The Celebration Committee of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne

1.
Reached a settlement in April 2008 among Nippon Keidanren and others to establish Celebration Committee

　In April 2008, representatives for three (3) associations having campaigned for cerebration in years past; Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Nippon Kaigi (Japan Conference), agreed to establish an organization to promote celebration from 2008 to 2009 for the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne.

　The three associations had played the leading role in setting up and operating cerebration committees and promoting respective ceremony programs. The representative example was “The Celebration Committee in 1986 of marking the sixtieth year of His Majesty the Emperor Showa’s reign”, “The Celebration Committee in 1990 of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne”, and “The Celebration Committee in 1999 of the 10th Anniversary of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne”.

　The representatives for three (3) associations jointly requested in early April 2008 prominent figures to assume a setup originator, so that the following representatives of every sector of society acceded to the post for “The Celebration Committee of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne”.

Setup Originator
Wataru Aso	(President of National Governors’ Association)
Tadashi Okamura	(President of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry)
Yonohiko Oda	(Chairman of Junior Chamber International Japan)
Ichiro Kanazawa	(Chairman of Science Council of Japan)
Yoshihito Karasawa	(Chairman of The Japan Medical Association)
Juro Saito	(Chairman of Japan National Council of Social Welfare)
Yoshiko Sakurai	(Journalist)
Tsuyoshi Takagi	(Chairman of Japanese Trade Union Confederation)
Tunekazu Takeda	(Chairman of The Japanese Olympic Committee)
Jun-ichi Nishizawa	(President of Tokyo Metropolitan University)
Ikuhiro Hattori	(Chairman of Representative Chamber of National Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations)
Yumie Hiraiwa	(Writer)
Masahiko Fujiwara	(Professor of Ochanomizu University)
Yukei Matsunaga	(Chairman of Japan Buddhist Federation)
Shumon Miura	(Director-general of The Japan Art Academy)
Fujio Mitarai	(Chairman of Nippon Keidanren)
Tohru Miyoshi	(former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court)
Isamu Miyata	(Chairman of National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations)
Masami Yatabe	(Director-general of The Association of Shinto Shrines)
Shoichi Watanabe	(Emeritus professor of Sophia University)

2.
General Assembly for Setup on June 5, 2008

　Under attendance of 500 people gathered from every region of the country including board members accepted office in the cerebration committee representing every sector of society, in addition to guests representing the government and the parties, hold was the setup general assembly for “The Celebration Committee of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne” at a hotel in Tokyo on June 5, 2008.

　In the general assembly, Mr. Yonohiko Oda, President of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, served the facilitator, and following an opening address by Mr. Takeo Hiranuma, Chairman of Diet Member Talkfest affiliated with Nippon Conference, a personnel proposal for board members and 5 cerebration programs presented by Mr. Yozo Onari, Secretary-general of the Cerebration Committee, were approved by a unanimous applause.

　Following an oration by Mr. Tadashi Okamura assuming a post of chairman of The Celebration Committee, who is President of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (actually Mr. Toshio Nakamura, Executive director of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, read for the chairman’s speech), congratulatory speeches by following guests of honor were delivered: Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura representing the government, LDP Secretary-General Bunmei Ibuki and Secretary-General Yokio Hatoyama from The Democratic Party of Japan respectively representing parties, and House of Representatives member Nobuyoshi Shimamura representing the caretaker committee of The Diet Celebration League.

　Representing every sector of society, hearty congratulatory speeches were extended by Mr. Nobuo Yamaguchi, President Emeritus of the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Saburo Kawabuchi, Chairman of Japan Football Association, Ms. Atsuko Asano, Actress, and Tadayoshi Nagashima, former village mayor of Yamakoshi, of which name had been already innominate by the municipality merger.

　The finale was three cheers for matter for sacred congratulation lead by a voice chairman, of which role was played by Mr. Masami Yatabe, Director-general of Association of Shinto Shrines, and a closing speech delivered by Mr. Isamu Miyata, Chairman of National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations. Thus the setup general assembly ended in successful meeting.

　Herewith, the nationwide celebratory movement over two years started in full swing.

　Our cerebration committee is a private organization but we addresses the following cerebration programs in cooperation with “The Diet Celebration League of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne (chairman; Mr. Yoshiro Mori, former Prime Minister)” composed of supra-party Diet member:

1.
The National Celebration for the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne on Dec. 19, 2008

　The cerebration committee will hold the National Celebration on Dec. 19, 2008 (Monday) in the run-up to any ceremony to warm up the momentum of the nationwide celebratory movement. For local activities, the committee will set up local private cerebration committees by prefecture and city to conduct myriad cerebration programs. In addition to this, the committee intends to ask government and local governments to promote cerebration commemorative programs.

1	Time and Date	from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 19, 2008
2	Site	the JCB Hall in Tokyo-Dome City
3	Organizer	The Celebration Committee of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne, jointly hosted by The Diet Celebration League of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne
4		About 4,000 supporters consisting of groups and individuals from all quarters attended in addition to guests from government and diplomatic corps to Japan

2.
The National Festival in front of Imperial Palace on Nov. 12, 2009

　On Nov. 12, 2009 of the anniversary day of His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne, the committee will hold “The National Festival for the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne” in the open space in front of Imperial Palace arranged as a central site, forecasting the tens of thousands of prospective participant.

1	Time and Date	planned from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2009
2	Site	open space in front of Imperial Palace (National Park) and the ambient area
3	Participant	The committee solicits voluntary participant of representatives from every sector of society, players of local performing art and volunteers marching in a parade, and also organizes a celebratory lantern-light event of the tens of thousands of prospective participant in the open space in front of Imperial Palace.
4	Organizer	The Celebration Committee of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne, jointly hosted by The Diet Celebration League of the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne
5	Prospective Sponsorship	Cabinet Office, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Ministry of the Environment, The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, etc.

3.
Request to Government and Local Governments

　His Majesty The Emperor has been praying for peace in the world and happiness of general public through royal visits at home and abroad since accession to the throne. To convey general public’s gratitude to His Majesty The Emperor having striven so far as symbol of the state and the unity of the people, the committee requests all quarters to implement cerebration commemorative programs.

1	The committee asks the Diet to promptly make laws to ordain the day of November 12, 2009 as extra holiday.
2	The committee asks the government to host a commemorative ceremony and have the government ministries and agencies implement various commemorative programs.
3	The committee requests local governments to implement various commemorative programs.
4	The committee requests all sorts of private entities and companies to implement a wide variety of commemorative programs.

4.
Nationwide Promotion of PR Activities

1	The committee will produce a movie putting general public on notice of His Majesty of The Emperor’s sacred virtue, and promote simultaneously nationwide its showing at municipality, schools, a wide variety of companies and private entities, etc. Produced commemorative movie titled “Royal Visit in Heisei Era” Vol.1: Prayer for disaster-stricken area to return to normal Vol.2: Prayer for the repose of war dead soul and peace
2	The committee will campaign to donate the movie to popular libraries in order for general public to be able to look and listen it as part of social education.
3	Cabinet Office and Imperial Household Agency produces a commemorative movie for the 20th anniversary. The committee will promote activities to put the movie into public circulation and put on the screen for juveniles.
4	The committee will produce and distribute edifying brochures to introduce historical events and official duties His Majesty The Emperor has been assuming.
5	The committee will hold photo panel exhibitions in many parts of the nation for the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty the Emperor’s Accession to the Throne.
6	The committee will establish an Internet website to introduce congratulatory programs conducted in many parts of the nation and by every sector of society.

5.
Promotion of cultural program marking the 20th anniversary of His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne

1	The committee will hold a celebratory event to congratulate on the golden wedding of Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress. (Note: This event is held on April 10, 2009.)
2	The committee will implement commemorative publication of books and memorial events in order to introduce successive Emperors and history of the imperial family.
3	The committee will issue a commemorative calendar for the purpose of edifying general public with regard to significance about 20 years since His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne. (Note: This calendar is produced in autumn of 2008 and distributed to those involved.)
4	The committee will implement commemorative publication of a book gathering congratulatory for the 20th Anniversary of His Majesty The Emperor’s Accession to the Throne, delivered by persons representing every sector of society.
5	The committee will implement search record as to royal visits at home and overseas, including putting in an appearance at nationwide tree-planting ceremonies, local visits such as turning out for National Sports Festival, overseas visits for rapprochement, journey for memorial service and mourn for war dead, and other trips such as going and comforting the disaster victims.