Constitution Memorial Day in 2025

When is Constitutional Memorial Day?

Also known as Constitution Day and 'Kenpo kinenbi' in Japan, this public holiday is part of Golden Week.

The Constitution of Japan came into force on May 3rd 1947.

To commemorate this event, the date is celebrated as a national holiday.

On this day, many newspapers and magazines publish articles about the Japanese government. The National Diet Building in Tokyo, where the constitution was created, is also open to the public on this day only.

History of Constitutional Memorial Day

After Japan surrendered following the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the country’s constitution was rewritten to emphasise peace and pacifism.

Unlike the Meiji Constitution that it replaced, the present Constitution declares that sovereignty lies with the people; the Emperor is "the symbol of the state and the unity of the people" who has no "powers related to government."

It asserts that people have fundamental human rights and renounce war. 

It is a very democratic document modeled on the American and British constitutions. 

© Japan Information Network

Golden Week

Showa Day is the first holiday of Golden Week. The Golden Week is a period when four national holidays fall within the space of seven days. The days which are holidays each year depending on how the holidays fall in combination with the two weekends either side of Golden Week. It has become a very popular and busy holiday season in Japan.

Golden Week: A Guide to Japan's Busiest Public Holiday Season