The Japanese National Anthem

RisingSunofNihon ^ | June 11, 2006 | Dr. Bill Belew

[G. Stolyarov II]

Do you want to embarass a Japanese? Ask him to sing Japan's national anthem. It is indeed a real sleeper. It is old - no problem with that - but it is also outdated.

Its title is Kimigayo.

The words can be translated something like -

"May you reign for a 1000 happy years

Rule on lord/friend/lover till the pebbles by age grow

and unite to great rocks

with moss all over its strong sides."

Doesn't that give you goose bumps?

Problem is - it became somewhat of a nationalistic and militaristic anthem, and the lord came to represent the emperor during the wars - Sino-Japanese, Russo-Japanese, Manchurian Incident, and Pacific War.

Emperor Showa (the war was lost under his reign) nearly lasted a 1000 years - actually it was just over 60 years.

Every year around graduation time in Japan, there are voices that say Japan should change its anthem - and the flag, too! - because they remind them (the Japanese) and the world of a very bad time in Japan's history.

Yet it never changes. But perhaps it should.

What do you think?

[G. Stolyarov II]

Does this anthem have any relevance to the current world and the current state of Japan? Can its words be construed to be important to Japanese people today -- and not just to their unfortunate nationalistic and militaristic history? I do not see any such relevance, unless "reign" and "rule" are re-interpreted in a personal sense-- as in "reigning" or "ruling" over one's own life. But that is somewhat a stretch of the definitions of those words. Does anyone else have any ideas? See Dr. Belew’s blog at RisingSunofNihon

[cripplecreek]

Seems like it's something for the Japanese to decide.

[Ronin]

It will never change. You can be sure of that. Kimigayo and the Hinomaru (Rising Sun flag) ARE Japan. They are an integral part of the Yamato way.

Yes, there are always some people yelping on the fringes about both of them, but most Japanese treat them about the same way that Americans treat people calling for a change in the American national anthem of flag.

Wasn't there a movement some years back to have "America the Beautiful" designated the national anthem, and didn't Old Glory fly over a huge number of slave ships before the Civil War?

Let's not get silly. The Star Spangled Banner is the United States National Anthem and Old Glory is the American Flag and that is going to change.

[Chieftain]

National Anthem PING!