Kimigayo
| English: His Majesty's Reign | |
|---|---|
| 君 が 代 | |
Score of "Kimigayo" | |
National anthem of Japan | |
| Lyrics | waka poem, Heian period (794–1185) |
| Music |
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| Adopted |
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| Readopted | 13 August 1999 (law) |
| Audio sample | |
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version
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"Kimigayo" (君が代) is the national anthem of Japan. The lyrics are from a waka poem written by an unnamed author in the Heian period (794–1185), making the lyrics of "Kimigayo" the oldest lyrics out of any national anthem, and the current melody was chosen in 1880, replacing an unpopular melody composed by John William Fenton in 1869. While the title "Kimigayo" is usually translated as "His Majesty's Reign", no official translation of the title or lyrics have been established in law.
From 1888 to 1945, "Kimigayo" served as the national anthem of the Empire of Japan. When the Empire accepted the Potsdam Declaration and came under Allied occupation, Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) retained the throne, and "Kimigayo" remained the de facto national anthem to preserve the Japanese monarchy. The passage of the Act on National Flag and Anthem in 1999 officially recognized it as both the national and imperial anthem.