Bill Text: NY J00087 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Recognizing February 11, 2023, as Japan's National Foundation Day, and paying tribute to New Yorkers of Japanese origin

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-01-05 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [J00087 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J00087-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 87

BY: Senator PARKER

        RECOGNIZING February 11, 2023, as Japan's National
        Foundation Day, and paying tribute to New Yorkers of
        Japanese origin

  WHEREAS,  Japan's  National  Foundation  Day  is  an annual national
holiday in Japan held on February 11th, celebrating  the  foundation  of
Japan, enforced by a specific Cabinet Order set in 1966; and

  WHEREAS, The origin of Japan's National Foundation Day is New Year's
Day  in  the traditional lunisolar calendar; on that day, the foundation
of Japan by the mythical Emperor Jimmu was celebrated based on the Nihon
Shoki, which states that Emperor Jimmu ascended to  the  throne  on  the
first day of the first month; and

  WHEREAS,  There  is,  however,  no  historical evidence that Emperor
Jimmu actually existed, and the year 660 BC  is  far  earlier  than  any
known emperor; it is considered to have been arbitrarily chosen based on
an  ancient  Chinese belief that that year would have been an auspicious
one for revolutionary change; and

  WHEREAS,  In  the  Meiji  period,  the  government  of  Meiji  Japan
designated the day as a national holiday because of the modernization of
Japan  by  the  Meiji Restoration; under the bakufu, people in Japan had
worshiped the emperors as living gods, but regional loyalties were  just
as  strong  as national loyalties with most people feeling an equal or a
stronger loyalty to whatever  daimyo  ("lord")  that  ruled  over  their
province as they did to the shogun who ruled from distant Edo, let alone
the emperor who reigned in the equally distant city of Kyoto; and

  WHEREAS,  This  great  Empire state has the largest concentration of
New Yorkers of Japanese origin living outside of Japan; and

  WHEREAS, New  Yorkers  of  Japanese  origin  have  made  outstanding
contributions  throughout American society; their rich cultural heritage
and traditions have contributed greatly  to  the  quality  of  life  for
residents  of  New  York; through their hard work and tenacious efforts,
they have  helped  create  a  thriving  multi-cultural  community;  now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize February 11, 2023, as Japan's National Foundation Day, and  to
pay tribute to New Yorkers of Japanese origin.