With Emperor Akihito abdicating on April 30, the Heisei Era that began Jan. 8, 1989, after his father¡¯s death will also come to an end. With this column I¡¯d like to look back at some of the noteworthy changes that occurred to Japan¡¯s laws and legal institutions during the past three decades.
National flag and anthem
Believe it or not, it was not until the passage of a 1999 statute that Japan¡¯s national flag and anthem achieved official legal status.
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