruta beats Stan Hansen to win All Japan Triple Crown title 1991 Event Japan ends routine fingerprinting of all adult ethnic Koreans 1990 Death Nistani Keiji, philosopher, dies in Kyoto Japan 1990 Event Debbie Massey wins LPGA Mazda Japan 133 Golf Classic 1990 Death Brigitte D'Ortschy, Zen teacher Sanbo Kyodan line, dies in Japan at 69 1990 Event CUNY/Lehman College, Bronx, opens a branch campus in Hiroshma Japan 1990 Event Jushin "Thunder" Liger beats Naoki Sano to become New Japan IWGP champ 1990 Event Mitsuko Nishiwaki beats Nakano to become Japan Women wrestling champ 1989 Event Elaine Crosby wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1989 Event 27th Tennis Fed Cup: USA beats Spain in Tokyo Japan (3-0) 1989 Event Worlds Ladies Figure Skating Champ in Paris won by Midori Ito (Japan) 1989 Event Akhito becomes emperor of Japan 1989 Death Hirohito, Japan's emperor (1922-89), dies at 87 after 62-year reign 1988 Event Japan beats MLB All-Star team 5-4 in Tokyo (Game 6 of 7) 1988 Event MLB All-Star team beats Japan 3-1 in Tokyo (Game 5 of 7) 1988 Event MLB All-Star team beat Japan 8-2 in Nishinomya, (Game 4 of 7) 1988 Event MLB all stars beats Japan 16-8 (Game 3 of 7) 1988 Event Japan and MLB all stars played to a 6-6 draw (Game 2 of 7) 1988 Event Patty Sheehan wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1988 Event Japan beats MLB all stars 2-1 in Tokyo (Game 1 of 7) 1988 Event "Les Miserables," opens at Chunichi Theatre, Nagoya Japan 1987 Event Yuko Moriguchi wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1987 Event Donald Trump takes out a full page New York Times ad lambasting Japan 1987 Death Nobusuke Kishi, premier of Japan (1957-60), dies at 90 1987 Event Japan's premier Nakasone visits the U.S. 1987 Event 91st Boston Marathon won by Toshihiko Seko of Japan in 2:11:50 1987 Event Japan 1st exceeds military spending cap of 1% of GNP ($23 billion) 1986 Event Ai-Yu Tu wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1986 Event Premier Nakasones Liberal Democr Party wins Japan's election 1985 Event Jane Blalock wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1985 Event Japan launches its 2nd probe of Halley's Comet, Suisei 1985 Event Japan launches Planet A, a probe to Halley's comet 1985 Event 23rd Tennis Fed Cup: Czechoslovakia beats USA in Nagoya Japan (2-1) 1985 Event Japan launches Sakigake space probe to Halley's Comet 1984 Event Nayoko Yoshikawa wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1984 Event Japan beats U.S. for olympic gold medal in baseball 1984 Event Soviet sub crashes into USS aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk off Japan 1983 Event Pat Bradley wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1983 Event President Reagan became 1st U.S. President to address Japan's legislature 1983 Event Japan launches Tenma satellite to study x-rays (450/570 km) 1982 Event Yasuhiro Nakasone elected Prime Minister of Japan succeeding Zenko Suzuki 1982 Event Yasuhiro Nakasone succeeds Zenko Suzuki as premier of Japan 1982 Event Nancy Lopez wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1981 Event Patty Sheehan wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1981 Event 85th Boston Marathon won by Toshihiko Seko of Japan in 2:09:26 1981 Event Japan launches Hinotori satellite to study solar flares (580/640 k) 1980 Event Tatsuko Ohsako wins LPGA Mazda Japan Golf Classic 1980 Event Zenko Suzuki becomes premier of Japan 1980 Birthday Kasumi Takahashi, Tokyo, Japan, Australian rhythmic gymnast 1996 Olympics 1980 Event Soviet sub catches fire off Japan, 9 die 1979 Event Amy Alcott wins LPGA Mizuno Japan Golf Classic 1979 Event Japan launches Hakucho x-ray satellite and Corsa-B (550/580 km) 1979 Event 22.2-km Oshimizu railroad tunnel holed through, central Honshu, Japan 1978 Event China and Japan formally ends 4 decades of dissension 1978 Event China and Japan sign peace treaty 1978 Birthday Kyoko Iwosoki, born in Japan, 100m breaststroke swimmer, Gold Medals 1992, 1996 Olympics 1977 Event Japan's Sadaharu Oh hits 756th home run to surpass Hank Aaron's total 1976 Event Donna Caponi Young wins LPGA/Japan Mizuno Golf 1976 Event Russian pilot Belenko defects to Japan in a Mig 25 jet 1975 Event Shelley Hamlin wins LPGA Japan Golf Classic 1975 Event Emperor Hirohito of Japan visits San Francisco 1975 Birthday Tsutsumi Otomo, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1975 Birthday Ai Sugiyama, born in Tokyo, Japan, tennis star 1975 Death Eisaku Sato, premier of Japan (1964-71 Nobel 1974), dies at 74 1975 Birthday Christopher Yule, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1974 Event Chako Higuchi wins Japan LPGA Golf Classic 1974 Birthday Shin Yahata, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1974 Birthday Kyoko Nagatsuka, Shizuoka Prefecture Japan, tennis star, 1996 Hobart 1973 Birthday Hiroyuki Miura, hockey defenseman, Team Japan 1998 1973 Birthday Bill Clay, Yokosuka Japan, U.S. sprint cyclist 1996 Olympics 1973 Event Fire at Taiyo department store, kills 101 and injures 84 (Kumamoto Japan) 1973 Birthday Ichiro Suzuki, born in Kasugai, Japan, professional baseball player, outfielder, played for the Seattle Mariners and Orix BlueWave 1973 Event 1st heavyweight championship fight in Japan (Foreman beats Roman) 1973 Birthday Yutaka Kawaguchi, hockey defenseman, Team Japan 1998 1973 Event Japan allows its citizens to own gold 1973 Birthday Naoko Sawamatsu, born in Nishinomiya, Japan, tennis star, 1994 Singapore 1973 Birthday Tatsuki Katayama, hockey defenseman, Team Japan 1998 1972 Birthday Kyoko Ina, Tokyo, Japan, figure skater, 1993 North Atlantic Sr champ 1972 Event Japan and People's Republic of China begin diplomatic relations 1972 Event Japan and Communist China agree to re-establish diplomatic relations 1972 Birthday Shinjiro Otani, born in Yamaguchi City, Japan, professional wrestler, WCW World Cruiserweight Champion, created Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE with Shinya Hashimoto, acting president of ZERO1 1972 Birthday Ryan Fujita, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1972 Event Ryukyu Is and Daito Is returned to Japan after 27 years of U.S. control 1972 Event 115 die in nightclub atop 7-story Sennichi department store (Osaka Japan) 1972 Birthday Kunihiko Sakurai, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1972 Birthday Naoko Kijimuta, born in Yokohama Kanagawa, Japan, tennis star, 1996 Jakarta 1972 Birthday Ryan Kuwabara, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1972 Event 19 mountain climbers killed on Japan's Mount Fuji during an avalanche 1972 Event 11th Winter Olympic games close at Sapporo, Japan 1972 Event 11th Winter Olympic games opens in Sapporo, Japan (1st in Asia) 1971 Birthday Rika Hiraki, Beirut Lebanon, tennis star, 1992 Japan doubles 1971 Birthday Yone Kamio, Yokohama Japan, tennis star, 1995 semi-finalist Hobart 1971 Event Man-made earthslide at Kawasaki Japan, kills 15 1971 Birthday Midori, born in Osaka, Japan, violinist, prodigy, studied at Julliard, plays the 1734 Buarnerius del Gesu violin 1971 Birthday Makoto Kawahira, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1971 Event U.S. and Japan sign accord to return Okinawa to Japan 1971 Birthday Hiroyoshi Tenzan, born in Kyoto, Tokyo, professional wrestler, born Hiroyoshi Yamamoto, ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan, works for New Japan Pro Wrestling 1971 Birthday Osamu Nishimura, born in Tokyo, Japan, professional wrestler, New Japan Pro Wrestling 1971 Birthday Jiro Nihei, hockey goaltender, Team Japan 1998 1971 Birthday Mana Endo, Hiroshima Japan, tennis star, 1996 3rd round Australia Open 1971 Birthday Takeshi Yamanaka, hockey defenseman, Team Japan 1998 1971 Event John Lennon meets Yoko Ono's parents in Japan 1970 Birthday Kimiko Date, Kyoto Japan, tennis star, 1996 Japan Open 1970 Birthday Satoshi Kojima, professional wrestler, born in Koto, Japan, works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, trained by Hiroshi Hase, Kensuke Sasaki 1970 Birthday Dusty Imoo, hockey goaltender, Team Japan 1998 1970 Event Yuchiro Miura of Japan skies down Mount Everest 1970 Event Expo '70 opens in Osaka, Japan 1970 Event Japan becomes 4th nation to put a satellite, Osumi, in orbit 1969 Birthday Takako Inque, Toride Japan, wrestler, Japan 1969 Birthday Mayumi Hirase, Kumamoto Japan, LPGA golfer, Japan Jr-1985, 86, 87 1969 Birthday Cuty [Yumi] Suzuki, Kawaguchi Japan, wrestler, Japan 1969 Birthday Midori Ito, born in Tokyo, Japan, ice skater, Silver Medal 1992 Olympics 1969 Event 73rd Boston Marathon won by Yoshiaki Unetani of Japan in 2:13:49 1969 Birthday Takayuki Kobori, hockey defenseman, Team Japan 1998 1968 Birthday Hideo Nomo, born in Osaka, Japan, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers 1968 Birthday Shinichi Iwasaki, hockey goaltender, Team Japan 1998 1968 Event Iwo Jima and Bonin Islands returned to Japan by US 1968 Event Earthquake kills 47 in Japan 1968 Birthday Hiroshi Matsuura, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1968 Event Japanese Trade and Cultural Center (Japan Center) dedicated in San Francisco 1968 Birthday Akira Nogami, born in Narashino, Chiba, professional Japanese wrestler, actor, wrestled for the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion, NJPW, in 1991, reigned as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, in 2000, appeared in television show, Kamen Rider Kuuga, competed part-time after 2004, regularly wrestling with Keiji Mutoh's All Japan Pro Wrestling 1968 Event Spy ship USS Pueblo and 83-man crew seized in Sea of Japan by N Korea 1967 Birthday Shuzo Matsuoka, Tokyo, Japan, tennis star, 1995 USTA/Binghampton 1967 Birthday Akihito Sugisawa, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1967 Birthday Takayuki Miura, hockey defenseman, Team Japan 1998 1967 Birthday Manabu Nakanishi, born in Kyoto, Japan, professional wrestler, former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, wrestler for New Japan Pro Wrestling, competed in 1992 Summer Olympics 1966 Event Dodgers complete an 18-game tour of Japan with a 9-8-1 record 1966 Birthday El Samurai, born in Hanamaki, Japan, professional wrestler, works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, trained by New Japan Dojo 1966 Birthday Takayuki Iizuka, born in Muroran, Hokkaido, Japanese professional wrestler, trained by New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo 1966 Death D T Suzuki, Zen Buddhism scholar, dies in Tokyo, Japan at 96 1966 Event 70th Boston Marathon won by Kenji Kimihara of Japan in 2:17:11 1966 Birthday Jose Maria Olazabal, born in Fuenterrabia, Gipuzkoa, Basque country, Spain, professional golfer, 6 PGA Tour wins, 23 European Tour wins, 2 Japan Golf Tour wins 1966 Event All-Nippon Airways 727 crashes off Haneda Airport (Japan); kills 133 1965 Birthday Brent Franklin, Barrie Ont, Canadian Tour golfer, 1992 Japan Open-2nd 1965 Birthday Matt Kabayama, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1965 Birthday Troy Neel, born in Freeport, Texas, professional baseball player, first baseman, hitter, played for Oakland Athletics, Orix BlueWave team in Japan 1965 Birthday Yugi Iga, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1965 Birthday Shinya Hashimoto, born in Toki Gity, Japan, professional wrestler, competed in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid 1980s and 1990s, nicknamed one of the 'Three Musketeers' 1965 Event coal mine explosion in Fukuoka Japan kills 236 1965 Event 69th Boston Marathon won by Morio Shigematsu of Japan in 2:16:33 1965 Birthday Soichi Noguchi, born in Yokohama, Japan, astronaut 1965 Event U.S. - Japan baseball relations suspended over Masanori Murakami dispute 1965 Birthday Atsuo Kudo, hockey defenseman, Team Japan 1998 1964 Event Eisaku Sato becomes premier of Japan 1964 Death Reginald Horace Blyth, Zen teacher/scholar, dies in Japan at 66 1964 Event 18th Olympic games close at Tokyo, Japan 1964 Birthday Etsuko Inoue, born in Japan, professional tennis player, first to win women's tennis competition at the Asian Games, 1982 1964 Birthday Toshiyuki Sakai, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1964 Event Netherlands last whaling ship Willem Barents Sea sold to Japan 1964 Event Quake strikes Niigata Japan 1964 Event Japan joins OECO 1963 Event Train crash in Japan, kills 164 1963 Event 450 die in a coal-dust explosion and 160 die in train crash (Japan) 1963 Birthday Masahiro Chono, born in Seattle, Washington, professional wrestler, works for New Japan Pro Wrestling, trained by Stu Hart, Lou Thesz 1963 Birthday Thomas Ansberry, Okinawa Japan, U.S. 10K runner 1963 Birthday Koichi Wakata, Omiya Saitama Japan, astronaut, STS-72, sk: 92 1963 Birthday Hiromi Kobayashi, Fukushima Japan, LPGA golfer, 1993 JAL Big Apple 1962 Birthday Keiji Muto, born in Fujiyoshida, Japan, professional wrestler, trained by Hiro Matsuda, appeared on World Championship Wrestling television editions, ring name, The Great Mota 1962 Event Larry Doby, retires from Cleveland Indians to play in Japan 1962 Event Express train crashed into wreckage of a commuter train and a freight, killing 163, injuring 400 (Tokyo, Japan) 1962 Birthday Steve Tsujiura, hockey forward, Team Japan 1998 1961 Birthday Hiro Hase, born in Oyabe, Japan, professional wrestler, worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling, transitioned to position of chairman for the PWF, in the Japanese parliament 1961 Event Mine cave-in in Japan, kills 72 1960 Event Premier Kishi of Japan, resigns 1960 Event Japan signs security treaty with the U.S. 1960 Birthday Crown Prince Naruhito, heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan, eldest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko 1960 Event U.S. and Japan sign joint defense treaty 1959 Birthday Ken Watanabe, born in Koide, Japan, actor, Academy-Award nominee, appeared in films, 'Letters from Iwo Jima', 'The Last Samurai' 1959 Event Japan hit by typhoon Vera; about 5,000 die 1959 Event Typhoon kills 2,000 in Japan and Korea 1959 Event Shunryu Suzuki completes his historical Japan to San Francisco voyage 1959 Event Japan's Crown Prince Akihito marries commoner Michiko Shoda 1958 Birthday Yoshinori Mizumaki, Tokyo, Japan, PGA golfer, 1994 Byron Nelson-2nd 1958 Birthday Mick Karn, born in Nicosia, Cypress, rocker, instrumentalist, musician, songwriter, bassist for art rock band Japan 1958 Birthday Elaine Crosby, born in Birmingham, Michigan, LPGA golfer, 1989 Mazda Japan Classic 1956 Event Japan admitted to UN 1956 Birthday Yoshiko Sakakibara, Chiba Japan, actress, Sailor Moon, Vampire Hunter 1956 Birthday Joe [Naomichi] Ozaki, Tekushima, Japan, golfer, 1995 Phoenix Open-8th 1955 Event Yankees begin 16-game exhibition in Japan 1955 Birthday Norio Honaga, born in Japan, athlete, professional wrestler, junior heavyweight three-time, New Japan Pro Wrestling Champion in IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, retired and became referee in 1988 1955 Birthday Chiyonofuji Mitsugu, born in Hokkaido, Japan, sumo wrestler, 58th yokozuna, greatest, highest ranked sumo in recent times, won 31 tournament championships, coming in second to Taiho, noted as lightest yokozuna since Tochinoumi in the 1960's, head coach for Kokonoe stable 1955 Event 59th Boston Marathon won by Hideo Hamamura of Japan in 2:18:22 1955 Event I Hatojama recognized as premier of Japan 1954 Event U.S. spy plane shot down North of Japan 1954 Event Typhoon hits Japan - 5 ferryboats sink killing about 1,600 1954 Birthday Takao Doi, Tokyo, Japan, astronaut, STS-87 1953 Event Earthquake/tsnunami strike Honshu Japan 1953 Event Giants end their tour of Japan (players got $331 of $3,000 promised) 1953 Event Typhoon destroys 1/3 of Nagoya Japan 1953 Birthday Kengo Kimura, born in Niihama, Japan, professional wrestler, worked for New Japan Pro Wrestling, trained by Antonio Inoki 1953 Event Braves Phil Paine is 1st former major leaguer to play in Japan 1953 Birthday Robyn Douglass, Sendai Japan, actress, Lonely Guy, Romantic Comedy 1953 Birthday Yoko Shimada, Kumamota Japan, author, Kir Royal, actress, Shogun 1953 Event 57th Boston Marathon won by Keizo Yamada of Japan in 2:18:51 1952 Event U.S.S.R. declares peace treaty with Japan invalid 1952 Birthday Chiaki Naito-Mukai, Tatebayashi Japan, astronaut, STS-65, sk:95 1952 Event St. Louis Browns lend 2 black minor leaguers to Hankyu Braves of Japan 1952 Event Final ratification of peace treaty restoring sovereignty to Japan 1952 Event U.S. senate ratifies peace treaty with Japan 1951 Event Lefty O'Doul's all-stars, including Joe DiMaggio and Billy Martin, lose 3-1 to Pacific League all-star team (Japan) 1951 Event Japan signs peace treaty with 48 countries (SF) 1951 Event 55th Boston Marathon won by Shigeki Tanaka of Japan in 2:27:45 1951 Birthday Ayako Okamoto, born in Hiroshima, Japan, LPGA golfer, 1990 Sara Lee 1950 Birthday Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Japan, actor, Lt A J Shimamura-Nash Bridges 1950 Event Heavy typhoon strikes Japan, kills about 250 1950 Event International Olympic Committee votes admission to West Germany and Japan in '52 1950 Event West Germany and Japan readmitted to International Amateur Athletic Federation 1950 Event ILTF re-admit Germany and Japan in Davis Cup, Poland and Hungary withdraws 1950 Birthday Pamela Franklin, Tokyo, Japan, actress, Satan's School for Girls 1950 Birthday Osamu Kido, born in Kawasaki City, Japan, professional wrestler for New Japan Pro Wrestling, participated founding the Japanese-based Universal Wrestling Federation 1948 Death Hideki Tojo, Japan Prime Minister 1941 - 1944 and 6 Japs, hanged for war crimes at 64 1948 Death Hiroshi "Can" Kikuchi, Japan (stage)writer (Tjitj kaeru), dies at 59 1948 Birthday Mamoru Mohri, Yoichi-machi Hokkaido Japan, astronaut, STS-47 1948 Birthday Takeshi Kitano, Tokyo, Japan, actor, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence 1947 Event Japan forms a constitutional democracy 1946 Event Earthquake in South Japan, kills 1,086 1946 Birthday Sawao Kato, Japan, gymnast, Gold Medals 1968, 1972, 1976 Olympics 1946 Event Emperor Hirohito of Japan announces he is not a god 1945 Event U.S. regains possession of Wake Island from Japan 1945 Event V-J Day; formal surrender of Japan aboard USS Missouri (WW II ends) 1945 Event Japan surrenders ending WW II (U.S. date, 9/2 in Japan) 1945 Event General MacArthur lands in Japan 1945 Event Hong Kong liberated from Japan 1945 Event British liberate Hong Kong from Japan 1945 Event General MacArthur named Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan 1945 Event U.S. troops land in Japan after Japanese surrender 1945 Event Japanese diplomats board Missouri to receive instructions on Japan's surrender at the end of WW II 1945 Event V-J Day; Japan surrenders unconditionally to end WW II 1945 Event Allies refuse Japan's surrender offer to retain Emperor Hirohito 1945 Event Japan announces willingness to surrender to Allies provided status of Emperor Hirohito remained unchanged 1945 Event U.S. drops 2nd atomic bomb "Fat Man" on Japan destroys part of Nagasaki 1945 Event U.S.S.R. declares war against Japan in WW II 1945 Event Atom Bomb dropped on Hiroshima (Aug 6th in Japan) 1945 Event Battleship USS South Dakota is 1st U.S. ship to bombard Japan 1945 Event Kuniaki Koiso resigns as Prime Minister of Japan; replaced by Kantaro Suzuki 1945 Event 800 killed as Kamikaze attacked USS Franklin off Japan 1945 Event Japan declares Vietnam Independence 1945 Birthday Victoria Principal, Fukuoka Japan, actress, Earthquake, Pamela-Dallas 1944 Event Sub Swordfish departs Pearl Harbor for Japan 1944 Event General Koiso becomes premier of Japan 1944 Event In World War II, U.S. troops secure Saipan as Japan fell 1944 Event U.S. bombs Kyushu Japan 1944 Event 1st B-29 raid against mainland Japan 1944 Birthday Isao Okano, Japan, middleweight judo 1964 Olympic gold 1943 Event FDR, Churchill and Chiang Kai-shek meet to discuss ways to defeat Japan 1943 Event Japan declares Philippine Independence (premier/president Jose Laurel) 1943 Event Japan leaves Aleutian Islands 1943 Birthday Yukio Kasaya, Japan, 70m ski jumper, Gold Medal 1972 Olympics 1943 Event Japan declares Burma Independence under U Ba Maw 1943 Event Trident conference in Washington D.C. (operation plan '43 against Japan) 1943 Event Churchill pledges England's full support to U.S. against Japan 1943 Event U.S. defeats Japan and wins Battle of Bismark Sea 1943 Event Chile breaks contact with Germany and Japan 1942 Event Japan bombs Port Darwin, Australia 1942 Birthday Isao Aoki, Abiko Chiba Japan, PGA golfer, 1983 Hawaiian Open 1942 Event Cuba declares war on Germany, Japan and Italy 1942 Event Brazil declares war on Germany, Japan and Italy 1942 Birthday Toyohiro Akiyama, born in Japan, cosmonaut, Soyuz TM-11 1942 Event Battle of Midway ends: Admiral Nimitz wins 1st WW II naval defeat of Japan 1942 Event Battle of Midway begins; Japan's 1st major defeat in WW II 1942 Event Mexico declares war on nazi-Germany and Japan 1942 Event Japan kills about 400 Filipino officers in Bataan 1942 Event Japan forces Java to use "Tokyo time" 1 hour forward 1942 Event Japan conquers Kuala Lumpur, Malaya 1942 Event Japan invades North-Celebes, Netherlands Indies 1941 Event Japan bombs Manila even though it was declared an "open city" 1941 Event Japan announces surrender of British-Canadian garrison at Hong Kong 1941 Event Japanese aircraft carriers Akagi/Kagu back in Kure, Japan 1941 Event 1st ships of Admiral Nagumo's Pearl Harbor fleet return to Japan 1941 Event Japan begins assault on Rangoon Burma 1941 Event China declares war on Japan, Germany and Italy 1941 Event London: Dutch government declares Japan the war 1941 Event U.S. and Britain declare war on Japan, U.S. enters WW II 1941 Event Chicago Daily Tribune editorialize there will not be war with Japan 1941 Event Japan Tojo regime forms 1941 Birthday Tadao Ando, born in Osaka, Japan, Japanese architect, employs critical regionalism style of architecture, 1969, established firm Tadao Ando Architects & Associates, winner, Pritzker Architecture Prize 1995 1941 Event U.S. embargo on oil-export to Japan 1941 Event Franklin D. Roosevelt bans selling benzine/gasoline to Japan 1941 Birthday Takehide Nakatani, born in Japan, lightweight 1964 Olympic gold 1940 Event Japan eliminates U.S. terms (strike, play ball) from baseball 1940 Birthday Osamu Watanabe, Japan, featherweight 1964 Olympic gold 1940 Event Nazi-Germany, Italy and Japan sign 10 year formal alliance (Axis) 1940 Birthday Sadaharu, Ohio, of Yomiuri Giants, Japan, hit 868 career home run 1940 Event Rear Admiral Joseph Taussig testifies before U.S. Senate Naval Affairs Committee that war with Japan is inevitable 1939 Birthday Yoshinobu Miyake, Japan, featherweight, Gold Medals 1964, 1968 Olympics 1939 Birthday Junko Tabei, Japan, 1st woman to climb Mount Everest 1938 Birthday Liv Ullman, Tokyo, Japan, actress, Cries and Whispers, 40 Carats 1938 Event League of Nations declares Japan the aggressor against China 1938 Birthday Yuji Takahashi, born in Japan, composer, author, pianist, performer, grant recipient, Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists 1938 Event 1940 Olympic site changed from Tokyo Japan to Helsinki Finland 1938 Event Finland awarded 1940 Olympic games after Japan withdraws 1938 Event Japan declares war on China 1937 Event Japanese aircraft shell and sink U.S. gunboat Panay on Yangtze River in China. (Japan apologized and eventually paid U.S. $2.2M in reparations) 1937 Event Japan recognizes Franco government 1937 Event China declares war on Japan 1936 Event Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek declares war on Japan 1936 Event Germany and Japan sign anti-Komintern pact 1936 Event Nazi-Germany and Japan sign Anti-Komintern pact 1936 Event Tokyo, Japan is awarded the 1940 Olympics, later cancelled 1936 Birthday Maki Ishii, born in Tokyo, Japan, composer, contemporary classical music 1936 Event 1st pro baseball game in Japan is played Nagoya defeats Daitokyo, 8-5 1936 Event Military coup in Japan 1935 Event Japan invades Shanghai China 1934 Event Japan renounces Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 and London Treaty of 1930 1934 Event Yomiuri Giants, Japan's 1st professional baseball team forms 1934 Event Japan agress to fleet treaty of 1922 and 1930 1934 Event Eiji Sawamura, 17, gives up 1 hit, Lou Gehrig's home run, Japan beats U.S. 1-0 1934 Event Babe Ruth tours Tokyo Japan 1934 Event All-Star team led by Babe Ruth and Connie Mack sails to Hawaii and Japan 1934 Birthday Michiko, empress of Japan 1934 Event Typhoon strikes Honshu Island Japan, kills 4,000 1934 Event Fire destroys Hakodate Japan (kills 1,500, injures 1,000) 1934 Event Fire destroys Hakodate Japan, killing about 1,500 1934 Event Japan sends Henry Pu Yi as regent to emperor of Manchuria 1933 Birthday Akihito, emperor of Japan, 1989- 1933 Event Japan begins persecution of communists 1933 Event Japan leaves League of Nations 1933 Event Most powerful earthquake in 180 years hit Japan 1933 Birthday Yoko Ono, born in Tokyo, Japan, vocalist and artist 1933 Birthday Akira Miyoshi, born in Suginami, Tokyo, composer, influenced by Henri Dutilleux, professor, Toho Gakuen School of Music, Japan 1932 Death Ki Imukai, premier of Japan (1931-32), murdered 1932 Death Ki Inukai, premier Japan (1931-32), murdered 1932 Event Japan and China sign a peace treaty 1932 Birthday Nagisa Oshima, born in Kyoto, Japan, director, Town of Love and Hope 1932 Event Japan declares Manchuria Independent 1932 Event Japan occupies Shanghai 1931 Event Japan leaves the Golden Standard 1931 Event Chuhei Numbu of Japan, sets then long jump record at 26' 2" 1931 Birthday Hikaru Hayashi, born in Tokyo, Japan, composer, conductor, pianist, wrote more than 30 operas, over 100 film scores, authored more than 20 books 1931 Event 1st nonstop transpacific flight, Japan to Washington (Herndon and Pangborn) 1931 Event Peking (200,000 demonstrators demand declaration of war on Japan) 1931 Event Japan takes Manchuria, renames it Manchukuo 1931 Birthday Takashi Ono, Japan, gymnast, Gold Medals 1956, 1960 Olympics 1931 Birthday Chiharu Igaya, Japan, slalom 1956 Olympics silver 1931 Event 1st telecast of a sporting event in Japan (baseball) 1931 Birthday Ken Takakura, Goichi Oda, Kita Japan, actor, Story of Antarctic 1931 Birthday Toshiki Kaifu, premier of Japan, 1989-91 1930 Event 690 earthquake shocks recorded in 1 day (Ito Japan) 1930 Birthday Toru Takemitsu, Tokyo, Japan, composer, Ki No Kyoko 1930 Birthday Ryohei Hirose, born in Hakodate, Japan, composer, professor, Kyoto University of Arts 1977 - 1996, composes music for shakuhachi, recorder, viola da gamba 1930 Event U.S., Britain and Japan sign London Naval Treaty 1929 Birthday Miyoshi Umeki, born in Japan, actress, Mrs Livingston-Courtship of Eddie's Father 1929 Birthday Toshiro Mayuzumi, Yokohama Japan, composer, Sphenogramme 1928 Event Hirohito ascended throne as Emperor of Japan 1928 Birthday Dainin Katagiri, Osaka Japan, Zen teacher, associate of Shunryu Suzuki 1927 Event Japan dedicates 1st subway in Orient (route under 2 miles long) 1927 Birthday Hiroshi Yamauchi, Kyoto Japan, owner for the Seattle Mariners 1927 Event Japan's Wakarsoeki government falls/Baron Tanaka becomes premier 1927 Event Earthquake measuring 8 on Richter scale strikes Tango, Japan 1926 Event Prince-regent Hirohito becomes emperor of Japan 1926 Event Hirohito becomes emperor of Japan 1926-1989 1926 Death Yoshihito, 123rd Emperor of Japan (1912-26), dies at 47 1925 Birthday Leo Esaki, Esaki Reona, Japan, physicist, Tunnel effect-Nobel 1973 1925 Event Japan's House of Representatives recognizes male suffrage 1925 Event U.S.S.R. and Japan sign treaty of Peking, Seychelles back to U.S.S.R. 1925 Birthday Yukio Mishima, Japan, novelist, Temple of Golden Pavilion 1924 Event Kenchoji Rinzai temple in Kamakur Japan, heavily damaged by earthquake 1924 Birthday Ikuma Dan, born in Tokyo, Japan, composer, graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, studied under famous opera composer Kosaku Yamada 1924 Birthday Machiko Kyo, born in Osaka, Japan, actor, Gate of Hell, Rashomon, Ugetsu 1924 Birthday Kobo Abe, born in Tokyo, Japan, playwright, Woman, the Dunes 1923 Event Unsuccessful attempt on prince-regent Hirohito of Japan 1922 Birthday Sadao Bekku, born in Tokyo, Japan, composer, classical music, wrote symphonies, film scores, sonata for flute, choral works, art songs, piano concerto, opera titled Prince Arima 1922 Event U.S., U.K., France, Italy and Japan sign Washington naval arms limitation 1921 Event U.S., France, Japan and British Empire sign a Pacific Treaty 1921 Death Takasji Hara, premier of Japan, murdered 1921 Event 16th Davis Cup: USA beats Japan in New York (5-0) 1921 Birthday Kan Ishii, born in Tokyo, Japan, composer, famous for Symphonia Ainu, inspired by national primitivism, wrote orchestral and vocal music for film and stage, including music for science-fiction film Gorath 1921 Birthday Akio Morita, Kasugaya Japan, CEO, Sony 1920 Event Japan receives League of Nations mandate over Pacific islands 1919 Birthday Masao Takemoto, Japan, gymnast 1960 Olympics gold 1919 Birthday Akeo Watanabe, born in Tokyo, Japan, conductor, Nippon Philharmonic Orchestra 1956 - 1968 1919 Event Demonstrations for Korean independence from Japan begin 1918 Birthday Yasuhiro Nakasone, premier of Japan, 1982-87 1917 Event Lansing-Ishii Agreement; U.S. recognizes Japan's privileges in China 1917 Birthday Joan Fontaine, Tokyo, Japan, actress, Gunga Din, Ivanhoe, Rebecca 1917 Birthday Kusuo Kitamura, Japan, 1500m freestyle swimmer 1932 Olympics gold 1917 Event AP reports Mexico and Japan will allie with Germany if U.S. enters WW I 1916 Birthday Olivia de Havilland, born in Tokyo, Japan, actress, Adventures of Robin Hood 1915 Birthday Kon Ichikawa, Japan, director, Matatabi, Money Talks 1915 Birthday Yul Brynner, born in Sakhalin Island, Japan, actor, King and I, 10 Commandments 1915 Event Japan claims economic control of China 1914 Birthday Taisen Deshimaru, Saga City Japan, found several Zen centers in France 1914 Event Japan attack German concession on Chinese peninsula of Shanghai 1914 Event Japan declares war on Germany in World War I 1914 Event Japan joins side of allies 1912 Event "Kiche Maru" sinks off Japan, killing 1,000 1912 Death Mutsuhito, 122nd emperor of Japan (1867-1912), dies at 60 1910 Event Japan annexes Korea after 5 years as a protectorate 1910 Birthday Akira Kurosawa, born in Tokyo, Japan, director, 7 Samurai, Living 1909 Death Horiboemi Ito, Prince of Japan, assassinated by a Korean 1909 Birthday Osamu Dazai, born in Japan, novelist, Tsugaru, No Longer Human 1908 Birthday Kinue Hitoma, Japan, 800m runner, Silver Medal 1928 Olympics 1907 Birthday Hediki Yukawa, Japan, physicist, Nobel 1949 1906 Birthday Soichiro Honda, Japan, founder/CEO, Honda Motor Co 1905 Birthday Mikio Oda, Japan, triple jumper, 1928 Olympics gold 1904 Event Japan and Russia declares war after Japan's surprise attack on Russian fleet at Port Arthur disabled 7 Russian warships 1904 Event Japan declares war on Russia 1902 Birthday Jeno Takacs, born in Cinfalva, Hungary, composer, studied with Joseph Marx, Paul Weigarten, professor of piano, composition at University of Manila in the Philippines, gave concerts in China, Japan, Hong Kong 1901 Birthday Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, 1926-89 1901 Birthday Eisaku Sato, premier of Japan, Nobel 1974 1899 Birthday Yasonari Kawabata, Japan, novelist, Thousand Cranes 1897 Event Japan adopts Gold Standard 1896 Birthday Nobusuke Kishi, premier of Japan, 1957-60 1896 Event Tsunami strikes Shinto festival on beach at Sanriku Japan 27,000 are killed, 9,000 injured, with 13,000 houses destroyed 1895 Event China cedes Taiwan to Japan under Treaty of Shimonoseki 1894 Birthday Yoshida Isoya, Tokyo, Japan, architect, modern sukiya style 1894 Event Japan defeats China in Battle of Ping Yang 1894 Event Treaty of Aoki-Kimberley signed between Japan and England 1893 Event Commodore Perry arrives in Japan 1893 Event Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar 1892 Birthday Ryunosuke Akutagawa, born in Japan, writer, Rashomon in Kappa 1891 Event Quake strikes Mino-Owari, Japan kills 7,300 1890 Event Turkish frigate "Ertogrul" burns off of Japan, kills 540 1890 Birthday Sessue Hayakawa, born in Japan, actor, Bridge on River Kwai, Hell to Eternity 1889 Event Meiji constitution of Japan adopted; 1st Diet convenes in 1890 1888 Event Bandai volcano (Japan) erupts for 1st time in 1,000 years 1888 Birthday Tojohiko Kagawa, Japan, Christian-social reformer, Grain of Wheat 1888 Birthday Toyohiko Kagawa, born in Kobe, Japan, Christian social reformer 1886 Birthday Teiichi Igarashi, Japan, climed Mount Fuji at age 99 1886 Birthday Junichiro Tanizaki, Japan, writer, Snow Dusting 1883 Birthday Shiga Naoya, Japan, novelist, Road Through Dark Night 1879 Birthday Joshihito, emperor of Japan, 1912-26 1878 Birthday Akiko Yosano, Japan, poet, Tangled Hair 1876 Event Tsunami's after earthquake floods NE coast of Japan, kills 28,000 1870 Birthday D T Suzuki, Kanazawa Japan, Zen Buddhist scholar 1869 Event Baptist minister invents rickshaw in Yokohama, Japan 1869 Birthday Ozaki Koyo, Japan, novelist/essayist/haiku poet, The Heart 1868 Event Meiji Restoration returns authority to Japan's emperors 1867 Event 15th and last Tokugawa Shogun resigns in Japan 1867 Birthday Masaoka Shiki, Japan, haiku and tanka poet/diarist, Salt Water Ballads 1867 Event Prince Mutsuhito, 14, becomes Emperor Meiji of Japan (1867-1912) 1864 Event British, French and Dutch fleets attacked Japan in Shimonoseki Straits 1858 Event Netherlands and Japan sign trade agreement 1858 Event 1st commercial treaty between U.S. and Japan signed 1858 Event U.S. citizens allowed to live anywhere in Japan 1854 Event Treaty of Kanagawa: Commodore Perry forces Japan to opens ports to U.S. 1854 Event U.S. Commodore Matthew C. Perry's 2nd trip to Japan 1853 Event Russian fleet appears at Nagasaki, Japan 1853 Event Commodore Perry requests trade relations with Japan 1853 Event Admiral Perry and U.S. Navy visit Japan 1853 Event Commodore Matthew Perry reach Japan 1852 Birthday Mutsuhito, 122nd emperor of Japan, 1867-1912 1847 Birthday Heihatjiro Tojo, Japan, Admiral, Russian-Japanese war 1846 Event Japan invents the rickshaw 1828 Event 6.8 earthquake strikes Echigo Japan, 30,000 killed 1804 Birthday Townsend Harris, 1st Western consul to reside in Japan 1794 Birthday Matthew Calbraith Perry, Commodore, opened Japan 1793 Event Volcano Unsen on Japan erupts killing about 53,000 1769 Death Hakuin Ekaku, Zen teacher (reformer of Rinzai school), dies in Japan 1689 Event Matsuo Basho, zen poet, leaves for 150 days journey on Honshu Japan 1686 Birthday Hakuin Ekakuborn, Japan, Zen Buddhist 1637 Birthday Toyotomi Hideyoshi, unified Japan 1600 Event Battle of Sekigahara sets Tokugawa clan as Japan's rulers (shoguns) 1549 Event Portuguese missionaries Franciscus Xaverius lands in Kagoshima Japan 1506 Death Sesshu Toyo, Zen monk/painter, dies in Yamaguchi Japan at 86 1506 Birthday Francis Xavier, saint and Jesuit missionary to India, Malaya, and Japan 1481 Death Ikkyu Sojun, Zen head of Daitokuji temple, dies in Kyoto, Japan at 87 1476 Birthday Kano Motonobu, Kyoto Japan, co-founder, Kano school of painting 1382 Death Daigaku, Zen teacher/46th head of Engakuji, dies in Kamakura Japan 1351 Death Muso Soseki, Zen teacher/Rinzai line/head of Nanzenji, dies in Japan 1337 Death Daito Kokushi, leader of O-To-Kan Rinzai school in Japan, dies at 54 1327 Birthday Bassui Tokusho, Zen founder, Kogakuji monastery in Nakamura Japan 1293 Event Earthquake strikes Kamakura Japan, 30,000 killed 1281 Event Kublai Khans invading fleet disappears in typhoon near Japan 1280 Event Sogen Mugaku, founder of Engakuji temple arrives in Japan from China 1278 Death Daikaku, Zen teacher Rinzai line/head of Kenchoji, dies in Japan at 65 1262 Death Shinran, founder of Japan's True Pure Land Buddhist sect, dies 1222 Birthday Nichiren, Japan, Buddhist priest and saint 1200 Birthday Dogen Kigen, Japan, Zen teacher, 1st patriarch of the Japanese Soto 1185 Death Antoku Taira, emperor of Japan (1180-85), drowns 1129 Death Shirakawa, emperor of Japan (1072-86)/budhist monk, dies at 76
