05-04-2025
Japan Times 1925: Peace law has several teeth
100 YEARS AGO
Thursday, April 23, 1925
Peace law has several teeth
The peace preservation law, which, after animated discussion both in and out of the Diet, was finally passed and officially promulgated today. The principal clauses of the law are as follows:
Persons who form or join secret societies which aim at subverting the existing social order or at denying the right of the individual to own private property, are liable to punishment with penal servitude, not to exceed a period of ten years.
Persons who take part in discussions of societies such as stipulated in the above clause even though not belonging to such societies, are liable to punishment by imprisonment for a period not exceeding seven years; persons instigating such acts are also liable to seven years' maximum imprisonment;
Persons aiding or abetting any riot or disturbance, involving loss to life or limb, in order to subvert the existing social order or to deny the private property system, are liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding ten years;
Persons supplying money for financing criminal acts are liable to imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years; those receiving such funds are also liable to similar punishment;
Persons guilty of giving or receiving money for illegal purposes, if surrendering before arrest, will have their punishment reduced or annulled;
This law extends even over those who reside outside the area of the enactment of the law.
With the promulgation of this new law, Imperial Ordinance No. 406, designed to preserve peace, is abrogated.
1925 |
The Japan Times
75 YEARS AGO
Friday, April 7, 1950
Women's Week to begin Apr. 10
Women's Week will be observed from April 10 to 16 this year in cities and communities throughout Japan in commemoration of the third anniversary of women being given the right to vote.
An outgrowth of Women's Day, this unique postwar Japanese observance is sponsored by the Women's and Minors' Bureau of the Labor Ministry. Its purpose is to promote activities which will lead to equality for women — politically, socially and economically.
In promoting women's rights, the sponsors of Women's Week will use newspapers, radio and billboards while study and lecture groups will go into homes, offices, schools and public places to emphasize the rights of Japanese women under the new constitution.
A 'mock' assembly in which 120 women are scheduled to participate will feature the observance at Nagoya City. April 11 will be devoted to orientation on different aspects of Government and the second day to the assembly proper.
Kagoshima, long regarded as one of the most feudalistic prefectures, will be among the most active in observing Women's Week.
For generations women in Kagoshima and elsewhere walked three paces behind their husbands on public thoroughfares, used smaller teacups as symbols of inferiority and entered homes by small entrances at the side of the main doors.
1950 |
The Japan Times
50 YEARS AGO
Tuesday, April 15, 1975
Minobe, Kuroda are re-elected
In Tokyo, incumbent Ryokichi Minobe was elected for the third time, turning back stiff competition put up by Shintaro Ishihara supported by the conservative camp.
Minobe garnered 2,688,566 votes as against Ishihara's 2,336,359.
In Osaka Prefecture, incumbent Ryoichi Kuroda, who ran this time on Communists' support only, coasted to a victory for his second term over his two rivals — one from the conservative camp and the other backed by the Socialist-Komeito-Democratic Socialist alliance.
In Kanagawa Prefecture, Kazuji Nagasu became the first leftwing governor of the prefecture with the combined support of all the reformist forces, to roll over a Liberal-Democrat-backed candidate.
The series of reformists' victories, however, did not jolt the consecutive camp as it would have without its sweep of the 12 governorships on the previous day.
Nor were pollsters betrayed by the results which remarkably came true to their forecasts.
In the race for the governorship of the nation's capital, which shared most of the national spotlight with the Osaka race, Minobe found a tough competitor in his rival Ishihara.
Minobe, however, defeated Ishihara by a margin of 350,000 votes.
1975 |
The Japan Times
25 YEARS AGO
Sunday, April 2, 2000
Museum strives to keep kanji alive
With the spread of word processors and computers, more and more Japanese are forgetting kanji. In an effort to curb this trend and increase interest in the characters, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation in Shimogyo Ward here will open a kanji museum Monday.
The museum, the first of its kind in Japan, will be located on the second floor of the building that houses the foundation's Kyoto office.
On display will be various items that give information regarding kanji, including the history of each character and related artifacts.
It also will have a library and a section where visitors can learn kanji by playing games. A total of 13 different sections will occupy a 600-sq.-meter space.
'Kanji were originally developed from pictorial symbols. After being introduced from China, kanji were adapted to a new environment in Japan, which created its own language forms,' said Noboru Okubo, the museum director. 'I hope this place provides visitors with an environment where they can learn kanji while having fun.'
The foundation, which was established in 1975, has been conducting kanji aptitude tests every year on about 100,000 people.
2000 |
The Japan Times
Compiled by Mike Fu. In this feature, we delve into The Japan Times' 128-year archive to present a selection of stories from the past. The Japan Times' archive is now available in digital format. For more details, see
