To some they are symbols of national pride, to others icons of a militaristic past. "Kimigayo," the national anthem, and the Hinomaru, the national flag, have been perpetual sources of controversy ...

No country gets rid of its leaders faster than Japan. The shadow of the guillotine is always there in the background - unless your name happens to be Junichiro Koizumi. Only he, it seems, can escape ...

The Ishigaki city assembly in Okinawa Prefecture recently passed a resolution to ascertain whether children of elementary and junior high school age were taught the “Kimigayo” national anthem in class ...

We explore the origins and history of ‘Kimigayo’, one of the world’s oldest and shortest national anthems. Japan has one of the oldest national anthems in the world. ‘Kimigayo’ is the country’s single ...

JAPAN got their World Cup campaign off to a flying start as they close in on a last-16 qualification spot. A win TODAY against Costa Rica could all but secure their place in the knock-out rounds.

The Tokyo District Court rejected a damages suit Thursday filed by 172 teachers who were punished for refusing to sing the "Kimigayo" national anthem at school events. The suit, filed against the ...

KBS explained that there was "no intention to praise or glorify Japanese imperialism" regarding the broadcast of the opera "Madama Butterfly," which features the Japanese national anthem Kimigayo, on ...

TOKYO -- The Supreme Court has dismissed a damages suit filed by 22 former teachers who argued that the Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education acted illegally by refusing to rehire them for not ...

GIFU -- Gifu University has decided that the "Kimigayo" national anthem will not be sung at its entrance and graduation ceremonies, despite requests from the national government, the institution's ...