1964 was the 39th year of Showa in Japan.
1964 is considered a seminal year in modern Japanese history. The Tokyo Olympics and first run of the bullet train reflected a society-wide sense that post-war reconstruction was over and that Japan had rejoined the international family of nations. Diplomatic negotiations underway this year between South Korea and Japan resulted in a formal normalization of relations the following year.
Individuals born beginning around this date were often subsequently identified as "shinjinrui" (or new people) because they had not experienced the suffering older generations had during World War II or the post-war period, and on the contrary, grew up in material plenty.
Incumbents
Events
- March 18: Hayakawa Electric (the predecessor of today's Sharp) and Sony announce that they have completed a prototype electronic calculator using Japanese-manufactured diodes and transistors.
- March 24: U.S. ambassador Edwin Reischauer is stabbed by a Japanese youth.
- April 1: Japanese citizens are permitted to freely travel overseas.
- April 12: Channel 12, the predecessor of TV Tokyo, begins operations.
- June 16: An earthquake in Niigata Prefecture kills 12.
- September 17: The Tokyo Monorail begins operations.
- October 1: The Tōkaidō Shinkansen begins operations.
- October 10 - 24: 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo.
- October 25: Ikeda Hayato resigns as prime minister; Eisaku Sato is elected to replace him.
- November 9: Sato announces his first cabinet.
- November 17: The political party Komeito is formed.
Births
Deaths
Statistics
- Yen value: US$1 = ¥360 (fixed)
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