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Kimi ga Yo (君が代), often translated as "May your reign last forever" is Japan's National Anthem, and is also one of the world's shortest national anthems in current use. The lyrics are based on a Waka poem written in the Heian Period, sung to a melody written in the later Meiji Era. The current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed eleven years earlier.

Although Kimi ga Yo has long been Japan's de facto national anthem, it was only legally recognized as such in 1999 with the passing of the Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem. After its adoption, there was controversy over the performance of the anthem at public school ceremonies. Along with the national flag, Kimi ga Yo was considered to be a symbol of the imperialism and the militarism in wartime.

Lyrics

In modern Japanese, "kimi" means "my sweetheart" or "you." However, from the Heian era (when the poem was written) until the early 20th century, kimi meant "lord" or "lady." For example, Prince Genji, the protagonist from the Tale of Genji being called Hikaru no kimi (光の君): the Shining Prince. Another example, from the late 16th to early 17th century, is Toyotomi Hideyoshi's concubine, Yodo-gimi (淀君), or Lady Yodo.

Origin

The lyrics first appeared in a poem anthology, Kokin Wakashū, as an anonymous poem. While anonymous poems were not uncommon at that time, and the author may have been in fact unknown, the anonymity might be because the author belonged to one of the lower classes. The poem was also included in a lot of anthologies, and in a later period used as a celebration song by people of all walks of life. Unlike the current anthem, the poem began with "waga kimi wa" (" you, my lord") instead of "Kimi ga Yo wa" (" your reign"). The change of the lyrics occurred during the Kamakura period.

In 1869, around the start of the Meiji Era, John William Fenton, a visiting Irish military band leader, realized that there was no national anthem in Japan, and recommended Iwao Oyama, an officer of the Satsuma Clan, to make the national anthem of Japan. Iwao agreed and selected the lyrics. The lyrics are said to have been chosen for their similarity to the British national anthem, due to Fenton stressing the song and also the importance of having a national anthem. Iwao then asked Fenton to make the melody for it. The melody was composed and was performed before the Emperor in 1870. Due to the pressure of the Japanese, Fenton had only three weeks to compose the music and a few days to rehearse before performing the anthem to the Emperor. This was the first version of Kimi ga Yo, which was discarded because of the melody lacked solemnity. However, a yearly performance of his version occurs yearly at the Myoukoji Shrine in Yokohama. As this is where Fenton was based as a military band leader, the Myoukoji Shrine 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. The German musician Franz von Eckert applied the melody with Western style harmony. This is the second and current version of Kimi ga Yo. By 1893, Kimi ga Yo was included in public school ceremonies due to efforts by the Ministry of Education. According to the Japan Times, Kimi ga Yo is played in C major.

Controversy

Since the end of World War II, there has been criticism of the anthem for its association with militarism and the virtual worship of the emperor as a deity, which some see as incompatible with a democratic society. Similar objections have been raised to Japan's current national flag, and demonstrations are sometimes held against both. In 1999, the Japanese government passed the Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem, which designated Kimi ga Yo as the official anthem and the Hinomaru as the national flag.

Schools have seen conflict over both the anthem and the flag, as the Tokyo Board of Education requires that the anthem be sung and that the flag be flown at events at Tokyo metropolitan government schools, and that school teachers respect both (by, for example, standing for the singing of the anthem) or risk losing their jobs. Some have protested that such rules violate the Japanese constitution, while the Board, for its part, has argued that since schools are government agencies, their employees have an obligation to teach their students how to be good Japanese citizens.

Opponents respond that as Japan is a democratic country, a national anthem praising a monarch is not appropriate and that forced participation in a ceremony involving the singing of an anthem is against the free thought clause in the Japanese Constitution. The government stated at the time of the 1999 law that the lyrics are meant to wish for Japan to be at peace with the emperor as a symbol of unity.

In 2006 Katsuhisa Fujita, a retired teacher in Tokyo, was threatened with imprisonment, and fined 200,000 yen (about 2,000 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 have 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.

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 women.

On 21 September, 2006, the Tokyo District Court ordered the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to pay compensation to all the teachers who had been subjected to fines and/or punishment under the directive of the Tokyo Board of Education. Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi commented, "It is a natural idea to treat the national anthem importantly". This was seen as a landmark ruling in Japan upholding the Fundamental Law of Education in Japan. The ruling has been appealed by the Metropolitan Government.

Protocol

In the Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem, there is no detailed protocol on how to show respect towards Kimi ga Yo when it is being performed. However, local government bodies and private organizations either give suggestions or demand a certain protocol is to be followed. For example, an October 2003 directive by the Tokyo City Government told all teachers to stand during the national anthem at all graduation ceremonies. While standing, the teachers are required to sing Kimi ga Yo while facing the Hinomaru. United States military personnel in Japan are required by regulations to place their right hand over their heart when either Kimi ga Yo, The Star Spangled Banner or any national anthem is performed. The Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem also doesn't dictate on when or where Kimi ga Yo needs to be played. Kimi ga Yo, however, is commonly played at sporting events inside of Japan, or during international sporting events where Japan has a competing team. During sumo tournaments, Kimi ga Yo is played before the award ceremonies.

Recordings

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See also

• Flag of Japan
• Korean Empire Aegukga (modified to resemble the Kimi ga Yo)

References

1. ^ Hinomaru, 'Kimigayo' express conflicts both past and future. Written by Jun Hungo. Published July 17, 2007. Retrieved July 26, 2007.
2. Yokota, Yukio. "Inside "Wa ga kimi" Information". Furuta's Historical Science Association. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
3. ^ Japan Policy Research Institute JPRI Working Paper No. 79. Published July 2001. Retrieved July 7, 2007
4. ^ Aura Sabadus (2006-03-14). "Japan searches for Scot who modernised nation". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2007-12-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
5. ^ Colin Joyce (2005-08-30). "Briton who gave Japan its anthem". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-12-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
6. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "National Flag and Anthem". Japan Access. The Embassy of Japan in Singapore. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
7. A touchy subject , The Guardian, June 5, 2006. Accessed July 29, 2006.
8. Tokyo: Students must sing 'Kimigayo', Asahi Shimbun, March 15, 2006. Accessed July 29, 2006.
9. FEATURE: Upcoming verdict on retired teacher draws attention, Kyodo News, May 24, 2006. Accessed July 29, 2006.
10. AFP (31 May 2006). "Japanese teacher fined for anthem protest". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2007-12-10. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
11. M.Morioka (2006). "Parody of the Japanese national anthem, Kiss me Kimigayo". Life Studies Blog. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
12. Japan's rebels sing out with English parody of anthem: Parody of the Japanese national anthem, Kiss me Kimigayo, The Guardian, May 30, 2006. Accessed July 29, 2006.
13. The original article of the content (in Japanese), Sankei Shimbun May 29, 2006. Accessed July 31, 2006.
14. "City Hall to appeal 'Kimigayo' ruling". The Japan Times. 2006-09-23. Retrieved 2007-10-25. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
15. "Coercion can't foster respect". The Japan Times. 2004-04-07. Retrieved 2007-12-19. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
16. Carlee, Trevor (2005-02-18). "Corps places hand over heart for national anthem". Okinawa Marine. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved 2007-12-19. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

External links

• Web-Japan.org National Flag and Anthem
• About.com Japanese national anthem - Kimigayo

• Asian anthems
• National symbols of Japan
• Japanese poetry
• Japanese songs
• National anthems