1988 in Japan explained
Events in the year 1988 in Japan. It corresponds to Shōwa 63 (昭和63年) in the Japanese calendar.
Incumbents
Governors
- Akita Prefecture: Kikuji Sasaki Aomori Prefecture: Masaya Kitamura Chiba Prefecture: Takeshi Numata Ehime Prefecture: Sadayuki Iga Fukui Prefecture: Yukio Kurita
- Fukuoka Prefecture: Hachiji Okuda Fukushima Prefecture: Isao Matsudaira (until 18 September); Eisaku Satō (starting 19 September)
Sakae Kishi
- Shiname Prefecture: Nobuyoshi Sumita Shizuoka Prefecture: Shigeyoshi Saitō Tochigi Prefecture: Fumio Watanabe
- Tokushima Prefecture: Shinzo Miki Tokyo
- Tottori Prefecture: Yuji Nishio Toyama Prefecture: Yutaka Nakaoki
- Wakayama Prefecture: Shirō Kariya Yamagata Prefecture: Seiichirō Itagaki Yamaguchi Prefecture: Toru Hirai Yamanashi Prefecture: Kōmei Mochizuki
Events
- March 13: Seikan Tunnel opens, connecting Hokkaido and Honshu by rail for the first time.
- March 17: Tokyo Dome completed.
- April 4 and 5: Rock band Boøwy hold their last concert in Tokyo Dome and break up.
- April 10: Great Seto Bridge opens.
- April 16: Studio Ghibli films My Neighbor Totoro and Grave of the Fireflies are released simultaneously.
- June 18: Asahi Shimbun breaks the Recruit scandal.
- July 16: The anime film Akira is released.
- July 21: A heavy torrential rain with debris flow in Kake, Hiroshima Prefecture and Hamada, Shimane Prefecture, According to Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan official confirmed report, 27 persons lost their lives, 45 were wounded.[2]
- July 23: A sports fishing boat, Fuji Maru No. 1, collides with a submarine, Nadashio, in Tokyo Bay, resulting in the former sinking and 30 deaths as well as 17 injuries.[3]
- September 14: Daiei purchases the Nankai Hawks baseball team: they become the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks.
- October 3: Anpanman premieres on Nippon TV.
- October 19: Orix purchases the Hankyu Braves baseball team: they become the Orix Braves.
- October 23: Super Mario Bros. 3 is released for the Famicom, a slightly modified version is released for the NES in February 1990.
- December 9: Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa resigns amid the Recruit scandal.
- December 27: Takeshita announces a realigned cabinet.
- December 30: According to a Japan National Police Agency official confirmed report, an armored car with 222.5 million yen in cash and 170 million yen in checks was robbed in Suma-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The suspect is escape continue, and still not detained, according to JNPA official.
Births
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Deaths
- January 2: Yukio Kasahara, general (b. 1889)
- March 1: Yoshi Katō, actor (b. 1913)
- April 10: Shigeo Sugiura, freestyle swimmer and Olympic gold medalist (b. 1917)
- April 23: Eitaro Ozawa, actor (b. 1909)
- May 23: Aya Kitō, writer (b. 1962)
- June 14: Prince Kan'in Haruhito, career officer (b. 1902)
- August 4: Toshio Doko, business leader (b. 1896)
- November 4: Takeo Miki, former prime minister (b. 1907)
- November 23: Kenzō Masaoka, anime creator (b. 1898)
- December 25: Shōhei Ōoka, writer (b. 1909)
- December 30: Takeo Fujisawa, businessman, co-founder of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (b. 1910)
Statistics
- Yen value: US$1 = ¥122 (low) to ¥135 (high)
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Hirohito Biography, Accomplishments, & Facts . Encyclopedia Britannica . 27 March 2019 . en.
- [:ja:昭和63年豪雨]
- News: Ill-fated sub Nadashio sails off to scrap yard. 5 January 2015. Kyodo. The Japan Times. 2 June 2001.
- Web site: Rie KANETO - Olympic Swimming Japan . International Olympic Committee . 30 March 2020 . en . 20 November 2016.
- Web site: Miki KANIE - Olympic Archery Japan . International Olympic Committee . 11 April 2019 . en . 25 June 2016.
