Perhaps the most interesting thing about this Japanese holiday, traditionally celebrated on April 29th, is that it was “renamed” this year as Showa Day while a new Greenery Day was established on May 4th. Not sure why they say it was renamed when they could just say it moved. Maybe the rules prevent moving holidays.

And what ever happened to the People’s Day of May 4th? Apparently “Greenery” is a veiled reference to the Emperor’s love of greenery, so the effect has been to create a double holiday for the same guy separated by only a few days.

Showa Day now openly acknowledges the infamous Emperor Hirohito’s rule during the 1940s.

…critics say the move will upset other nations, especially China and the two Koreas, who will say it glorifies Japan’s often brutal militaristic past.

A similar bill was abandoned in the past, due to political pressure.

But this time the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan backed the bill, which was proposed by the ruling coalition.

The opposition said it now accepted the idea that the holiday would encourage public reflection of the turbulent 63 years of Hirohito’s reign, rather than glorify the emperor himself.

I think they should have stuck with Greenery, and left the People’s Day alone, as they already provide plenty of reflection.