| Western Calendar Year (Japanese Calendar) |
Japanese Bible Translation Information | Books Published | General Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1455 | Gutenberg prints the Gutenberg Bible |
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| 1548 | |||
| 1549 (Tenbun 18) |
Francis Xavier arrives in Japan; said to have had 300 missionaries, over 200 churches, and 200,000-300,000 followers during peak influence. There were universities; Christian books were printed (including excerpts from the Works of Saints, Doctrina Christiana, Guia do Pecador, and the Japanese-Portuguese Dictionary); words of the Bible were translated in prayers. The New Testament seems to have been translated in the early 18th century, but it no longer exists. |
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| 1564 | |||
| 1599 |
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| 1813 | |||
| 1823 (Bunsei 6) |
Morrison and Milne The Holy Bible | ||
| 1837 (Tenpo 8) |
Gutzlaff (Karl Friedrich August Gutzleff) publishes the Gospel of John and Letters of John with the help of Japanese drifters in Singapore. |
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| 1850 | |||
| 1851 (Kaei 4) |
Around this time, Samuel W. Williams (Samuel Wells Williams) translates the Gospel of Matthew in Macau. |
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(China) Taiping Rebellion; (Britain) First World Fair in London; (US) first issue of "New York Daily News" |
| 1852 (Kaei 5) |
Medhurst and other Chinese delegate committee members publish a Chinese translation of the New Testament in Shanghai. |
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(France) Napoleon III takes the throne, start of the 2nd imperial government |
| 1853 |
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| 1854 (Kaei 7 / Ansei 1) |
Medhurst and other Chinese delegate committee members publish a Chinese translation of the Old Testament in Shanghai. |
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Perry's second arrival of ships, "Japan-America Peace Treaty" signed in Yokohama |
| 1855 (Ansei 2) |
Bernard J. Bettelheim (Bernard Jean Bettelheim) publishes the Gospel of John, Acts of the Apostles, and Romans in the Ryukyu language in Hong Kong. | Treaty of Shimoda, opening of Hakodate Port, navy training location in Nagasaki; (France) World Fair held in Paris | |
| 1856 (Ansei 3) |
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Japan-The Netherlands Treaty, Institute for Western Learning (successor to Japanese Learning of Barbarian Places) renamed Institute for the Study of Barbarian Books, Foreign Trade Investigation Office established; (China) Second Opium War | |
| 1857 (Ansei 4) |
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| 1858 (Ansei 5) |
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Japan-US Friendship and Trade Treaty and foreign trade laws signed, commission treaties of commerce made between Japan and The Netherlands, Russia, Britain, and France; Ansei Purge; (India) downfall of the Mughal Empire | |
| 1859 (Ansei 6) |
Hepburn and Brown arrive in Yokohama; Verbeck arrives in Nagasaki |
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Ansei Purge; opening of Japan |
| 1860 (Ansei 7 / Man'en 1) |
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Karin Maru heads for the US; Sakuradamon Incident | |
| 1861 (Man'en 2 / Bunkyu 1) |
Bridgeman, Culbertson Chinese translation of the New Testament; Hepburn and S.R. Brown begin a Japanese translation of the Bible |
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US foreign mission interpreter Heusken assassinated; Amity Treaty of Commerce signed with Prussia; (US) outbreak of Civil War (-1865); Kazunomiya goes to Edo |
| 1862 (Bunkyu 2) |
Verbeck holds Bible classes in Nagasaki; Hepburn goes to Foreign Settlement No. 39 |
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Namamugi Incident; envoys depart for Europe |
| 1863 (Bunkyu 3) |
Bridgeman, Culbertson Chinese translation of the Old Testament; Hepburn and S.R. Brown do partial translations of the Four Gospels, Genesis, Exodus, etc.; full launch of the Hepburn School Yokohama Foreign Settlement No. 39; Thompson arrives in Japan; Verbeck becomes vice principal of Nagasaki English School; Kajinosuke Ibuka arrives in Tokyo |
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Anglo-Satsuma War |
| 1864 (Genji 1) |
Korekiyo Takahashi studies under Clara Hepburn | Shimoseki Campaign by joint naval forces from Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and the US | |
| 1865 (Keio 1) |
Ryuzan Yano baptized by J.H. Ballagh with Hepburn as witness |
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End of the US Civil War |
| 1866 (Keio 2) |
Masanori Murata baptized by Verbeck; J.H. Ballagh starts Bible classes |
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Satsuma and Choshu alliance; Second Choshu War; shogunate-Britain exchange students depart; Austro-Prussian War; International Workingmen's Association First Congress |
| 1867 (Keio 3) |
Hepburn, J.H. Ballagh, and Thompson begin translating the "Gospel of Matthew"; first edition of the "Japanese and English Dictionary with English and Japanese Index" published; Shinri Ichi [Truth and Divine Wisdom] |
|
Tokugawa Yoshinobu restores imperial rule |
| 1868 (Keio 4 / Meiji 1) |
Hepburn, J.H. Ballagh, and Thompson complete the "Gospel of Matthew"; Yokohama Kaigan Church is established; Christian oppression "Urakami Yoban Kuzure" 3,770 exiled and 662 dead by 1873 |
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Meiji Restoration; Shinto and Buddhism Separation Order |
| 1869 (Meiji 2) |
Henry Stout and wife arrive in Nagasaki; Verbeck becomes a teacher at Kaisei School; Carothers arrives in Japan; Kidder arrives in Japan | Return of land and people from feudal lords to the emperor; Boshin War; Tsukiji foreign settlement established | |
| 1870 (Meiji 3) |
S.R. Brown becomes a teacher at Yokohama Shubunkan; Kidder becomes a teacher at the Hepburn School |
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Tokyo-Yokohama telegraph opens |
| 1871 (Meiji 4) |
Jonathan Goble publishes the Gospel of Matthew; Hepburn revises the Gospel of Mark with the cooperation of Masatsuna Okuno; J.H. Ballagh starts a school |
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Abolition of feudal domains and establishment of prefectures; establishment of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture |
| 1872 (Meiji 5) |
Hepburn and S.R. Brown publish the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of John in Yokohama; in September, at Hepburn's residence at Yokohama Foreign Settlement No. 39, the Protestant Missionary Council decides to embark on a joint translation of the New Testament; the American Bible Society presents an English Bible to the emperor; the Japan Christ Church is founded in Yokohama; Loomis, E.R. Miller, J.C. Ballagh, and Wyckoff arrive in Japan; a second edition of the Japanese and English Dictionary with English and Japanese Index is published |
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Tokyo-Yokohama railway opens; solar calendar use begins; school system proclamation |
| 1873 (Meiji 6) |
Hepburn and S.R. Brown publish the Gospel of Matthew in Yokohama; Hepburn publishes a Romanized Japanese Gospel of John at the New York American Bible Society; Urakami followers are released; N. Brown arrives in Japan; Masahisa Uemura is baptized by J.H. Ballagh; Brown School opens at Yamate No. 211; Tokyo Christ Church is founded; Kajinosuke Ibuka is baptized by Brown; O.M. Green arrives in Japan; a New York edition of the Japanese and English Dictionary with English and Japanese Index is published |
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Order for prohibition of Christians is revoked; land tax revision; Conscription Ordinance |
| 1874 (Meiji 7) |
The "Translation Committee Company" is formed, with S.R. Brown as chairman, and translation begins at the Brown residence; the first hymnal is published; the Yokohama Presbyterian Church is founded; an English school (Rikkyo) is founded on Episcopal Church reclaimed land; a girls primary school is founded (Aoyama Gakuin) |
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Conquest of Taiwan; petition to establish a popularly elected congress |
| 1875 (Meiji 8) |
Hepburn and S.R. Brown publish the Gospel of Luke; the Scottish Bible Society branch is established; N. Brown will soon publish New Testament volumes including the Gospel of Matthew, Epistle of James, etc., using hirakana printing type; Carothers' revision of Kuro Kato's Brief Explanation of the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1, is published; J.C. Ballagh becomes head of the Hepburn School; Imbrie and McLaren arrive in Japan; Verbeck becomes legal advisor of the Grand Council of State; Doshisha English School is founded |
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Ganghwa Island Incident; newspaper ordinance |
| 1876 (Meiji 9) |
Tokyo Bible Translation Council is formed and begins translating the Old Testament; the Great Britain Bible Society and the American Bible Society set up branches in Japan; Hepburn and S.R. Brown publish Romans; the Translation Committee Company Gospel of Luke and Hebrews; Carothers' revision of Kuro Kato's Brief Explanation of the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2, is published; N. Brown withdraws from the translation committee |
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| 1877 (Meiji 10) |
Translation Committee Company: Gospel of Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of John, Letters of John, Acts of the Apostles, Epistle to the Corinthians, Epistle to the Romans; Thompson translation Old Testament Genesis Chapters 1, 2, 3; the United Church of Christ in Japan is founded; classes begin at the Tokyo Union Theological School; Knox arrives in Japan |
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Satsuma Rebellion; Tokyo University established |
| 1878 (Meiji 11) |
Translation Committee Company Gospel of John (Revised), Corinthians 1 and 2, Kunten "New Testament Four Gospels Unabridged"; multi-sect, collaborative "Bible Translation Standing Committee" is formed at the United Church of Tokyo, chairman J.C. Hepburn; Tokyo Translation Committee dissolves; level Gospel of Matthew |
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| 1879 (Meiji 12) |
Translation Committee Company publishes katakana versions of Bible volumes Ephesians and Philippians, Thessalonians 1 and 2, completes translation of Bible in November; N. Brown publishes Tetsuya Kawakatsu's complete translation of the New Testament The New Testament; Kunten New Testament is published; S.R. Brown returns to the US |
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Yasukuni Shrine established; education regulations enacted |
| 1880 (Meiji 13) |
Translation Committee Completes the "New Testament," holds a celebration for completing the New Testament translation in April at the Tsukiji Shinsakae Church; Annotated New Testament is published; J.C. Hepburn publishes a Romanized Japanese version of the New Testament in Yokohama; death of S.R. Brown; Hepburn School moves to Tsukiji government school; Tokyo Christian University Young Persons' Association is formed; B.H. Chamberlain's "A Suggestion for Japanese Translations of the Psalms" in the Asia Association Magazine proposes translating them into a Japanese epic poem format. |
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Education regulations amended; assembly ordinance |
| 1881 (Meiji 14) |
Jonah, Haggai, Malachi, Joshua, true kana version New Testament, English and Japanese New Testament, Kunten Old Testament Genesis; Henry Loomis becomes chief editor of the American Bible Society; Kajinosuke Ibuka New Testament Gospel of Mark; Senshi School opens; first convention of the United Church of Christ in Japan |
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Imperial instructions to establish the National Diet |
| 1882 (Meiji 15) |
Jonah, Haggai, Malachi, Joshua, Kunten Numbers, Kunten Exodus, Kunten Proverbs; J.C. Hepburn Romanized Japanese Old and New Testament; Japanese Department and English Department established at Tokyo Union Theological School; first graduation ceremony at Tsujiki government school |
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Bank of Japan is established |
| 1883 (Meiji 16) |
Bible Translation Standing Committee Proverbs, Genesis, Samuel 1 and 2, Kings Abridged Volume 1; Kunten Old Testament, Kunten New Testament Four Gospels; New Testament Four Gospels; Translation Standing Committee accepts participation of Japanese translation committee members; G.F. Verbeck "History of Evangelism in Japan" speech at the Second Missionary Convention in Osaka; Senshi School and Tsukiji government school merge to become Tokyo United English-Japanese School |
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Rokumeikan opens |
| 1884 (Meiji 17) |
Jeremiah, Judges and Ruth, Kings Abridged Volume 2, Ezekiel, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers Abridged; English-Japanese preparatory schools open in Kanda Awajicho and Kanazawa Takaokacho |
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Dissolution of the Liberal Party; Gunma, Chichibu, Kabasan, Nagoya, and Iida Incidents |
| 1885 (Meiji 18) |
Deuteronomy, Daniel; Eastern Orthodox Church Psalms; English-Japanese preparatory schools move to Fujimicho, Kojimachi ward; United English-Japanese School gets a baseball team |
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Tianjin Incident signed; Grand Council of State system abolished and cabinet system established; Fukuzawa Yukichi Argument for Leaving Asia |
| 1886 (Meiji 19) |
Hosea, Joel, Zephaniah, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum, Zephaniah, Zechariah, Song of Solomon; death of N. Brown; third edition of Japanese and English Dictionary with English and Japanese Index published by Maruzen; proposal to merge Tokyo Union Theological School, Tokyo United English-Japanese School, and Tokyo United English-Japanese Preparatory School into Meiji Gakuin; purchase of Shirokane School land | ||
| 1887 (Meiji 20) |
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Chronicles, Isaiah, Psalms, Song of Solomon and Lamentations, Job, Proverbs and Song of Solomon (Revised); Kunten Old and New Testament; Meiji Gakuin establishment permitted; construction of Sandham Building and Hepburn Building completed; General Studies Department moves to Shirokane; Toson Shimazaki matriculates; Steel Memorial School opens in Nagasaki |
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Regulations for preservation of law and order; Shimei Futabatei Floating Clouds |
| 1888 (Meiji 21) |
Celebration for completion of Japanese Bible held at Tsukiji Shinsakae Church; J.C. Hepburn Japanese and English Psalms published in Yokohama; J.L. Amerman Gospel of Mark; Verbeck becomes chairman of board of directors; Ibuka, Niijima, and others submit a "Petition for Official Government Permission of Christianity" to the senate; Toson Shimazaki is baptized |
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| 1889 (Meiji 22) |
J. Batchelor Ainu language translations of Jonah, Gospel of Matthew |
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Meiji Constitution proclamation |
| 1890 (Meiji 23) |
Yamato Bible Hall established in Yokohama; Masahisa Uemura runs a "Revision of the Japanese Translated Bible" in the Gospel News, and Goro Takahashi also proposes a retranslation of the New Testament in Kokumin no Tomo. |
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First general election; Imperial Rescript on Education proclamation |
| 1891 (Meiji 24) |
Meiji English School moves to Shirokane; Steel Memorial School renamed Tozan Gakuin |
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Kanzo Uchimura disrespect incident; Otsu incident |
| 1892 (Meiji 25) |
J.C. Hepburn publishes Romanized Japanese Old and New Testament in Yokohama; Hepburn and Amerman return to the US; Russian Orthodox Church Gospel of Matthew |
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Announcement of Ibuka, Uemura et al.'s Christian "Open Letter on Religious Liberty"; Kumamoto English School incident |
| 1893 (Meiji 26) |
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| 1894 (Meiji 27) |
Baptist edition level New Testament; Braille Gospel of John; Meiji Gakuin General Studies Regular Course and Preparatory Course become the High School Department and Regular Department |
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First Sino-Japanese War, Tonghak Rebellion; Japan-Britain public treaty of commerce |
| 1895 (Meiji 28) |
Catholic Goro Takahashi Holy Gospel Volume 1; Loomis donates 200,000 small Bibles to the Japanese military; Kanzo Uchimura How I Became a Christian |
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Treaty of Shimonoseki; Triple Intervention |
| 1896 (Meiji 29) |
Catholic Goro Takahashi Holy Gospel Volume 2 | ||
| 1897 (Meiji 30) |
Bachelor, Ainu language translation New Testament; Alliance of Japan Student Christian Young Persons' Associations is launched |
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| 1898 (Meiji 31) |
Death of Verbeck; Meiji Gakuin Regular Department becomes a regular junior high school | ||
| 1899 (Meiji 32) |
Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture Directive No. 12 prohibits religious education and ceremonies at accredited schools; Meiji Gakuin regular junior high school decides to relinquish its qualifications |
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Announcement of private school order; Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture Directive No. 12 prohibits religious education and ceremonies at accredited schools; Home Ministry directive positions Christianity under the government |
| 1900 (Meiji 33) |
Catholic Romanized Japanese Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ; J.K. Fyson proposes a retranslation with cooperation from foreigners and Japanese; Meiji Gakuin cuts ties with the Scotland United Presbyterian Church |
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Security police law announced; Home Ministry bureau of religion established |
| 1901 (Meiji 34) |
Eastern Orthodox Church of Japan Nicholas and Tsukutogi Nakai The New Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ; special courses added to the Meiji Gakuin Theology Department; American Southern Presbyterian Church is welcomed | Shozo Tanaka makes a direct appeal at the Ashio mine pollution incident | |
| 1902 (Meiji 35) |
Tozan Gakuin Theology Department merges with Meiji Gakuin; observation trip to Ashio mine pollution incident; Theology Department preparatory course is abolished |
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Anglo-Japanese Alliance agreement signed |
| 1903 (Meiji 36) |
Gospel Alliance decides to retranslate the Bible; Masahisa Uemura, Kanzo Uchimura, Hiromichi Kozaki, and En Kashiwai undertake the retranslation of the Bible; construction of Miller Memorial Chapel begins at Meiji Gakuin |
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National textbook system established |
| 1904 (Meiji 37) |
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War with Russia declared; Kotoku, Sakai, and Uchimura argue for pacifism | |
| 1905 (Meiji 38) |
Eastern Orthodox Church of Japan Holy Gospel; Japan YMCA is established; Hepburn received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon; Toyohiko Kagawa matriculates at Meiji Gakuin; Miller Memorial Chapel is damaged in an earthquake |
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Sea of Japan naval battle; Treaty of Portsmouth |
| 1906 (Meiji 39) |
Baptist version Annotated New Testament; Gospel Alliance, decision to retranslate Bible; 7th World Student Christianity Convention held in Tokyo |
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| 1907 (Meiji 40) |
Yoshisuke Sakon Gospel of Matthew; Pierson Abridged and Annotated New Testament; Toson Shimazaki versification established as Meiji Gakuin school song |
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| 1908 (Meiji 41) |
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| 1909 (Meiji 42) |
Three Bible companies from the US, Scotland, and Great Britain decide on retranslation committee members for a Bible Translation Standing Committee; Yoshisuke Sakon Psalms; commemoration of the 50th anniversary since religious liberation |
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| 1910 (Meiji 43) |
Catholic E. Raguet translation New Testament of Our Lord Jesus Christ; standing committee retranslation regulations established, retranslation begins under chairman D.C. Greene; En Kashiwai Study of the Gospel of John; Christianity Education Alliance established, first president is Kajinosuke Ibuka |
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High treason incident and major arrests |
| 1911 (Meiji 44) |
Taisho retranslation trial published, Gospel of Mark; Hepburn Building is destroyed by fire, death of Hepburn; Japan Christian Association Alliance is established; Meiji Gakuin General Studies Department school building completed | High treason defendants executed; US-Japan Treaty of Commerce and Navigation signed | |
| 1912 (Meiji 45 / Taisho 1) |
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Death of Emperor Meiji | |
| 1913 (Taisho 2) |
Death of Retranslation Committee Chairman Green |
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Republic of China recognized |
| 1914 (Taisho 3) |
Dwight Whitney Learned becomes chair of Bible Retranslation Committee |
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Declaration of war with Germany; start of First World War |
| 1915 (Taisho 4) |
Meiji Gakuin General Studies Department becomes a junior high school |
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The Twenty-One Demands |
| 1916 (Taisho 5) |
100-year anniversary of the founding of the American Bible Society; Bible presented to the emperor |
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| 1917 (Taisho 6) |
New Testament Taisho retranslation completed in February and published in October; A.K. Reischauer becomes dean of Meiji Gakuin High School; High School literature and English language instructor courses are launched |
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New Testament Taisho retranslation complete |
| 1918 (Taisho 7) |
Siberia Intervention; rice riots; end of First World War | ||
| 1919 (Taisho 8) |
Movement for universal suffrage／ | ||
| 1920 (Taisho 9) |
Death of J.H Ballagh and J.C. Ballagh; death of Loomis; Toyohiko Kagawa Beyond the Death Line | League of Nations established; start of post-World War I depression | |
| 1921 (Taisho 10) |
American Bible Society Braille Old and New Testament | Washington Naval Conference | |
| 1922 (Taisho 11) |
Soviet Union established; Japanese Communist Party formed; Suiheisha founding convention | ||
| 1923 (Taisho 12) |
Ginza Bible Hall destroyed in a fire; Great Britain and American Bible Company considered the Bible Society |
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Great Kanto Earthquake; Amakasu incident |
| 1924 (Taisho 13) |
New production of the braille Bible; Meiji Gakuin Theology Department moves to Tsunohazu |
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Second movement to defend the Constitution |
| 1925 (Taisho 14) |
Military training put into practice at Meiji Gakuin Junior High School | Peace Preservation Act and universal suffrage law announced; army active duty commissioned officer assignment order | |
| 1926 (Taisho 15 / Showa 1) |
Death of Emperor Taisho | ||
| 1927 (Showa 2) |
National Christianity Social Work Society established; Meiji Gakuin Cooperative established; Meiji Gakuin 50th anniversary ceremony held |
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Gunpei Yamamoto becomes commanding officer of the Salvation Army |
| 1928 (Showa 3) |
Naoji Nagai New Testament; Meiji Gakuin High School Commerce Department becomes independent; social studies course established at High School department; military training carried out at both the high school and commerce school |
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First election with universal suffrage; major arrests of Communist Party members; Peace Preservation Act amended |
| 1929 (Showa 4) |
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Great Depression begins | |
| 1930 (Showa 5) |
Stone monument for Japanese translation of the New Testament erected at the S.R. Brown residence site; Meiji Gakuin Theology Department detaches to become Japan Theological Seminary |
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London Naval Treaty; Showa Depression; Prime Minister Hamaguchi shot and seriously injured |
| 1931 (Showa 6) |
Minoru Toyota "The History of Japanese Translations of the Bible" |
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Manchurian Incident; Japan Religious Believers Peace Conference "Peace Declaration" |
| 1932 (Showa 7) |
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Declaration of foundation of Manchukuo; 5.15 Incident | |
| 1933 (Showa 8) |
Tozan Gakuin Junior High department merges with Meiji Gakuin |
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Withdrawal from the League of Nations; Kyoto University Takigawa Incident |
| 1934 (Showa 9) |
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Ideology bureau added to Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture; cold weather damage to crops in Tohoku | |
| 1935 (Showa 10) |
Death of Kajinosuke Ibuka and Takayoshi Matsuyama |
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Tatsukichi Minobe's theory of the Emperor as an organ of the government; government national polity clarification declaration |
| 1936 (Showa 11) |
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2.26 Incident; Japan-Germany anti-communist agreement; May Day prohibition | |
| 1937 (Showa 12) |
Change from British and American Bible Society to Japan Bible Society; discussion of retranslation of the Old Testament |
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Second Sino-Japanese War; seizure of Nanking; participation in the Anti-Comintern Pact with Italy and Germany |
| 1938 (Showa 13) |
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Announcement of national general mobilization act | |
| 1939 (Showa 14) |
Masaki Nakayama translation of Calvin's Essentials of Christianity |
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Military training required at universities; Religious Group Act; Nomonhan Incident |
| 1940 (Showa 15) |
Toyohiko Kagawa arrested by Shibuya military police |
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Standing committee established for Bible translation |
| 1941 (Showa 16) |
Tripartite Pact between Japan, Germany, and Italy; 2,600th anniversary of Imperial Japan; Japanese army attacks northern French Indo-China |
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Imperial rescript declaration of war with the US and Britain; Hideki Tojo cabinet organization; organization of patriotism squads at each school; organizational meeting for United Church of Christ in Japan |
| 1942 (Showa 17) |
Old Testament retranslation standing committee, chairman Senji Tsuru |
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Japanese army seizes Manila; Midway naval battle defeat; shortened school year for junior high schools, high schools, and universities |
| 1943 (Showa 18) |
Students depart for the front; death of Toson Shimazaki; death of Hideteru Yamamoto; Japan Christian Theological Vocational School established |
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Withdrawal from Guadalcanal Island; Italy surrenders unconditionally; students depart for the front |
| 1944 (Showa 19) |
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| 1945 (Showa 20) |
American Bible Society movement to distribute 10 million bibles |
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Atomic bombs are dropped, Potsdam Declaration accepted; instruction to abolish Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture Directive No. 12 |
| 1946 (Showa 21) |
Bulletin of daily-use Kanji table; donation of 2.5 million bibles by the American Bible Society |
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Imperial Declaration of Humanity; announcement of Constitution of Japan; International Military Tribunal for the Far East |
| 1947 (Showa 22) |
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Constitution of Japan, Japanese Education Act, School Education Law | |
| 1948 (Showa 23) |
Dissolution of zaibatsu (financial cliques); confirmation of expiration of Imperial Rescript on Education; launch of new system for high schools | ||
| 1949 (Showa 24) |
Meiji Gakuin University School of Letters opens |
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National Diet Library established; Dodge line; People's Republic of China established |
| 1950 (Showa 25) |
Japan Bible Society decides to translate the Old and New Testament into modern language | Korean War; red purge; command for police reserve corps enforced; General Council of Trade Unions of Japan formed | |
| 1951 (Showa 26) |
Project begins to revise the modern language-translated Bible into a colloquial Bible | Treaty of San Francisco; US-Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security; MacArthur dismissed | |
| 1952 (Showa 27) |
Tomio Muto and Keiichiro Watase New Testament (under the orders of Toyohiko Kagawa) |
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Destruction of anti-action law; Central Council for Education established, police reserve corps becomes peace preservation corps |
| 1953 (Showa 28) |
Inauguration of the Tokyo Union Theological Seminary |
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TV broadcast; Korean War cease-fire |
| 1954 (Showa 29) |
April Colloquial New Testament |
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Japan Self-Defense Force established; Two laws on education promulgated; 5th Fukuryu Maru exposed to radiation in Bikini Islands |
| 1955 (Showa 30) |
October Colloquial Old Testament; Masao Sekine begins publication of Iwanami paperback Bible |
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First World Conference for the Prohibition of Nuclear Bombs; mid-1950s economic boom |
| 1956 (Showa 31) |
Braille Old and New Testament |
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Japan joins the United Nations; basic law for the establishment of universities |
| 1957 (Showa 32) |
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Soviet Sputnik launched; Japan-Soviet fisheries agreement and treaty of commerce | |
| 1958 (Showa 33) |
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American-made satellite launched; notification of important points for carrying out moral education | |
| 1959 (Showa 34) |
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Security revision obstruction movement; Two laws on defense are forcibly voted | |
| 1960 (Showa 35) |
Death of Toyohiko Kagawa |
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New US-Japan Security Treaty; Ikeda cabinet policy of doubling income |
| 1961 (Showa 36) |
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Reischauer becomes US ambassador; World Conference of Religions for Peace; junior high school scholastic tests | |
| 1962 (Showa 37) |
New Japanese Bible publication society founded; Tomio Muto becomes dean of Meiji Gakuin |
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Central Council for Education report on university management and administration; Japan Conference of Religions for Peace is formed |
| 1963 (Showa 38) |
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President Kennedy assassinated; Japan-Soviet trade agreement | |
| 1964 (Showa 39) |
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Tokyo Olympics; Shinkansen opens; unified movement opposing the docking of nuclear submarines; Great Niigata Earthquake; Ambassador Reischauer injured | |
| 1965 (Showa 40) |
Evangelical New Japanese Bible |
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Japan and South Korea sign basic treaty; US bombs northern Vietnam; Central Council for Education publishes "Expected Image of an Ideal Person" |
| 1966 (Showa 41) |
Vatican "Office for Unified Promotion of Christianity" and Protestant "World Alliance of Bible Societies" announce "Joint Bible Translation Guidelines" |
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Reischauer Ambassador to Japan resigns; China's Cultural Revolution; National Foundation Day established |
| 1967 (Showa 42) |
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100th anniversary of Meiji; All-Japan Federation of Student Self-Government Associations Haneda Incident; Japan Christian group "Confession of War Responsibility" | |
| 1968 (Showa 43) |
Japan Bible Society decides to start a new translation project |
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Intensification of nationwide university campus strife; Shinjuku Incident; return of Ogasawara; Reverend King assassinated |
| 1969 (Showa 44) |
World Alliance of Bible Societies and Catholic representatives establish "Principles for Joint Bible Translations" |
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Riot police dispatched to Tokyo University; automatic extension of security; Temporary Act on University Administration steamrollered; US sends man to the moon |
| 1970 (Showa 45) |
Japan's Committee for Reviewing the Potential of Joint Bible Translations reports that "joint Bible translations are necessary and possible." |
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World Fair held in Osaka; Yodogo Hijacking; Narita Airport conflict; Yukio Mishima suicide |
| 1971 (Showa 46) |
Japan Bible Publication Society New Japanese Bible; death of Shiro Murata |
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Okinawa Reversion Agreement signed |
| 1972 (Showa 47) |
Conference held for joint Bible translators |
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Okinawa reverts to Japan; Japan-China diplomatic relations restored; South Korea martial law; Sapporo Olympics |
| 1973 (Showa 48) |
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New guidance outline for high schools; oil crisis; Kidnapping of Kim Dae-jung | |
| 1974 (Showa 49) |
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Yasukuni Shrine government management bill steamrollered in lower house of Diet, rejected by cabinet councilors | |
| 1975 (Showa 50) |
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End of Vietnam War; Okinawa Aquarium opens | |
| 1976 (Showa 51) |
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Lockheed bribery scandals; MiG-25 lands at Hakodate Airport; death of Mao Zedong | |
| 1977 (Showa 52) |
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Carter becomes president of US; Japan Airlines hijacking incident | |
| 1978 (Showa 53) |
New Testament Interconfessional Translation is completed |
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Narita Airport opens; Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship; Masayoshi Ohira cabinet |
| 1979 (Showa 54) |
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Diplomatic relations established between US and China; Iranian Revolution; Sino-Vietnamese War; Thatcher becomes UK prime minister; President Park assassinated; Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident; Soviet Union invades Afghanistan | |
| 1980 (Showa 55) |
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Iran-Iraq War; South Korea Gwangju Incident; President Sadat assassinated | |
| 1981 (Showa 56) |
Bulletin of daily-use Kanji table |
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Reagan becomes US president; space shuttle launched |
| 1982 (Showa 57) |
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Falklands War | |
| 1983 (Showa 58) |
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Korean Air flight shot down by Soviets; Tokyo Disneyland opens | |
| 1984 (Showa 59) |
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| 1985 (Showa 60) |
Meiji Gakuin University opens school building in Yokohama |
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Gorbachev becomes Russian secretary general |
| 1986 (Showa 61) |
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Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster; Aquino administration established | |
| 1987 (Showa 62) |
The Bible New Interconfessional Translation is completed |
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National railway divided and privatized; Reagan-Gorbachev talks; perestroika promotion |
| 1988 (Showa 63) |
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Seoul Olympics; Russia withdraws troops from Afghanistan; Iran-Iraq War cease-fire | |
| 1989 (Showa 64 / Heisei 1) |
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Tiananmen Square Incident; death of Emperor Showa; fall of Berlin Wall | |
| 1990 (Heisei 2) |
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Unification of East and West Germany; Iraq invades Kuwait, Gulf War | |
| 2010 (Heisei 22) |
Japan Bible Society, with cooperation from both Catholics and Protestants, decides to compile A Standard Translation (Provisional Name) to be used in all churches that is faithful to the original text, and uses beautiful Japanese. Work has begun; Plans to be completed in 2016 |
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