Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem

This article is about a law of Japan.

"Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem" is a word-to-word translation for an Act on Japan's national flag and anthem, which was promulgated and enforced on August 13, 1999.

Original name: 国旗及び国歌に関する法律 (abbrev.: 国旗国歌法)

Name in "rōmaji": "Kokki Oyobi Kokka ni Kansuru Hōritsu" (abbrev.: "Kokki Kokka Hō")

English name (non-official): Act on National Flag and National Anthem

Enforced: on August 13, 1999.

Composed of: 2 main articles, 3 supplementary provisions, 2 appended forms.

English translation (non-official): (see the section below.)

Provisions

This Act provides: : by the Ministry of Education had such clauses.

Especially, as to annual ceremonies, revision of March, 1989 (enforced in 1990) of the Courses of Study for junior high and elementary schools demanded: :teachers should fly the national flag and teach students / pupils to sing the national anthem, which was strengthen from 'it's desirable to do so.'

It was becoming an obligatory task for teachers of public schools to display "Hinomaru" and sing "Kimigayo" (as models for the kids) at ceremonies.

udden movement

At the point of February, 1999, the then Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi replied to the Diet that the government thought there was no need for legislation of national flag and anthem. However, this standpoint was changed within a week, presumptively directly triggered by this incident: :on February 28, sadly a principal of a Hiroshima Prefectural senior high school committed a suicide just before its graduation ceremony, apparently due to a dispute over a Prefectural Education Board's order concerning "Hinomaru" and "Kimigayo." Two days later on March 2, 1999, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka announced that the government would seek the legislation. And, on June 11, the Prime Minister submitted the bill.

The bill was passed by the House of Representatives on July 22 by a vote of 403 to 86, and on August 9 by the House of Councillors by a vote of 166 to 71.

English translation (non-official)

Source: : [http://law.e-gov.go.jp/htmldata/H11/H11HO127.html 国旗及び国歌に関する法律(http://law.e-gov.go.jp/htmldata/H11/H11HO127.html)] :on a databese run by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, whose contents are based on the Official Gazettes.

Note: :This is a non-official translation. :The translator consulted [http://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/hourei/0803dictionary.pdf the Standard Bilingual Dictionary (March 2008 edition)] , but not followed it strictly.

----Translation of extracts from:

Act on National Flag and National Anthem

(Act No. 127 of August 13, 1999)

(National Flag)

Article 1.

Height: Two-thirds of the width

"Nisshō ": :Diameter: Three-fifths of the height :Center: The center of the flag

(ii) Coloring

Background: White

"Nisshō": Crimson

Appended Form 2 (Re: Art. 2)

The lyrics and the music of

(i) Lyrics ((original))

:君が代は　千代に八千代に　さざれ石の　いわおとなりて　こけのむすまで

(ii) Music

((tr.: see the omitted image in the source.))