The capital of Japan is Tokyo."About Japan". The Government of Japan. Retrieved 9 March 2022."Japan - The World Factbook". CIA. Retrieved 9 March 2022."Japan country profile". BBC News. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 8 December 2015. Throughout history, the national capital of Japan has been in locations other than Tokyo. The oldest capital is Nara.
Legal status
While no laws have designated Tokyo as the Japanese capital, many laws have defined a that incorporates Tokyo. Article 2 of the 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.
Other laws referring to the "capital area" include the , the , the , the , and the .
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".
History Traditionally, the home of the Emperor is considered the capital. From 794 through 1868, the Emperor lived in Heian-kyō, modern-day Kyoto.Nussbaum, "Kyōto" at pp. 585-587.Wendy, Frey. History Alive!: The Medieval World and beyond. Palo Alto, CA: Teacher's Curriculum Institute, 2005. 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.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Tokyo", Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 981–982. 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 .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. The Ministry of Education published a book called "History of the Restoration" in 1941. This book referred to without talking about . A contemporary history textbook states that the Meiji government "moved the capital (shuto) from Kyoto to Tokyo" without using the sento term.
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. 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. 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.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 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".
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.
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:
Kashihara, Yamato at the foot of Mount Unebi during reign of Emperor JimmuPonsonby-Fane, Richard. (1915). The Imperial Family of Japan, p. 1. Kazuraki, Yamato during reign of Emperor SuizeiPonsonby-Fane, p. 2. Katashiha, Kawachi during the reign of Emperor Annei Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Itoku.Ponsonby-Fane, pp. 2-3. Waki-no-kami, Yamato during the reign of Emperor KōshōPonsonby-Fane, p. 3. Muro, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōan Kuruda, Yamato during the reign of Emperor Kōrei Karu, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kōgen Izakaha, Yamato during reign of Emperor Kaika Shika, Yamato (Palace of Mizugaki) during reign of Emperor SujinPonsonby-Fane, p. 4. Shika, Yamato (Palace of Tamagaki) during reign of Emperor SuininPonsonby-Fane, p. 5. Makimuko, Yamato (Palace of Hishiro) during reign of Emperor KeikōPonsonby-Fane, p. 6. Shiga, Ōmi (Palace of Takaanaho) during reign of Emperor SeimuPonsonby-Fane, p. 7. Ando, Nara (Palace of Toyoura) and Kashiki on the island of Kyushu during reign of Emperor Chūai
Historical This list of capitals includes the Imperial palaces names in parentheses.
Kofun period Karushima, Yamato (Palace of Akira), reign of Emperor ŌjinPonsonby-Fane, p. 8. Naniwa, Settsu (Palace of Takatsu), reign of Emperor NintokuPonsonby-Fane, p. 9. Iware, Yamato (Palace of Wakasakura), reign of Emperor Richūコトバンク「履中天皇」 Tajihi, Kawachi (Palace of Shibakaki), reign of Emperor Hanzeiコトバンク「反正天皇」 Asuka, Yamato (Palace of Tohotsu), reign of Emperor IngyōPonsonby-Fane, p. 10. Isonokami, Yamato (Palace of Anaho), reign of Emperor AnkōPonsonby-Fane, p. 12. Sakurai, Nara (Hatsuse no Asakura Palace), 457–479Koch, W. (1904). Japan; Geschichte nach japanischen Quellen und ethnographische Skizzen. Mit einem Stammbaum des Kaisers von Japan, p. 13. in reign of Emperor YūryakuPonsonby-Fane, p. 13. Sakurai, Nara (Iware no Mikakuri Palace), 480–484 in reign of Emperor SeineiPonsonby-Fane, p. 14; excerpt, "Mikaguri Palace" Asuka, Yamato (Chikatsu-Asuka-Yatsuri Palace), 485–487Nussbaum, "Asuka" at p. 59. in reign of Emperor Kenzō Tenri, Nara (Isonokami Hirotaka Palace), 488–498 in reign of Emperor NinkenPonsonby-Fane, p. 15. Sakurai, Nara (Nimiki Palace), 499–506 in reign of Emperor Buretsu
Hirakata, Osaka (Kusuba Palace), 507–511 Kyōtanabe, Kyoto (Tsutsuki Palace), 511–518 in reign of Emperor Keitai Nagaoka-kyō (Otokuni Palace), 518–526 in reign of Keitai Sakurai, Nara (Iware no Tamaho Palace), 526–532 in reign of KeitaiPonsonby-Fane, p. 16. Kashihara, Nara (Magari no Kanahashi Palace), 532–535 in reign of Emperor AnkanPonsonby-Fane, p. 17; except, "Palace of Kanahashi at Magari, Yamato" Sakurai, Nara (Hinokuma no Iorino Palace), 535–539 in reign of Emperor Senka
Asuka period Asuka, Yamato (Shikishima no Kanasashi Palace), 540–571 in reign of Emperor Kinmei Kōryō, Nara (Kudara no Ohi Palace), 572–575 Sakurai, Nara (Osata no Sakitama Palace or Osada no Miya), 572–585Brown, Delmer. (1979). Gukanshō, pp. 262–263; excerpt, "... palace was Osada no Miya of Iware in the province of Yamato." in reign of Emperor BidatsuPonsonby-Fane, p. 18. Shiki District, Nara (Iwareikebe no Namitsuki Palace), 585–587Brown, p. 263; excerpt, "... palace was Namitsuki no Miya at Ikebe in the province of Yamato." in the reign of Emperor YōmeiPonsonby-Fane, p. 19. Shiki District, Nara (Kurahashi no Shibagaki Palace), 587–592 in the reign of Emperor Sushun Asuka, Yamato (Toyura Palace or Toyura-no-miya), 593–603Asuka Historical Museum, Palaces of the Asuka Period," 1995; retrieved 2011-11-25. in the reign of Empress SuikoPonsonby-Fane, p. 20. Asuka, Yamato (Oharida Palace or Oharida-no-miya), 603–629 in the reign of Suiko Asuka, Yamato (Okamoto Palace or Oakmoto-no-miya), 630–636 in the reign of Emperor JomeiPonsonby-Fane, p. 21. Kashihara, Nara (Tanaka Palace or Tanaka-no-miya), 636–639 Kōryō, Nara (Umayasaka Palace or Umayasaka-no-miya, 640 Kōryō, Nara (Kudara Palace or Kudara-no-miya), 640–642 Asuka, Yamato (Oharida Palace), 642–643 Asuka, Yamato (Itabuki Palace or Itabuki no miya), 643–645 in the reign of Empress Kōgyoku Osaka (Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki Palace), 645–654 なにわ活性化プロジェクト (Naniwa Revialization Project), August 24, 201; retrieved 2011-11-24. in the reign of Emperor KōtokuPonsonby-Fane, p. 23. Asuka, Yamato (Itabuki Palace), 655–655 in the reign of Kōtoku Asuka, Yamato (Kawahara Palace or Kawahara-no-miya), 655–655 Asuka, Yamato (Okamoto Palace or Nochi no Asuka-Okamoto-no-miya), 656–660 in the reign of Emperor SaimeiPonsonby-Fane, p. 24. Asakura, Fukuoka (Asakura no Tachibana no Hironiwa Palace or Asakure no Tachibana no Hironiwa-no-miya), 660–661 Osaka, (Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki Palace), 661–667 Ōtsu, Shiga (Ōmi Ōtsu Palace or Ōmi Ōtsu-no-miya), 667–672Nussbaum, "Ōtsu mo Miya" at p. 216. in reign of Emperor Tenji and the reign of Emperor KōbunPonsonby-Fane, p. 25. Asuka, Yamato (Kiyomihara Palace or Kiomihara-no-miya), 672–694 in the reign of Emperor TenmuPonsonby-Fane, p. 26. and in the reign of Empress JitōPonsonby-Fane, p. 27.
Fujiwara-kyō (Fujiwara Palace), 694–710Nussbaum, "Fujiwara" at pp. 200–201. in the reign of Emperor Monmu
Nara period
Heijō-kyō (Heijō Palace), 710–740Nussbaum, "Heijō-kyō" at p. 304. in the reigns of Empress Genmei,Ponsonby-Fane, p. 28. Empress Genshō,Ponsonby-Fane, p. 29. and Emperor Shōmu Kuni-kyō (Kuni Palace), 740–744Nussbaum, "Kuni-kyō" at p. 574. in the reign of ShomuPonsonby-Fane, p. 30. Naniwa-kyō (), 744Nussbaum, "Naniwa" at p. 697. Naniwa-kyō, Shigaraki Palace, 744–745 Heijō-kyō (Heijō Palace), 745–784 Nagaoka-kyō (Nagaoka Palace), 784–794Nussbaum, "Nagaoka-kyō" at p. 216–217. in the reign of Emperor KanmuPonsonby-Fane, p. 34.
Heian period
Heian-kyō (Heian Palace), 794–1180Nussbaum, "Heian-kyō" at pp. 303–304. in the reign of Kammu and others Fukuhara Palace, 1180Nussbaum, "Fukuhara" at pp. 216. in the reign of Emperor AntokuPonsonby-Fane, p. 37.
Medieval Japan and Early modern period (see also: History of Japan) Heian-kyō or Kyōto (Heian Palace), 1180–1868 Yoshino (Nanboku-chō period), 1336–1392
Modern Japan (see also: History of Japan) Tōkyō (Kōkyo), 1868–present
Historical capitals Hiraizumi was the capital of totally independent Northern Fujiwara polity (Ōshū) based in Tōhoku region, having defeated Emishi tribes. This polity existed as Kyoto's internal politics prevented Kyoto's authority from 1100 to 1189. Hakodate was the capital of the short lived Republic of Ezo (1869). Shuri was the capital of Ryukyu Kingdom (1429–1879) and Urasoe was capital of Chuzan from at least 1350, which predated the Ryukyu Kingdom.
See also List of capitals and largest cities by country
References
Further reading Fiévé, Nicolas and Paul Waley. (2003). Japanese Capitals in Historical Perspective: Place, Power and Memory in Kyoto, Edo and Tokyo. New York: Psychology Press.
External links