Timeline of Japanese history

This is a timeline of Japanese history, comprising important legal, territorial and cultural changes and political events in Japan and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Japan.

Centuries: 1st · 2nd · 3rd · 4th · 5th · 6th · 7th · 8th · 9th · 10th · 11th · 12th · 13th · 14th · 15th · 16th · 17th · 18th · 19th · 20th · 21st

Paleolithic

Year	Date	Event
14000 BC		First settlers arrived on the Japanese archipelago, called the Jōmon. They had a diverse hunter-gatherer and early agriculturalist population.

3rd century BC

Year	Date	Event
300 BC		Mass migration from the Asian continent to the Japanese archipelago ushered in the Yayoi period. Japan transitioned from a hunter-gatherer to a settled agricultural society. There was a mixture between the Yayoi immigrants and the indigenous population, and between new cultural influences and existing practices.

1st century

Year	Date	Event
57		The King of Na gold seal is issued by Emperor Guangwu of Han to the coalition of Japanese states in northern Kyushu led by Nakoku state.

2nd century

Year	Date	Event
180		The Civil war of Wa ends, bringing Shaman queen Himiko to power in Yamatai clan somewhere in either Northern Kyushu or Central Honshu.

3rd century

Year	Date	Event
201		The Nagata Shrine, Hirota Shrine and Ikuta Shrine, the oldest surviving Shinto shrines in Japan, are founded by legendary Empress Jingū.
238		First embassy of Himiko to Cao Wei
248		Himiko dies and is succeeded by 13 y.o. Queen Iyo after a brief civil war. Some rebels, preferring a male successor, fled Yamatai and founded the Miwa court in Nara.
250		The Kofun period and Yamato period starts. Traditional date to mark the founding of Yamato entity in Nara associated with the Sujin line of kings.
266		Iyo embassy to Emperor Wu of Jin
283		The Hata clan led by Yuzuki no Kimi settles in Japan, introducing sericulture (silk farming).

4th century

Year	Date	Event
346		Makimuku site abandoned, possibly due to invaders including Baekje and Gaya confederacy men, indicating large changes of Miwa court
350		Unification of Yamato Province
362		King Chūai of Miwa court replaced by king Ōjin of Kawachi court (Saki Court), marking expansion of Yamato Province to entire Kinai

5th century

Very little is known about the 5th century in Japan. The period was definitely marked by volatile inter-state warfare, complex alliances, submissions and betrayals. Some of the more constant Yamato polity partners were Baekje and Gaya confederacy, while enemies included Goguryeo, Silla and various Chinese groups. All of the records of the era either did not survive or are contentious.

Year	Date	Event
404		Goguryeo–Wa conflicts between Wa, Baekje, and Gaya against Goguryeo and Silla
413		King of Wa sends 1st recorded tribute to the Jin.
430		Yamato polity become a regional power after subjugating several states in West Japan. Details are subject to Mimana controversy.
461		Chronology of the Japanese historical records become consistent. All dates before this entry are reconstructed with foreign or archaeological data.
461		Baekje sends an embassy to Japan, as confirmed by both Japanese and Korean records.

6th century

Year	Date	Event
500		Iron tools become widespread in archeological record, marking the advent of Iron Age in Japan.
507		Kawachi court is succeeded by King Ohoto of Koshi (Keitai line of kings) in Asuka court.
527		With the suppression of the Iwai Rebellion, the Yamato polity is firmly entrenched in Tsukushi Province, Kyushu.
538		Introduction of Buddhism in Japan by Seong of Baekje.
538		The Asuka period starts, the Imperial capital was transferred to Asuka. Yamato polity achieve de facto political dominance with full conquest of Shikoku and Kyushu islands.
562		The last states of Gaya confederacy are destroyed, marking extinction of Japonic languages outside Japan.
587		The religious war (Soga–Mononobe conflict) ends with the victory of the pro-Buddhist Soga clan.
593		The Soga clan takes control of Japan with the installation of Empress Suiko on the throne.

7th century

Year	Date	Event
603		Introduction of the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System in Japan
607		The first embassy under the command of Ono no Imoko is sent to Sui China.
630		The first of Japanese missions to Tang China
645		The Asuka period ends with the power of the Soga clan broken in the Isshi Incident and Nakatomi clan becoming the dominant power.
646	22 January	The Hakuhō period starts with the Taika Reform.
660		Japanese, under command of Abe no Hirafu, massacre the Mishihase people in Hokkaido. The Japanese do not return to Hokkaido until over 700 years later.
662		Japanese enter the Wu–Tang War.
663		The Japanese navy is decisively defeated in the Battle of Baekgang, marking the withdrawal of Japan from Korean politics.
665		First coastal defences of Kyushu were built at what is now the Ōnojō Castle Ruins.
668		The Ōmi Code was adopted starting the Ritsuryō law system.
670		First population census.
672		Succession conflict results in the Jinshin War.
673		With the reign of Emperor Tenmu, Japan becomes an empire.
684		684 Hakuho earthquake, severe tsunami and subsidence at Tosa Province
689		Asuka Kiyomihara Code, incorporating a citizens registration and pestilence reporting system, was adopted
694		The Imperial capital transferred to Fujiwara-kyō.

8th century

Year	Date	Event
701		The Taihō Code legal system is accepted.
709		The Fort Ideha is established near modern Akita marking the start of submission of the Emishi people in the Tōhoku region to Japanese.
710		The Nara period starts after Empress Genmei establishes the capital of Heijō-kyō.
711		The law prohibiting nobles from restricting peasant`s access to non-agricultural areas is enacted. Stagnation in cultivated land area begins and would continue until 14th century.
712		The Kojiki is completed.
713		The provinces are ordered to compile cultural and geographical records, known as fudoki.
718		Fujiwara no Fuhito compiles the Yōrō Code (the update of Taihō Code) which is accepted in 757.
720		The Nihon Shoki (1st volume of historical chronicles Rikkokushi) is completed.
720	November	Murder of governor Kamitsukenu no Ason Hirohito and susbsequent punitive expedition to Mutsu province
721		The Hayato rebellion ends after a year and half of fighting, marking the complete subjugation of Southern Kyushu.
721		Severe drought and government attempts to mitigate by clearing farmland in Mutsu Province
724		Emperor Shōmu was enthroned. Also, the site of the Taga Castle, near to modern Sendai, is founded.
731	April	A fleet of 300 Japanese vessels is defeated on the east coast on Silla.[1]
735		Genbō and Kibi no Makibi returned from China.
735		A major smallpox epidemic spread from Kyushu, resulting in a third of the population perishing, 10 years of social instability and 4 transfers of the Imperial capital through Kuni-kyō, Shigaraki Palace and Naniwa-kyō before returning to Heijō-kyō in 745.
740	28 September	The Fujiwara no Hirotsugu Rebellion erupts on Kyushu.
741		Shōmu established the provincial temples as a part of shift from Confucianism to Buddhism effected by ongoing epidemic and famine.
743		The Ritsuryō law system incorporated the right of eternal land ownership by any squatter in attempt to mitigate a rampant vagrancy.
745		Establishment of the centralized rice tax system.
749		End of first smallpox epidemic.
751		The Kaifūsō poetry anthology was completed.
752		The Great Buddha of Nara at Tōdai-ji was completed with the assistance of Bodhisena from India.
754		Priest Ganjin arrived from China.
757		Fujiwara no Nakamaro defeated an attempt by Tachibana no Naramaro to seize power.
757		The Yōrō Code completes the evolution of Ritsuryō law system.
763		Severe epidemic of unidentified illness began spreading from the Iki Island.
764		Fujiwara and Emperor Junnin launched a plot against the retired Empress Kōken and the monk Dōkyō (which failed)
773		The Thirty-Eight Years War for the subjugation of Tōhoku starts.
781		Emperor Kanmu was enthroned.
784		The Imperial capital moved to Nagaoka-kyō. This was the capital of Japan from 784 to 794. Its location was in Otokuni District, Kyoto, Yamashiro Province.
788		Saichō built Enryaku-ji.
794		The first shōgun, Ōtomo no Otomaro, was appointed by Emperor Kanmu in 794 CE. The shōgun was the military dictator of Japan with near absolute power over territories via the military.
794		The Heian period starts after Emperor Kanmu moved the capital to Heian-kyō (ancient name of Kyoto). Emperor Kanmu chose to relocate the capital in order to distance it from the clerical establishment in Nara.
790		Relavively minor smallpox outbreak resulting in large mortality of men aged 30 or below.
797		The Shoku Nihongi (2nd volume of historical chronicles Rikkokushi) was completed.

9th century

Year	Date	Event
802		After the defeat of the Emishi Isawa confederation and execution of Aterui in the final stages of Thirty-Eight Years War, the Japanese control the entire Honshu island.
806		The Japanese kana scripts (invention popularly attributed to Kūkai) have evolved as distinct from Chinese characters.
810		The Kusuko Incident propels Emperor Saga to the throne, resulting in a 32-years long peaceful period.
814		Second major outbreak of smallpox epidemic killing "nearly half" of the Japanese population.
815		Shinsen Shōjiroku, the first compilation of Japanese genealogical data, is complete.
829	23 January	Kūkai has established the first public school in Japan.
839		Last envoy to Tang China sent (some later embassies were cancelled)
840		Nihon Kōki (3rd volume of historical chronicles Rikkokushi) was completed.
842		The Jōwa Incident marks the raising power of the Fujiwara clan.
853	February	Minor outbreak of smallpox epidemic. The outbreaks would continue with average interval of 30 years until smallpox become endemic by 1061.
858		The Fujiwara clan solidify their rule over Japan with the installation of Emperor Seiwa.
869		Shoku Nihon Kōki (4th volume of historical chronicles Rikkokushi) was completed.
869	9 July	The devastating 869 Sanriku earthquake and tsunami happened off Tohoku coast.
878	March	The Akita Castle is overrun during Gangyou disturbance with the background of heavy drought and famine, resulting in growing independence of the Dewa Province
879		Nihon Montoku Tennō Jitsuroku (5th volume of historical chronicles Rikkokushi) was completed.
887		Ako Controversy around edict issued by Emperor Uda naming Fujuwara no Mototsune as Kanpaku
894		Sugawara no Michizane advocates for stopping sending embassies to China.

10th century

Year	Date	Event
901		Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku (6th and last of historical chronicles Rikkokushi) was completed.
907		Severe epidemics and extreme weather including floods and drought, popularly attributed to persecution of Sugawara no Michizane
935		The Tosa Nikki, the oldest surviving Japanese diary, was written.
939		Tengyō no Ran – the failed rebellion of Taira no Masakado in Hitachi Province and Shimōsa Province, Fujiwara no Sumitomo in Iyo Province and San'yō region, plus opportunistic uprisings in Dewa Province – the first of many rebellions led by professional warriors (samurai), has led to the downfall of the Tachibana clan.
949		The 56 warrior monks of Tōdai-ji stage the public protest, marking the formation of sōhei class and militarization of temples.
984		The Ishinpō, the oldest surviving Japanese medical manual, is compiled.
995		Unprecedented scale epidemic ravages Heian-kyō, killing many nobles on the background of sectarian strife.[2]

11th century

Year	Date	Event
1008		The Tale of Genji is written.
1019		Toi invasion to northern Kyushu
1028		Taira no Tadatsune starts a 3-years long war in now Chiba Prefecture before surrendering.
1051		The Former Nine Years War (Zenkunen War) against rebellious Abe clan in now Tohoku have started.
1069		The Ritsuryō system has completely failed due to encroachment by private manors. Emperor Go-Sanjō land reform attempt was thwarted by Fujiwara no Yorimichi, signaling the terminal decline of imperial power.
1074		The unification of units of volume measurement[3]
1083		The fighting in Tohoku flares up again, resulting in the Gosannen War (Later Three-Year War).

12th century

Year	Date	Event
1156		The Hōgen Rebellion has marked the rise of the samurai class.
1159		The Heiji Rebellion has been defeated, and Taira clan under control of Taira no Kiyomori is dominating the government of Japan – the first example of samurai rule.
1177		Shishigatani incident – an attempted rebellion against Taira clan rule
1180		The Genpei War starts. As result, the Imperial capital is briefly moved to Fukuhara-kyō.
1181		Severe drought created the Yōwa famine
1185		The Kamakura period starts after the Genpei War ends with the defeat of the Taira clan, resulting in establishment of the Kamakura shogunate.
1189	15 June	The Battle of Koromo River have ended de facto independence of the Northern Fujiwara clan in Tōhoku. As result, first Japanese refugees have settled in Kaminokuni, Hokkaido.
1192		Kamakura became the de facto capital of Japan in about 1180 AD, following the victories of the Minamoto over the Taira. It officially became the capital in 1192 when Minamoto Yoritomo was declared shōgun.
1192		Minamoto no Yoritomo seized power from the central government and the aristocracy and established a feudal system based in Kamakura. The samurai gained political power over the aristocratic nobility (kuge) of the Imperial Court in Kyoto. Minamoto no Yoritomo was awarded the title of Sei-i Taishōgun by Emperor Go-Toba. The Emperor became a figurehead. The political system that Yoritomo developed with a succession of shōguns as the head became known as a shogunate. The military class would rule Japan near continuously from 1192 till 1868 CE.

13th century

Year	Date	Event
1221		Hirashima War – an attempt of Imperial family to regain independence from the Kamakura shogunate
1230-1231		Kanki famine
1232		The Goseibai Shikimoku code accepted and used until the Edo period, marking militarization of legal system
1274		1st Mongol invasion in Japan repulsed in the Battle of Bun'ei
1281		2nd Mongol invasion in Japan repulsed in the Battle of Kōan
1293	27 May	The deadly 1293 Kamakura earthquake, followed by government in-fighting, struck Japan.

14th century

Year	Date	Event
1331		Emperor Go-Daigo initiates the Genkō War.
1333	5 July	The short-lived Kenmu Restoration starts with the destruction of the Kamakura shogunate in the siege of Kamakura (1333).
1334		Imperial court of Japan splits in two until 1392, resulting in the Nanboku-chō period.
1336		The Muromachi period starts with the establishment of the Ashikaga shogunate domination over the imperial Northern Court. The Daimyō system is established.
1341		The Jinnō Shōtōki is written, formalizing Emperor's of Japan role transition from ruler to the mystical symbol.
1348	4 February	The Southern Court loses the Battle of Shijōnawate.
1350		Kannō disturbance weakens the Ashikaga shogunate. Wokou pirates from Japan are becoming rampant in region.
1353		The Southern Court wins the Battle of Yawata, enabling the siege of Kyoto in 1354.
1368		De facto independence of the Kantō region
1370		De facto independence of Kyushu
1392		The Nanboku-chō period ends with subjugation of the Southern Court to the Northern Court.

15th century

Year	Date	Event
1419	19 June	Ōei Invasion to Wokou bases on Tsushima Island
1428		Cholera epidemic and extreme impoverishment in now Shiga Prefecture have resulted in the Shocho uprising.
1438		Flare-up of Eikyō disturbance in the Kantō region after 22 years of confrontation between local lords and shogunate
1443		The Treaty of Gyehae was signed, resulting in Wokou pirates becoming increasingly non-Japanese.
1454		The Kyōtoku Incident starts the 32 years of instability and bloodshed in the semi-independent Kantō region.
1457		Takeda Nobuhiro emerged victorious after repelling an Ainu assault on Kaminokuni, Hokkaido, marking the beginning of Japanese conquest of Hokkaido.
1457		Edo Castle, a nucleus of modern Tokyo, was built.
1459		Bad handling of the Kanshō famine in the aftermath of flood and plague in Kyoto has resulted in increasing divisions of society.
1467		The Ōnin War starts, marking the beginning of the Sengoku period – during which violence and power struggle has become the norm.
1477		Kyoto has been completely destroyed. Iga Province by this point has successfully rejected the authority of the local shugo.
1485		The Yamashiro uprising establishes the Yamashiro ikki
1487		Battle of Magari: Rokkaku Takayori, supported by ninja from Iga ikki and Kōka ikki, defeats an expedition from Shogun Ashikaga Yoshihisa.
1488		The Kaga Rebellion overthrows Togashi Masachika and establishes a theocratic confederation, the Kaga ikki, in now-Ishikawa Prefecture.
1493		The Ashikaga shogunate destroys the Yamashiro ikki
1498	20 September	1498 Nankai earthquake

16th century

Year	Date	Event
1523		Japanese in-fighting results in the Ningbo Incident, bringing trade with China to a halt and resulting in a new wave of Wokou piracy.
1540		Tenbun famine and plague
1543	25 August	The first Europeans, the Portuguese, arrive at Japan, opening the Nanban trade period.
1560		Battle of Okehazama: Oda Nobunaga emerged victorious.
1570		Oda Nobunaga starts a 10-year long Ishiyama Hongan-ji War to suppress the warrior monk community and the Kaga ikki state.
1573		Japanese society begins to stabilize, starting the Azuchi–Momoyama period under the rule of Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
1574		The Rokkaku clan and Kōka ikki surrender to Nobunaga. The Iga–Kōka alliance is thus terminated.
1579		Azuchi religious debate results in enforced religious tolerance.
1581		Oda Nobunaga forces win the Tenshō Iga War, destroying the Iga ikki
1581		Himeji Castle, the largest in Japan, was built.
1582		Incident at Honnō-ji: Akechi Mitsuhide, an Oda general, betrayed Nobunaga at Honnō-ji and forced him to commit seppuku.
1585		Toyotomi Hideyoshi invaded Shikoku.
1586		The 1586 Tenshō earthquake strikes central Honshu, killing thousands.
1587		Toyotomi Hideyoshi has launched the Kyūshū Campaign.
1590	4 August	Toyotomi Hideyoshi has prevailed over the Late Hōjō clan in the siege of Odawara in the Kantō region, completing the re-unification of Japan.
1591	8 October	The Separation Edict and Population Census Edict froze the social structure of Japan.
1592	23 May	Toyotomi Hideyoshi, acting as kampaku (regent) in lieu of Oda Nobukatsu, invaded Korea.
1597	5 February	Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan were crucified in Nagasaki in the aftermath of the San Felipe incident.
1598	16 December	The Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–98) have ended with Japanese retreat after the Battle of Noryang.
1600	21 October	The Battle of Sekigahara is won by forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

17th century

Year	Date	Events
1603	24 March	The Edo period starts after Tokugawa Ieyasu received from Emperor Go-Yōzei the title of shōgun.
		The town of Edo became the de facto capital of Japan and center of political power. This was after Tokugawa Ieyasu established the bakufu headquarters in Edo. Kyoto remained the formal capital of the country.
	November	Rokugō rebellion
1605	3 February	1605 Nankai earthquake and tsunami
1605		Ieyasu abdicated from office in favor of his third son and heir, Tokugawa Hidetada.
1609	7 March	Invasion of Ryukyu
1610	3 January	Nossa Senhora da Graça incident
1611	2 December	1611 Sanriku earthquake and tsunami
1615	3 June	The siege of Osaka is complete with the Battle of Tennōji: Tokugawa Ieyasu ended Toyotomi opposition.
1623		Hidetada resigned his office to his eldest son and heir, Tokugawa Iemitsu.
1635		The Sakoku Edict of 1635 was issued by the Tokugawa Shogunate. This isolationist foreign policy barred Japanese from leaving Japan and barred Europeans from entering, on pain of death. It instituted strict penalties for the practice of Catholicism and severely restricted foreign trade.
1635		The policy of sankin-kōtai was established, which subjected the daimyōs to the will of the shōgun.
1637	17 December	Shimabara Rebellion: A rebellion began against the daimyō Matsukura Katsuie over his persecution of Christianity and onerous tax code.
1638	15 April	Shimabara Rebellion: The last of the rebels were defeated in their fortress at Shimabara.
1642		The Kan'ei Great Famine happens due to a combination of government over-spending, Rinderpest epizootic, volcanic eruptions and extreme weather.
1651	24 April	Iemitsu died, leaving his office to the ten-year-old Tokugawa Ietsuna.
1651		Keian Uprising: A coup d'état attempted by several rōnin and masterminded by Yui Shōsetsu and Marubashi Chūya failed.
1657	2 March	Great Fire of Meireki in Edo
1669		Shakushain's Revolt on Hokkaido
1680	4 June	Ietsuna died and was succeeded by his younger brother, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi.
1686		Jōkyō uprising

18th century

Year	Date	Event
1703	20 March	Chūshingura – Forty-seven ronin were ordered to commit seppuku by the shōgun.
1703	31 December	1703 Genroku earthquake and tsunami
1707	28 October	1707 Hōei earthquake and tsunami, followed by the Hōei eruption of Mount Fuji
1709	19 February	Tsunayoshi died. His nephew Tokugawa Ienobu succeeded him as shōgun.
1712		The Wakan Sansai Zue, the first Japanese encyclopaedia, was published.
1712	12 November	Ienobu died and was succeeded by his five-year-old son, Tokugawa Ietsugu, under the regency of the shōgun's adviser Arai Hakuseki.
1716	19 June	Ietsugu died. Tokugawa Yoshimune, a great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu, became shōgun.
1716	July	The Kyōhō Reforms aimed for monetization of economy and broader import of European knowledge have started.
1720		The foreign books restrictions are reduced, starting a Rangaku practice.
1732		The Kyōhō famine happens due to a locust infestation in the Seto Inland Sea region.
1745		Yoshimune retired, leaving his public office to his eldest son Tokugawa Ieshige, although he maintained some influence in the affairs of state.
1754		1754 Horeki River Improvement Incident
1760		Ieshige retired, leaving his office to his eldest son Tokugawa Ieharu.
1771	9 January	Empress Go-Sakuramachi abdicated in favor of her nephew Go-Momozono. She was the last empress regnant of Japan up until now.
1771	24 April	1771 Great Yaeyama Tsunami
1782		Great Tenmei famine
1783	5 August	Tenmei eruption of Mount Asama
1789	May	Menashi-Kunashir Rebellion on Hokkaido
1790		The Kansei Reforms, including the Kansei Edict, tighten the isolation of Japan.
1792	21 May	1792 Unzen earthquake and tsunami

19th century

Year	Date	Event
1806		Chwostoff raids on the Japanese-controlled Kuril islands.
1807		Failed military expedition to Sakhalin
1811		The Golovnin Incident marks increasing contacts with the Russian Empire.
1825		Edict to Repel Foreign Vessels
1833		Tenpō famine
1837		Morrison incident
1842		Tenpō Reforms lifts the price controls and further reduce contacts with Europeans.
1846	10 March	Emperor Ninkō died at the age of 45 and was succeeded by Emperor Kōmei.
1847	8 May	1847 Nagano earthquake
1848	1 July	The isolation policy of the Tokugawa shogunate has begun to crumble by the time of landing of Ranald MacDonald on Rishiri Island.
1853	14 July	Matthew C. Perry arrives off the coast of Japan in four ships. Perry orders harbor buildings to be shelled to force negotiations for a letter President Millard Fillmore sent to the ruler of Japan. This incident was coined as the "Arrival of the Black Ships" in Japanese history.
1854	February	Second Visit. Matthew C. Perry returns to Japan with eight Black Ships and finds that the shogunate had prepared a treaty accepting virtually all demands from President Millard Fillmore.
	March	Matthew C. Perry signs the Convention of Kanagawa. Within five years, Japan signs similar treaties with other western countries, thus ending an isolation period of more than 200 years known as sakoku (鎖国), whereby the Dutch and Chinese ships had limited trade exclusivity.
	23 December	The Ansei great earthquakes series starts with the 1854 Tōkai earthquake and tsunami.
1855	7 February	The Treaty of Shimoda with the Russian Empire was signed.
	25 August	With the arrival of the modern Dutch paddle steamer Kankō Maru, the Tokugawa shogunate establishes the Nagasaki Naval Training Center as part of its modernization efforts to meet the perceived military threat posed by the western nations and learn Western-style science and naval theory. The cadets who attended the center such as Enomoto Takeaki and Katsu Kaishū would go on to found the Imperial Japanese Navy following the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
	11 November	The Ansei great earthquakes series ends with the 1855 Edo earthquake followed by a devastating fire.
1858	26 August	The Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce and other Ansei Treaties were signed, resulting in Ansei Purge.
1860	9 February	Ambassador Shinmi Masaoki sets sail for San Francisco, leading the first Japanese diplomatic mission to the United States.
1860	17 March	The Japanese ship Kanrin Maru arrives in San Francisco with the delegation, marking the first official visit to a foreign state following the end of its 214-year isolationist policy, demonstrating the degree to which Japan had mastered Western navigation techniques and ship technologies in the 6 years since opening its borders.
1862	14 September	Namamugi Incident: Four British subjects were attacked by guards on the Tōkaidō for failing to pay proper respect to a daimyō. One, a merchant named Charles Lennox Richardson, was killed.
1863	11 March	Order to expel barbarians
	16 July	Battle of Shimonoseki Straits
	15 August	Bombardment of Kagoshima
	29 September	Tenchūgumi incident - the year-long rebellion in Yamato Province starts.
1864	May	The Mito rebellion starts in Mito Domain and continues until January 1865.
1864	20 August	Kinmon incident - an attempt to kidnap an Emperor Kōmei, resulting in partial burning of Kyoto. It was retaliated by the abortive First Chōshū expedition.
1866	7 June	The Second Chōshū expedition starts, only to be halted after death of shōgun Tokugawa Iemochi in August 1866, critically discrediting the Tokugawa shogunate.
1867	3 February	Emperor Kōmei died at the age of 35. It's generally believed due to the smallpox epidemic. This marked the end of the Edo period.
1867	3 February	Emperor Meiji ascended the Chrysanthemum throne. This marked the start of the Meiji Period.
1868	1868 - 1869	The Boshin War was fought between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the Imperial Court.
1868	3 January	The Meiji Restoration restored practical abilities and the political system under Emperor Meiji. This ended the Tokugawa Shogunate.
1869		Emperor Meiji moved his residence from Kyoto to Tokyo. Edo castle became the Imperial Palace. This made Tokyo the formal capital of Japan.
1869	1 May	The city of Edo was formally renamed to Tokyo ("eastern capital"). The city of Tokyo was officially established.
1871		Abolition of the han system, being replaced by a system of prefectures
1873		Seikanron: The government debated and rejected the idea of the invasion of Korea.
1873		Land Tax Reform (Japan 1873)
1874		Saga Rebellion
1875		Japan quickly transformed in one generation from an isolated feudal society to a modern industrialized nation state and an emerging great power.
1876		Akizuki Rebellion, Hagi Rebellion and Shinpūren Rebellion
1877		Satsuma Rebellion
1878	23 August	Takebashi incident - a riot by underpaid Imperial Guards
1888		Chichibu incident – a peasants rebellion
1890	29 November	The Constitution of the Empire of Japan (Meiji Constitution) was enacted. This turned Japan into a quasi-absolute monarchy with a representative democracy.
1891	28 October	1891 Mino–Owari earthquake – strongest recorded inland earthquake of Japan
1894	1 August	The First Sino-Japanese War starts.
1895	17 April	The First Sino-Japanese War is won by Japanese, resulting in the Treaty of Shimonoseki. It was the first major conflict between Japan and an overseas military power in modern times. For the first time, regional dominance in East Asia shifted from China to Japan. Korea became a vassal state of Japan.
1895	29 May	Japanese invasion of Taiwan (1895)
1896	15 June	The 1896 Sanriku earthquake kills 22,066 people.

20th century

Year	Date	Event
1902	30 January	Russo-Japanese War: Japan became the first Asian nation to sign a mutual defense pact with a European nation, Britain.
1904	8 February	Russo-Japanese War: Japan launched a surprise torpedo attack on the Imperial Russian Navy at Port Arthur.
1905	5 September	Russo-Japanese War: Japan became the first modern Asian nation to win a war against a European nation (Russia). The Treaty of Portsmouth was signed, ceding some Russian property and territory to Japan and ending the war. Pro-war activists staged the Hibiya incendiary incident nevertheless. This changed the global world order. Japan became the main Asian power.
1910	22 August	The Japan–Korea Treaty of 1910 completes the annexation of the Korean Empire.
1910	December	The Japanese Antarctic Expedition starts.
1912	30 July	Emperor Meiji died at the age of 59. Prince Yoshihito became the Emperor of Japan. This marked the start of the Taishō period.
1914	5 September - 6 September	The Japanese seaplane carrier Wakamiya conducted the world's first successful naval-launched air raids on 5 September 1914 and during the first months of World War I from Jiaozhou Bay off Qingdao. On 6 September 1914 was the very first air-sea battle in history.
1914	31 October	The siege of Qingdao starts as part of World War I.
1918	4 April	Japanese intervention in Siberia starts and continues until 1922..
1918	July	Rice riots of 1918
1919	1 March	The March 1st Movement signal the start of the Korean independence movement.
1921	13 November	Hōshō, the first Japanese aircraft carrier, is launched.
1923	1 September	The 1923 Great Kantō earthquake kills 105,385 people.
1926	25 December	Emperor Taishō died at the age of 47.
1926	25 December	Prince Hirohito became the Emperor of the Empire of Japan after the death of his father Yoshihito. This marked the start of the Shōwa period.
1927		Shōwa financial crisis
1927	30 December	The Tokyo Metro Ginza Line between Ueno and Asakusa was the first subway line built in Japan and East Asia.[4]
1930	27 October	Wushe incident – a rebellion on Taiwan
1931	18 September	Japan invaded Manchuria in the aftermath of the Mukden Incident.
1932	1 March	Manchukuo, a puppet state of Japan, is established.
1937	7 July	The Second Sino-Japanese War starts.
1940	22 September	The Japanese invasion of French Indochina starts.
1941	13 April	The Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact was signed.
1941	7 December	Japan attacked the naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Japan has declared war to the US, Dutch and British, marking the start of the Pacific War theatre of World War II.
1945	6 August	Atomic bombing of Hiroshima
	9 August	Atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the Soviet invasion of Manchuria starts and continues on as the Kuril Islands dispute
	15 August	Surrender of Japan
1946	3 May	In the controversial International Military Tribunal for the Far East, the prosecution began of Japanese military leaders for war crimes.
1947	3 May	The Constitution of Japan goes into effect. This changed the Empire of Japan into the State of Japan (Nihon Koku, 日本国) with a liberal democracy. Article 9 turned Japan into a pacifist country without a military.
1951	8 September	The US Occupation of Japan ended after the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco and Security Treaty Between the United States and Japan on September 8, 1951, which became effective on April 28, 1952. It restored the sovereignty of Japan and established the U.S.-Japan alliance.
1954	1 July	Formation of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).
1955	15 November	The right-wing Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled Japan almost continuously ever since, is established.
1956	12 December	Japan joins the United Nations.
1960		The massive Anpo Protests against revision of the US-Japan Security Treaty are the largest protests in Japan's modern history, and force the resignation of Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi and the cancellation of a planned visit by US president Dwight D. Eisenhower.
1964	1 October	The largest Japanese land reclamation project thus far was completed in Lake Hachirōgata, creating the village of Ōgata out of 195 km² of lakebed reclaimed since 1957.
	1 October	The first Shinkansen high-speed train railway line was opened.
	10 October	1964 Summer Olympics: Tokyo hosted the Olympics, marking the first time the Games were held in Asia.
1968		Japan surpassed West Germany to become the second largest economic power in the world.
1968		The Ogasawara Islands were returned from US occupation to Japanese sovereignty. Japanese citizens were allowed to return.
1969	18 January	Student protests against the Vietnam War and American use of bases on Japanese soil culminated in a short-lived takeover of Tokyo University.
1970	11 February	The first successful launch of the Lambda 4S rocket places the Japanese Ohsumi satellite on orbit.
	20 December	The Koza riot was a violent and spontaneous protest against the US military presence in Okinawa.
		By the 1970s Japan ascended to great power status again. Japan had record high economic growth during the Japanese economic miracle.
1971	30 September	Zengakuren demonstrate and riot in Tokyo against terms for the return of Okinawa from US to Japanese control. They wanted to remove all American military presence.
1971	24 November	The 1971 Okinawa Reversion Agreement is ratified and returned the Okinawa Prefecture to Japanese sovereignty.
1974		Prime Minister Eisaku Satō accepted the Nobel Peace Prize.
1980		Japan became the biggest motor vehicle producing country in the world with 11,042,884 motor vehicles compared to the USA's 8,009,841.
1983		The domestic North American video game market crashes, allowing the Japanese industry to take America's place as the world's largest video game market.
1985	12 August	Japan Airlines Flight 123 crashes near Mount Takamagahara, killing 520 people in Japan's worst ever air disaster.
1989	7 January	Emperor Hirohito died at the age of 87. His posthumous name is Emperor Shōwa. He was the both longest-lived and longest-reigning historical Japanese emperor, as well as the longest-reigning monarch in the world at that time. However, Prince Akihito succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne upon the death of his father Emperor Shōwa. He thereby became the Emperor of Japan. This marked the start of the Heisei period.
1989	29 December	During Japanese asset price bubble, Tokyo Stock Market index, Nikkei 225, hits its peak at 38,957 before closing at 38,916 for the day.
1991	1 January	Japanese asset price bubble has been popped, ending Japanese economic miracle and triggering the prolonged period of economic decline known as the "Lost Decades".
1993	12 July	Hokkaido earthquake kills 230 people, but no injuries.
1993	18 July	In the wake of Japanese economic crisis, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is defeated in the general elections for the first time since 1955, and the coalition of opposition parties headed by Morihiro Hosokawa takes power.
1995	17 January	Great Hanshin earthquake: Kansai region earthquake kills 6,434 people and more than 43,792 injured.
1995	20 March	Tokyo subway sarin attack: Members of the Aum Shinrikyo religious sect release sarin gas on the Tokyo subway system, killing 13 and injuring over 1000.
1997	11 December	Kyoto Protocol to regulate greenhouse gases emissions was adopted.
2000	5 April	Japanese Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi resigned due to health reasons, and Yoshiro Mori become 90th Prime Minister of Japan.

21st century

Year	Date	Event
2001	26 April	Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori resigned and Junichiro Koizumi become 91st Prime Minister of Japan.
2001	29 July	Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi won the House of Councillors election.
2002	31 May-20 June	2002 FIFA World Cup are held in Japan and South Korea.
2003	9 November	Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi won the general elections at the second time.
2003	9 December	Japan send troops to Iraq during the Iraq War (2003-11). However, one year and one month later, Japan was established Japanese Iraq Reconstruction and Support Group between 2004 and 2006.
2004	11 July	Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi won the House of Councillors election.
2004	23 October	Niigata earthquake kills 68 people and more than 4,805 injured.
2005	11 September	Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi won the general elections at the third time.
2005	November	Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)'s robotic spacecraft Hayabusa landed on an asteroid and collected samples in the form of tiny grains of asteroidal material, which were returned to Earth aboard the spacecraft on 13 June 2010. It was the first spacecraft in history designed to deliberately land on an asteroid and then take off again. The Hayabusa mission was the first to return an asteroid sample to Earth for analysis.
2006	26 September	Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi resigned and Shinzo Abe become 92nd Prime Minister of Japan.
2007	29 July	Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigned due to lost his power in the House of Councillors election to Ichirō Ozawa.
2007	26 September	Yasuo Fukuda become 93rd Prime Minister of Japan following Shinzo Abe lost the House of Councillors election and his resignation.
2008	January-December	Japan has severely hardest-hit by the global financial crisis causes by the Great Recession.
2008	24 September	Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda resigned and Taro Aso become 94th Prime Minister of Japan.
2009	30 August	Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda lost his election to Democratic Party leader Yukio Hatoyama.
2009	16 September	Yukio Hatoyama was elected 95th Prime Minister of Japan.
2010	8 June	Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama resigned and Naoto Kan become the 96th Prime Minister of Japan.
2010	11 July	Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan won the House of Councillors election.
2011	January and March	The Tokyo Skytree 634.0 metres (2,080 ft) became the third tallest tower in the world, which opened in 2012.
	11 March	Japan has begin to suffered from the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami, and followed by the subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster. As of result, more than nearly 16,000 Japanese people have died from the mega-disaster.
	July	Japan Self-Defense Force Base Djibouti was established.
2012	16 December	Shinzo Abe won the general election at the first time.
2012	26 December	Shinzo Abe was elected 98th Prime Minister of Japan.
2013	2 January	Abenomics and Japanese policies are enacted to handle the consequences of the Lost Decade. Japanese aging population has begin to decreased since the triple disaster hits the country in 2011.
	21 July	Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won the House of Councillors election at the first time.
	7 September	Japan won the hosted 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo during the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2014	14 December	Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won the general election at the second time.
2016	10 July	Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won the House of Councillors election at the second time.
2016	31 July	Yuriko Koike won the Tokyo gubernatorial election and was elected 9th Governor of Tokyo Metropolis.
2017	22 October	Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won the general election at the third time.
2018	7 April	Japan activated the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, its first marine unit since World War II. They're trained to counter invaders from occupying Japanese islands.
2018	11 October	The Toyosu Market opened as the largest wholesale fish market in the world.[5] It replaced the old Tsukiji fish market.
2019	30 April	Emperor Akihito abdicated being the first Japanese emperor to do so since 1817. Prince Naruhito succeeded as the Emperor of Japan. This marked the start of the Reiwa period.
	2 July	The tourist boom in Japan reach unprecedented scale, with a number of yearly visitors counting in millions - 19.73 in 2015, 23.97 in 2016, 28.6 in 2017, and 31.19 million foreign visitors in 2018.[6][7]
	18 July	Kyoto Animation arson attack: 36 people were killed in one of the deadliest massacres in post-World War II history of Japan.
	21 July	Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won the House of Councillors election at the third time.
2020	15 January	Japan has confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus, found in Haneda Airport, Tokyo outside Wuhan, China.
	30 March	2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo has been postponed.
	7 April-29 May	Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared the first state of emergency over coronavirus spreading.
	29 August	Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigned due to his health reasons, such as ulcerative colitis, and he was replaced by his successor Yoshihide Suga at one month later.
2021	7 January-1 October	Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared the second, third, and fourth state of emergencies amid rising COVID-19, Alpha, and Delta infection and death surges.
	February	COVID-19 vaccination in Japan begins.
	23 July-8 August	2020 Summer Olympics are held in Japan.
	30 September	Despite COVID-19 Delta cases continued to fall, Japan lifted 4th and final state of emergency up as the country ahead of the endemic phase by one month and one day later.
	1 October	Japan becoming the first country, who transited to the living with COVID-19 endemic phase in the future.
	4 October	Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga resigned due to poor approval ratings, and he was replaced by Fumio Kishida, who was elected 100th Prime Minister of Japan.
	31 October	Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida wins the general election about 34.6% of the vote.
	30 November 2021-5 May 2023	Japan has confirmed the first case of COVID-19 Omicron variant, found from South Africa. As of May 2023, Japan reported 56,500 Omicron deaths, a lowest mortality toll, compared to wealthy countries.
2022	8 July	At 11:30 a.m., former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by 41-year-old-gunman Tetsuya Yamagami while he giving a speech at the House of Councillors election campaign in Nara. At 5:03 p.m., former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died in Nara hospital after he being shot (about at 5 hours and 33 minutes ago).
	8 July-30 September	Japan declared the national mourning day of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated while he giving a speech at the House of Councillors election campaign in Nara.
	11 July	Following Shinzo Abe's assassination, Japanese government discussed that Unification Church leader Tomihiro Tanaka has confirmed Tetsuya Yamagami's mother was a member of the religious group (Also known as the Unification Church (Shukyo nisei)). Because Shinzo Abe had alleged ties to the Unification Church, which go back generations including his father, Shintaro Abe, his mother Yoko Abe, and his maternal grandparents, Nobusuke and Yoshiko Kishi. At the end of World War II, his maternal grandfather was jailed as a suspected war criminal.
	12 July	Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was cremated at Kirigaya Funeral Hall in Tokyo.
	10 August	Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the first reshuffled his second cabinet at the first time.
	27 September	Funeral service of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe begin at Nippon Budokan, Kitanomaru National Garden in Chiyoda, Tokyo.
2023	13 January	According to the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reports, Japanese prosecutors indicts 42-year-old gunman Tetsuya Yamagami for the suspect of the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on murder charges and as well as the gun violating laws after the concluding 6 months of psychiatric evaluation.
	15 April	Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida assassination attempt in Wakayama following the Saikazaki bombing.
	2 June	According to Japan Meteorological Agency official confirmed report, a heavy massive torrential rain, affective Typhoon Mawar hit in Japan, many places occur on flash flood, levee collapse, landslide hit in Tokyo Metropolitan area, Kii Peninsula, and Hamamatsu, which kill 7 persons with injure 45 persons.
	8 July	Japan marked the 1st anniversary of the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated while he giving at the parliamentary election speech in Nara in July 2022.
	14 July	According to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) official confiremed report, an explosion occurred during the test of solid fuel Epsilon rocket at JAXA's Noshiro Testing Center in Noshiro, Akita Prefecture, no one injures on this incident.
	24 August	According to Japanese government official announcement, an despite opposition groups from environmental activist and government official from neighbor countries, from discharge of radioactive water of the Fukushima First Nuclear Power Plant to start into the Pacific Ocean has started. Relative Chinese government and South Korean government both announces that prohibition to all fish import from Japan on same day.
	4 September	The Supreme Court of Japan formally orders Okinawa to allow the United States Armed Forces to expand its runways and military infrastructure on the island despite protests from the locals who oppose the American military's presence.
	13 September	Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced the second reshuffled his second cabinet at the second time.

References and notes

Lee Injae、Owen Miller、Park Jinhoon、Yi Hyun-Hae, "Korean History in Maps", p. 696 (60)
Brown, Delmer M.; Ishida, Ichirō (1979). The Future and the Past: A Translation and Study of the Gukanshō, an Interpretative History of Japan Written in 1219. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0520034600.
Brown, Delmer M.; Ishida, Ichirō (1979). The Future and the Past: A Translation and Study of the Gukanshō, an Interpretative History of Japan Written in 1219. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 78. ISBN 978-0520034600.
Hornyak, Tim (December 16, 2017). "Heart of gold: The Ginza Line celebrates its 90th birthday". Japan Times. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2017.
Daniel Leussink (Sep 4, 2020). "Tokyo's Toyosu fish market, the world's largest, taking outsized hit from pandemic". Reuters. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021.
Sugiura, Eri. "Japan gets more than it bargained for with tourist boom". asia.nikkei.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
Mae Vogel, Holly. "What is behind Japan's travel boom". asiancorrespondent.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

External links

BBC News. "Japan Profile: Timeline".
"Japan". Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art.
"Timeline of Modern Japan (1868–1945)". About Japan: A Teacher's Resource. New York: Japan Society.
"Japanese History: A Chronological Outline". Asia for Educators. USA: Columbia University.

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[1] Lee Injae、Owen Miller、Park Jinhoon、Yi Hyun-Hae, "Korean History in Maps", p. 696 (60)

[2] Brown, Delmer M.; Ishida, Ichirō (1979). The Future and the Past: A Translation and Study of the Gukanshō, an Interpretative History of Japan Written in 1219. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-0520034600.

[3] Brown, Delmer M.; Ishida, Ichirō (1979). The Future and the Past: A Translation and Study of the Gukanshō, an Interpretative History of Japan Written in 1219. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 78. ISBN 978-0520034600.

[90th-2017-4] Hornyak, Tim (December 16, 2017). "Heart of gold: The Ginza Line celebrates its 90th birthday". Japan Times. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2017.

[reuters-toyosu-5] Daniel Leussink (Sep 4, 2020). "Tokyo's Toyosu fish market, the world's largest, taking outsized hit from pandemic". Reuters. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021.

[6] Sugiura, Eri. "Japan gets more than it bargained for with tourist boom". asia.nikkei.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.

[7] Mae Vogel, Holly. "What is behind Japan's travel boom". asiancorrespondent.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.