Capital of Japan

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The capital of Japan is Tokyo. [1] [2] [3] Throughout history, the national capital of Japan has been in locations other than Tokyo. The oldest capital is Nara.

Contents

While no laws have designated Tokyo as the Japanese capital, many laws have defined a "capital area" (首都圏, shuto-ken) that incorporates Tokyo. Article 2 of the Metropolitan Area Readjustment Act (首都圏整備法) of 1956 states: "In this Act, the term 'capital area' shall denote a broad region comprising both the territory of the Tokyo Metropolis as well as outlying regions designated by cabinet order." This implies that the government has designated Tokyo as the capital of Japan, although (again) it is not explicitly stated, and the definition of the "capital area" is purposely restricted to the terms of that specific law. [4]

Other laws referring to the "capital area" include the Capital Expressway Public Corporation Law (首都高速道路公団法), [5] the Capital Area Greenbelt Preservation Law (首都圏近郊緑地保全法), the Act on Arrangement of Suburban Development and Redevelopment Areas and Urban Development Areas in Metropolitan Area (首都圏の近郊整備地帯及び都市開発区域の整備に関する法律), the Act on State's Special Financial Measures on Arrangement of Suburban Development and Redevelopment Areas, etc. in Tokyo Metropolitan Area, Kinki Area and Chubu Area (首都圏、近畿圏及び中部圏の近郊整備地帯等の整備のための国の財政上の特別措置に関する法律), and the Special Measurements for Greater Tokyo Area earthquakes Law (首都直下地震対策特別措置法). [6] [7]

In February 2018, Seiji Osaka, a member of the House of Representatives, asked the government where the capital of Japan is. In response, Shinzo Abe stated that while no laws define the capital of Japan, they believed that "the capital of Japan is Tokyo is widely accepted by the people". [8] [9]

History

Traditionally, the home of the Emperor is considered the capital. From 794 through 1868, the Emperor lived in Heian-kyō, modern-day Kyoto. [10] [11] After 1868, the seat of the Government of Japan and the location of the Emperor's home was moved to Edo, which it renamed Tokyo. [12] This term for capital was never used to refer to Kyoto. Indeed, shuto came into use during the 1860s as a gloss of the English term "capital".

In 1941, the Ministry of Education published the "designation of Tokyo as capital" (東京奠都, Tōkyō-tento). [13] The Ministry of Education published a book called "History of the Restoration" in 1941. This book referred to "designating Tokyo as capital" (東京奠都, Tōkyō-tento) without talking about "relocating the capital to Tokyo" (東京遷都, Tōkyō-sento). A contemporary history textbook states that the Meiji government "moved the capital (shuto) from Kyoto to Tokyo" without using the sento term. [13]

The proposals to move the capital were conceptualized in 1979, and 16 years later, in 1995, the parliament voted to move the capital away from Tokyo to a place no more than 180 miles and 40 minutes away from the airport, which was planned to be completed in 2010. [14] [15] In 1999, the following sites were proposed: Tochigi and Fukushima prefectures, north of Tokyo; the second candidate is Gifu and Aichi prefectures, south of Tokyo; and the panel recommended the third region near the ancient capitals, Nara, Kyoto, and Shiga prefectures. [16] These plans did not include moving the Imperial Palace, so they were not seen as moving the capital city but rather transferring the government functions. Ryutaro Hashimoto explicitly denied the possibility of moving the capital city (i.e. moving the Imperial Palace) in 1996. [17] [18] The plans for moving were not made later on.

As of 2007, there is a movement to transfer the government functions of the capital from Tokyo while retaining Tokyo as the de facto capital, with the Gifu-Aichi region, the Mie-Kio region and other regions submitting bids for a de jure capital. Officially, the relocation is referred to as "capital functions relocation" instead of "capital relocation", or as "relocation of the Diet and other organizations". [19] [20]

In 2023, the Government of Japan moved the Agency for Cultural Affairs to Kyoto. This was the first time that a central government office has been relocated outside Tokyo since Tokyo was designated as the capital. [21] [22]

List of capitals

Legendary

This list of legendary capitals of Japan begins with the reign of Emperor Jimmu. The names of the Imperial palaces are in parentheses:

  1. Kashihara, Yamato at the foot of Mount Unebi during reign of Emperor Jimmu [23]
  2. Kazuraki, Yamato during reign of Emperor Suizei [24]
  3. Katashiha, Kawachi during the reign of Emperor Annei [24]
  4. Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Itoku. [25]
  5. Waki-no-kami, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Kōshō [26]
  6. Muro, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōan [26]
  7. Kuruda, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Kōrei [26]
  8. Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōgen [26]
  9. Izakaha, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kaika [26]
  10. Shika, Yamato (Palace of Mizugaki) during reign of Emperor Sujin [27]
  11. Shika, Yamato (Palace of Tamagaki) during reign of Emperor Suinin [28]
  12. Makimuko, Yamato (Palace of Hishiro) during reign of Emperor Keikō [29]
  13. Shiga, Ōmi (Palace of Takaanaho) during reign of Emperor Seimu [30]
  14. Ando, Nara (Palace of Toyoura) and Kashiki on the island of Kyushu during reign of Emperor Chūai [30]

Historical

This list of capitals includes the Imperial palaces names in parentheses.

Kofun period

Traditional site of Kusuba-no-Miya Palace in Osaka Prefecture Kusuba-no-Miya.jpg
Traditional site of Kusuba-no-Miya Palace in Osaka Prefecture

Asuka period

1/1000 scale model of Fujiwara-kyo, held by Kashihara-shi Fujiwara-kyo reference room 210401 One-thousandth scale model of Aramashinomiyako.jpg
1/1000 scale model of Fujiwara-kyō, held by Kashihara-shi Fujiwara-kyō reference room

Nara period

1/1000 scale model of Heijo-kyo, held by Nara City Hall 220325 One-thousandth scale model of Heijo Kyo.jpg
1/1000 scale model of Heijō-kyō, held by Nara City Hall

Heian period

1/1000 scale model of Heian-kyo, held by Kyoto City Heiankyo Sosei-Kan Museum Heiankyo overall model.jpg
1/1000 scale model of Heian-kyō, held by Kyoto City Heiankyo Sosei-Kan Museum

Medieval Japan and Early modern period (see also: History of Japan)

Modern Japan (see also: History of Japan)

Historical capitals

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About Japan". The Government of Japan. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "Japan - The World Factbook". CIA. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "Japan country profile". BBC News. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
  4. ↑ "Metropolitan Area Readjustment Act - Japanese/English - Japanese Law Translation". www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  5. ↑ "法律第百三十三号（昭三四・四・一四）". www.shugiin.go.jp. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  6. ↑ "Japanese Law Translation" . Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  7. ↑ "e-Gov 法令検索" . Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  8. ↑ "日本の首都に関する質問主意書". www.shugiin.go.jp. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  9. ↑ "衆議院議員逢坂誠二君提出日本の首都に関する質問に対する答弁書". www.shugiin.go.jp. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  10. ↑ Nussbaum, "Kyōto" at pp. 585-587.
  11. ↑ Wendy, Frey. History Alive!: The Medieval World and beyond. Palo Alto, CA: Teacher's Curriculum Institute, 2005.
  12. 1 2 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tokyo", Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 981–982.
  13. 1 2 国会等の移転ホームページ – 国土交通省. Mlit.go.jp. Retrieved on 2011-04-29.
  14. ↑ "Tokyo: 27 million into one doesn't go". The Montreal Gazette. 7 February 1979. p. 34.
  15. ↑ "Building a new capital city". Manila Standard. 16 December 1995. pp. 25B.
  16. ↑ "Will Japan move capital from crowded Tokyo?". WIlmington Morning Star. December 28, 1999. pp. 5A.
  17. ↑ 土岐寛 (1995-03-30). "首都機能移転問題の軌跡と展望". 大東法学 (in Georgian). 24 (2). 大東文化大学: 54. CRID 1050845762779791872.( 土岐寛 1995 , p. 54, Korea)
  18. ↑ 国会等の移転は首都移転と違うのか 国土交通省・国会等の移転ホームページ
  19. ↑ "Shift of Capital from Tokyo Committee". Japan Productivity Center for Socio-Economic Development. Archived from the original on August 25, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  20. ↑ "Policy Speech by Governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara at the First Regular Session of the Metropolitan Assembly, 2003". Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Archived from the original on 2007-11-03. Retrieved 2007-10-17.
  21. ↑ "After Relocation to Kyoto, Cultural Affairs Agency Starts Operations". The Japan News. March 27, 2023.
  22. ↑ Hiroshi Kajiyama (August 7, 2018). 5th meeting of the Agency for Cultural Affairs Relocation Council (Speech) (in Japanese). MEXT. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018. 文化首都とも言われる京都
  23. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1915). The Imperial Family of Japan, p. 1.
  24. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 2.
  25. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, pp. 2-3.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 3.
  27. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 4.
  28. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 5.
  29. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 6.
  30. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 7.
  31. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 8.
  32. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 9.
  33. ↑ コトバンク「履中天皇」
  34. ↑ コトバンク「反正天皇」
  35. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 10.
  36. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 12.
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Koch, W. (1904). Japan; Geschichte nach japanischen Quellen und ethnographische Skizzen. Mit einem Stammbaum des Kaisers von Japan, p. 13.
  38. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 13.
  39. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 14; excerpt, "Mikaguri Palace"
  40. ↑ Nussbaum, "Asuka" at p. 59.
  41. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 15.
  42. ↑ "枚方八景 樟葉宮跡の杜" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  43. ↑ "筒城宮伝承地（Tsutsuki-no-miya denshochi）" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  44. ↑ "弟国宮（Otokuni-no-miya）遷都1500年記念事業" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  45. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 16.
  46. 1 2 3 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 17; except, "Palace of Kanahashi at Magari, Yamato"
  47. ↑ Brown, Delmer. (1979). Gukanshō, pp. 262–263; excerpt, "... palace was Osada no Miya of Iware in the province of Yamato."
  48. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 18.
  49. ↑ Brown, p. 263; excerpt, "... palace was Namitsuki no Miya at Ikebe in the province of Yamato."
  50. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 19.
  51. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Asuka Historical Museum, Palaces of the Asuka Period," 1995; retrieved 2011-11-25.
  52. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 20.
  53. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 21.
  54. 1 2 なにわ活性化プロジェクト (Naniwa Revialization Project) [ permanent dead link ], August 24, 201; retrieved 2011-11-24.
  55. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 23.
  56. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 24.
  57. ↑ Nussbaum, "Ōtsu mo Miya" at p. 216.
  58. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 25.
  59. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 26.
  60. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 27.
  61. ↑ Nussbaum, "Fujiwara" at pp. 200–201.
  62. 1 2 Nussbaum, "Heijō-kyō" at p. 304.
  63. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 28.
  64. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 29.
  65. ↑ Nussbaum, "Kuni-kyō" at p. 574.
  66. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 30.
  67. 1 2 Nussbaum, "Naniwa" at p. 697.
  68. ↑ Nussbaum, "Nagaoka-kyō" at p. 216–217.
  69. 1 2 Ponsonby-Fane, p. 34.
  70. ↑ "長岡京とは" [About Nagaoka Palace] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2018-06-22.
  71. 1 2 Nussbaum, "Heian-kyō" at pp. 303–304.
  72. ↑ Nussbaum, "Fukuhara" at pp. 216.
  73. ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, p. 37.
  74. ↑ "History of capitals of Japan". gbac. 2016-12-24. Retrieved 2022-12-19.

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