Today in History; Traditional Founding Date of Japan

11,660 BCE: The existence of Japan’s Emperor Jimmu cannot be verified by standard historical means, but according to mythology he lived in the 7th century BCE. It was the Meiji government that in 1872 proclaimed that February 11, 660 BCE, in the Gregorian calendar was the date Japan was founded. The day was then commemorated in the holiday Kigensetsu (Empire Day) until 1948 and again as the holiday Kenkoku Kinen-bi (National Foundation Day) from 1966.