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Through a revision of the National Holidays Law on February 20, 1995,
effective 1996, July 20 will be observed as a 14th national holiday for the
nation to give thanks for the benefits of the sea and wish for the prosperity
of the maritime nation of Japan.
July 20 was designated as "Maritime day" at a conference of vice cabinet
ministers in 1941, and it has been observed as that day. In recent years, however,
the idea that it should become a mood to set the day as a national holiday grew
in popularity. A "maritime day establishment promotion national conference"
was organized with strong support from organizations related to maritime affairs.
It led a nation-wide signature-collecting campaign and won the signatures of
10,380,000 people. Propositions for the designation were approved by 2,280 local
assemblies, including all the 47 prefectural assemblies, which account for 70%
of the total number of the nation's local assemblies. Promoters expect that
with the institution of Marine Day the people will commune more with sea and
understand it more. (picture)
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