[What Day Is Today] June 28

What kind of historical events happened on June 28?
Is there any event today?
Please use this for a little conversation at home with elementary school students.
※Events in Japan up to 1872 use the lunar calendar.

Events/Anniversaries

① Trade Day

Trade Day was established to commemorate the opening of three ports—Kanagawa (actually Yokohama), Nagasaki, and Hakodate (written as Hakodate at the time)—by the Edo Shogunate on June 28, 1859, which marked the beginning of full-scale trade with foreign countries.the Edo Shogunate opened three ports: Kanagawa (actually Yokohama), Nagasaki, and Hakodate (written as Hakodate at the time) and full-scale trade with foreign countries began.

Under the 1854 Treaty of Peace and Amity between the United States and Japan, the Shogunate opened Shimoda and Hakodate, but this was strictly for the supply of water and fuel, not for trade.
The 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Japan established trade regulations, closed Shimoda, and designated Hakodate, Niigata, Kanagawa, Kobe, and Nagasaki as open ports for trade.

With this, Japan ended its national isolation and deepened its economic ties with the world. On the other hand, Kanagawa, which was a post town on the Tokaido, did not actually open as a port, and was replaced by neighboring Yokohama. This was the beginning of today's prosperity in Yokohama.
Also, Kobe, which was close to Kyoto where the Emperor resided, and Niigata, which had a shallow water depth at the mouth of the Shinano River, had their port openings delayed.

② Parfait Day

Parfait Day originates from the fact that on June 28, 1950, Hideo Fujimoto of the Yomiuri Giants achieved the first perfect game in Japanese professional baseball.It was established based on a pun between the English word "perfect" and the dessert "parfait." Confectionery shops and cafes across the country sometimes sell special parfaits to mark this day.

What happened on this day

① June 28, 1570: Battle of Anegawa

The Battle of Anegawa was a battle in which the allied forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu fought against the allied forces of Azai Nagamasa and Asakura Yoshikage.

After defeating Imagawa Yoshimoto at the Battle of Okehazama and further exiling Saito Tatsuoki to take control of Mino, Nobunaga thought of entering Kyoto to assist the 15th Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiaki. To prepare for battles against daimyo such as the Rokkaku of South Omi and the Matsunaga and Miyoshi around Kyoto, Nobunaga formed an alliance by marrying off his younger sister, Oichi-no-kata, to Azai Nagamasa of North Omi.

Then, in 1568, Nobunaga entered Kyoto and took control of it. Afterward, he attacked daimyo in the Kinki region and its vicinity who did not cooperate one after another. As part of this, in 1570, Nobunaga attacked Asakura Yoshikage of Echizen.
However, the Asakura were long-time allies of the Azai. Against Nobunaga, who attacked the Asakura without consultation, Azai Nagamasa became distrustful and finally sided with the Asakura, betraying Nobunaga.

Nobunaga, who had returned from Echizen for his life, approached the Azai's base, Odani Castle, in cooperation with his ally Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Azai-Asakura allied forces intercepted them, leading to the Battle of Anegawa.

The battle took place near the present-day city of Nagahama, Shiga Prefecture. After a fierce battle, the Nobunaga-Ieyasu side won, and the Azai-Asakura forces suffered a major blow.

② June 28, 1801: Toyama Genjuro and others erect a marker on Urup Island

Toyama Genjuro and others, acting under the orders of the Edo Shogunate, erected a marker on Urup Island in the Kuril Islands inscribed with "Tenchi Chokyu Dainippon Zokuto" (Great Japan's territory for eternity). This was to indicate that it was Japanese territory. At the time, because Russia was advancing to the north, Japan also tried to clarify its control over the northern regions.

③ June 28, 1837: Morrison Incident

The American merchant ship Morrison approached Uraga and Satsuma to deliver shipwrecked people back to Japan. However, because Japan was continuing its national isolation policy, it fired upon the ship based on the Edict to Repel Foreign Vessels and refused entry.
Japanese Rangaku scholars (Dutch studies scholars) who were knowledgeable about overseas affairs criticized the fact that Japan unilaterally fired on the unarmed merchant ship Morrison, and that Japan did not even try to talk to the Morrison, even though it had helped Japanese shipwrecked people.

However, complaining about or expressing opinions on the Shogunate's politics was prohibited during the Edo period. Takano Choei and Watanabe Kazan, who criticized the Shogunate particularly strongly, were punished. This is called the "Bansha no Goku."

4. June 28, 1838 Queen Victoria is crowned

Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom officially held her coronation ceremony.
Queen Victoria ruled the United Kingdom for approximately 63 years, and that era is known as the "Pax Britannica" (peace under British power). The Queen herself embodied the principle of "reigning but not ruling."

During this era, the United Kingdomdeveloped through the Industrial Revolution and led the global economy as the "workshop of the world."Furthermore, it dominated countries around the world, including India, and built the "British Empire" on which the sun never sets.

5. June 28, 1875 Newspaper Ordinance and Libel Law

The Meiji government enacted the Newspaper Ordinance and the Libel Law.
The Newspaper Ordinance was a law regulating the publication of newspapers, and the Libel Law was a law punishing content that slandered the government or individuals.As the Freedom and People's Rights Movement spread, the government established these laws to control speech.

The Freedom and People's Rights Movement was a movement that spread nationwide following the "Petition for the Establishment of an Elected Assembly" submitted by Taisuke Itagaki and others in 1874. It demanded theestablishment of a national assemblyto reflect the opinions of the people in politics, and the enactment of aconstitutionthat codified politics. The Meiji government initially suppressed this movement fiercely and implemented speech control.
After the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, there were no more rebellions by dissatisfied former samurai, and the era became one of fighting with words rather than force. Subsequently, in 1881, the government, led by Hirobumi Ito, issued an imperial edict for the establishment of a national assembly, promising to create one in ten years.

6. June 28, 1881 Austria makes Serbia a protectorate

The Austro-Hungarian Empire strengthened its influence over Serbia and proceeded to rule it as a protectorate. In the Balkan Peninsula, where many ethnic groups were intermingled, conflicts between countries intensified, and it came to be called the "powder keg of Europe." The tensions in this region led to the later First World War.

7. June 28, 1914 Sarajevo Incident

Austrian Crown PrinceFranz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a young Serbian man, Gavrilo Princip, while riding in an open car during a parade in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

Austria had made Serbia a protectorate, but Serbia, which shared the same ethnicity as Russia, was resistant to this rule, and many citizens were dissatisfied. Triggered by this incident, which occurred as that dissatisfaction erupted,Austria declared war on Serbia.

Russia sided with Serbia, and Germany sided with Austria. These are called the "Central Powers." Furthermore, the United Kingdom and France of the Triple Entente joined the war on Russia's side. These are called the "Allied Powers." The war developed into theFirst World Warthat engulfed all of Europe.

8. June 28, 1919 Conclusion of the Treaty of Versailles

After the First World War, the Paris Peace Conference was held between the victorious Allied Powers and the defeated Germany. Japan was also invited to the conference as a member of the Allied Powers, andPlenipotentiary Kinmochi Saionji, appointed by Prime Minister Takashi Hara, attended the conference.

At this conference, the Treaty of Versailles was signed. Germany lost all its colonies, its territory was reduced, and it was ordered to pay a large amount of reparations. Furthermore, it was forced to adopt the Weimar Constitution, which was created primarily by the Allied powers. This constitution is known for being the first in the world to incorporate social rights.

Also, the establishment of the League of Nations aimed at international peace was decided. U.S. President Wilson rejected colonialism and advocated for "national self-determination," the principle of one nation per ethnic group, which led to the March First Independence Movement in Korea and the May Fourth Movement in China, intensifying anti-Japanese movements. However, this policy of granting independence to colonies was ultimately limited to Europe and South America.

Afterward, strong dissatisfaction with the treaty grew within Germany, and to pay the reparations, inflation accelerated due to the mass printing of banknotes with blank backs. When the Great Depression occurred in 1929, the German economy fell into even greater turmoil, and the popularity of Hitler's Nazi Party began to rise among the people.

⑨ June 28, 1948 Fukui Earthquake

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred in Fukui Prefecture. The urban area suffered significant damage, and more than 3,700 people died. It was a major disaster that occurred in Japan shortly after the war, and this earthquake led to the creation of the "Shindo 7" scale.

⑩ June 28, 1979 Tokyo Summit Held

The Group of Seven (G7) Summit was held in Tokyo.
This is the so-called G7 Summit. Following the 1973 oil shock, this meeting began to be held annually to discuss global-level issues, with the seven countries taking turns as hosts. 1979 was the first time Japan served as the host country for the summit. The Prime Minister of Japan at the time was Masayoshi Ohira.

The participants were the seven countries of Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, West Germany, Italy, and Canada. They discussed the global economy after the oil crisis and energy issues, and it was an event that demonstrated that Japan had begun to play an important role in the international community.

⑪ June 28, 2019 G20 Osaka Summit Held

The G20 Summit was held in Osaka. This meeting, triggered by the 2008 Lehman Shock, brings together leaders from 20 countries/regions and the EU once a year to discuss the global economy, environmental issues, the digital society, and more. It was the first G20 summit held in Japan, and many world leaders visited Osaka.

Birthdays

① June 28, 1577 Rubens

Rubens was a painter representing Baroque art who was active in present-day Belgium. Known for his rich colors and dynamic expression of figures, he left behind many religious and mythological paintings. His representative works include "The Descent from the Cross." The painting that the protagonist of
"A Dog of Flanders" wanted to see at the end is a painting by Rubens.

② June 28, 1712 Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Rousseau is a thinker who represents French Enlightenment thought.
In "The Social Contract", he presented the idea that "sovereignty resides in the people," which had a major influence on modern democracy. He is also a figure who had a significant impact on the French Revolution.

3. June 28, 1865 - Hantaro Nagaoka

Hantaro Nagaoka is known for proposing the "Saturnian atomic model," in which electrons orbit the nucleus. This theory posited that an atom has a structure where electrons fly around the nucleus like the rings of Saturn, and it was later proven that this hypothesis was correct.

Date of death

1. June 28, 1659 - Ii Naotaka

Ii Naotaka was a daimyo in the early Edo period and the lord of the Hikone Domain. He was the second son of the first lord, Ii Naomasa, and completed Hikone Castle. He also served in the Siege of Osaka. He is also famous for appearing in the

legend of the "Maneki-neko" (beckoning cat) passed down at Gotokuji Temple in Tokyo. Once, while passing by the temple, Ii Naotaka was beckoned by a cat at the gate and stopped by the temple. Suddenly, a thunderstorm occurred, and lightning struck the gate. Naotaka was grateful that he had entered the temple grounds and escaped disaster thanks to the cat, so he made this temple the family temple of the Ii clan. This temple is none other than
Gotokuji Temple in Setagaya Ward, which is now also the name of a train station. It is said that the Maneki-neko began to be made because the temple's pet cat, "Tama," beckoned him at this time.

2. June 28, 1793 - Takayama Hikokuro

Takayama Hikokuro was a sonno (revere the emperor) thinker in the late Edo period. He traveled throughout the country spreading the ideology of revering the Emperor. The statue of him kneeling in "worship of the Imperial Palace" toward the Kyoto Imperial Palace, located in front of Sanjo Keihan Station in Kyoto, is particularly famous. He also had a major influence on the Sonno Joi movement at the end of the Edo period. However, he suddenly committed suicide while traveling in Kurume.

3. June 28, 1951 - Fumiko Hayashi

Fumiko Hayashi is a novelist who represents the Showa era. Her representative works include "Horoki" (Diary of a Vagabond) and "Ukigumo" (Floating Clouds). She wrote many works based on her own difficult life experiences. Her works, which depict the lives of ordinary people and the way women live, are still read by many people today.

4. June 28, 2007 - Kiichi Miyazawa

Kiichi Miyazawa was a Liberal Democratic Party politician who served as Prime Minister from 1991 to 1993.

He is particularly known for the enactment of the PKO Cooperation Law in 1992 and the first overseas dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to Cambodia based on it. However, the cabinet approval rating was low due to deflation and economic recession after the bubble burst, as well as scandals involving the Liberal Democratic Party such as the Recruit scandal, making it an era of growing distrust in politics. In 1993,
a vote of no confidence in the cabinet was passed, and Miyazawa dissolved the House of Representatives, but the Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority. Eight parties other than the Liberal Democratic Party joined forces to form the Morihiro Hosokawa cabinet, and the "1955 System," in which the Liberal Democratic Party had been the ruling party since 1955, collapsed.