JAPAN. The Calendar association's main activities this year were concerned with obtaining a favorable attitude toward calendar reform on the part of the Japanese Government. Visits were made to the Department of Foreign Affairs, The Department of Foreign Education and to the Secretary-General of the Cabinet. These negotiations were carried on chiefly by Dr; Joe Ueta, Mr. Susumu Imoto and Mr. Eiichi Nobushima. As a result, the Department of Foreign Affairs replied to the United Nations to the effect that the Government had no objection to world-wide calendar reform, but that the problem should be studied fully as the reform would be of major importance to the Japanese people.

Japanese World Calendar cards were again printed for 1956, as well as a translation of the pamphlet "A Better Calendar Means A Better World" to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of The World Calendar Association. A Japanese edition of Miss Achelis' recent book, Of Time and the Calendar,has been published and will be distributed in the New Year.

The Calendar Association is particularly hopeful that India's activities at the United Nations will meet with success, as calendar reform is essential for human life especially from the modern statistical point of view.

JAPAN
1954

SIGNIFICANT progress towards international agreement on calendar reform was reported at the Eighth Annual Meeting 14 January 1955 of The World Calendar Association, International, held in the International Building, New York City, . Published highlights (JCR Vol. 24, March 1955) for JAPAN:

On 3 April the annual meeting was held at Osaka Municipal Planetarium. The committee organized a survey of public opinion in Jan pan on The World Calendar. A questionnaire was distributed among persons attending the conference of the Japanese Astronomical Society and the Japanese Meteorological Society. The results of the inquiry proved to be favorable to The World Calendar.

On 23 July the following cablegram was sent to the President of ECOSOC: "Endorsement World Calendar ardently requested. We support Indian proposal." On 28 July a cable was received with the information that ECOSOC had accepted the Indian resolution. Letters to the above effect were sent to leading persons in Japan, including Mr. Katsuo Okazaki, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Shigeo Ohdate, Minister of Education, together with a pamphlet concerning The World Calendar.

On 15 November consideration was given to the writing and publishing of a book on The World Calendar for the Japanese public in order to familiarize them with the new calendar and at the same time to inform them in regard to the present situation.

Every endeavor will be made in 1955 to have The world Calendar approved by Japan so as to advance its world adoption Sunday 1 January 1961. This Affiliate is in close touch with the Japanese Government and other organizations.

JAPAN
1953

SUSTAINED progress toward the international enactment of calendar reform was reported at the Seventh Annual Meeting 15 January 1954 of The World Calendar Association, International, held in the International Building, New York City. Published highlights (JCR Vol. 24, April 1954) for JAPAN:

The Calendar Association of Japan, with headquarters in the Osaka Municipal Planetarium, continued its activities throughout the year. It distributed widely a brochure entitled "The Main Object of the Calendar," by Dr. Churyo Noda, vice-president of the Association. Contacts were established with representatives of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and the International Chamber of Commerce. In another series of conferences, the subject of calendar reform was discussed with a committee of the Japanese Diet. There were also talks with the Standardization Department of the Japanese government in relation to inquiries received from the International Standardization Organization in Geneva.

Calendar publishers from various parts of the country attended a meeting of Ohmi Shrine, near Kyoto, on 28 June, and organized a Calendar Study Association which includes in its membership several representatives of the calendar reform movement.

A member of the Japanese committee, Mr. Sadanobu Inoue, returned from a visit to the United States, during which he conferred several times with the officers of The World Calendar Association in New York City. His return was the occasion for a special meeting at the Osaka Planetarium, where he reported on his trip and projected interesting photographs he had taken.

It is the conviction of the Japanese Association that public opinion is increasingly informed regarding calendar reform, and that both people and government are generally favorable to the aims of The World Calendar Association.

CONTACT The World Calendar Association