2002 in Japan explained
Events in the year 2002 in Japan.
Incumbents
Governors
Tatsuya Hori
Masanori Tanimoto
Teiichi Aramaki (until 15 April) Keiji Yamada (starting 16 April)
Keiichi Inamine
Yoshihiko Tsuchiya
-
- Tokushima Prefecture: Toshio Endo (until 27 April); Tadashi Ōta (starting 28 April)
- Tokyo
Events
January
- January 15: UFJ Bank founded via the merger of the Sanwa Bank, Ltd., the Tokai Bank, Ltd. and Toyo Trust and Banking Co., Ltd.
- January 29: Prime Minister Koizumi fires Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka.
February
- February 1: Yoriko Kawaguchi is appointed foreign minister; her previous portfolio of Environment Minister is assumed by Hiroshi Oki.
- February 19: U.S. president George W. Bush addresses a joint session of the Diet.
March
April
May
June
- June 11: Solar eclipse visible throughout Japan.
- June 24: Chiyoda ward in Tokyo bans smoking while walking in public.
- June 30
August
- August 30: The last Mazda 626 rolls off the production line after 23 years. Its successor, the 6, enters production on October 1.
September
October
- October 15: Five Japanese abductees return from North Korea.
November
December
The Nobel Prize
Births
Deaths
- March 8: Sanji Hase, voice actor
- April 10: Yuji Hyakutake, amateur astronomer
- May 13: Morihiro Saito, aikidoka
- May 16: Shoichi Arai, professional wrestling promoter
- May 24: Toshihito Ito, actor
- May 25: Genichi Kawakami, president of Yamaha Corporation from 1950 to 1977
- June 13: Hideo Murata, rōkyoku and enka singer
- June 15: Hideo Murota, actor
- September 12: Mitsuo Ikeda, wrestler
- October 12: Nozomi Momoi, AV idol
- November 15: Sohn Kee-chung, marathon runner
- December 15: Mr. C.B., thoroughbred racehorse
- December 21: Prince Takamado
- December 28: Koreyoshi Kurahara, screenwriter and director
See also