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Explanatory notes

• *All years are in AD. However, the titles of some Japanese awards may include Japanese era names.
• *All companies are referred to by their names only. The parts of the company titles that indicate their legal status, such as Corporation, Co., Ltd., and Inc., are omitted.
• *Job titles and company names are those at the time of announcements. However, when a Mitsubishi Electric Group affiliate has undergone a name change, its present name is clearly stated (unless this is not appropriate, for example, in case of company reorganization). As an exception, some companies are referred to as "currently known as."
• *Expressions, such as the world's/Japan's/the industry's first/largest/fastest/longest, were correct at the time of announcements.
• *In Japanese text, the katakana notation of loanwords complies with the Mitsubishi Electric Document Preparation Handbook guidelines, except for some cases, such as product names.
• *The names of foreign countries are described in katakana in Japanese text. However, the US is referred to by "Beikoku" and UK "Eikoku".
• *The names of foreign countries are those at the time of the event.
• *All trademark symbols (i.e., ™ and ®) are omitted except when other companies' trademarks are mentioned.
• *Product names are indicated inside ""(double quotation marks) as a general rule.

Photos Provided for
"World Events"

• World Events
  Source
• 1925
  Start of Japan's first radio broadcasts
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1925
  Public Security Preservation Law promulgated
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1925
  Yamanote Line loop service begins
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1926
  Taisho Emperor dies, Showa era begins
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1926
  NHK established
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1927
  Japan's first subway opens (between Asakusa and Ueno)
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1928
  First election with universal suffrage for men
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1929
  Great Depression begins
  Kyodo News Images Inc.
• 1931
  Haneda Airfield (now Haneda Airport) opens
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1933
  Japan withdraws from League of Nations
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1938
  National Mobilization Law promulgated
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1946
  Constitution of Japan promulgated
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1949
  Official exchange rate of ¥360 to the US dollar adopted
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1949
  People's Republic of China established
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1951
  Government announces that dissolution of Zaibatsu business conglomerates is complete; Holding Company Liquidation Commission dissolved
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1951
  Treaty of San Francisco signed
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1953
  Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), Nippon TV start broadcasting television
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1956
  Soviet-Japanese Joint Declaration
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1956
  Japan joins United Nations
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1957
  Soviet Union successfully launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1958
  Kodama, the first limited express, begins service (connecting Tokyo to Osaka in 6 hours, 50 minutes)
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1958
  Tokyo Tower opens
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1960
  Color TV broadcasting begins
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1960
  Prime Minister Ikeda announces Income Doubling Plan THE
  YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1961
  Soviet Union becomes first to put a human (Yuri Gagarin) into space flight
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1964
  Tokaido Shinkansen opens (connecting Tokyo to Shin-Osaka in 4 hours)
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1964
  Summer Olympics held in Tokyo
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1967
  Environmental Pollution Prevention Act promulgated
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1969
  All sections of Tomei Expressway opened
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1969
  Apollo 11 successfully lands on moon
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1970
  Expo '70 opens in Osaka
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1970
  Osumi, first Japanese artificial satellite, successfully launched
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1971
  Nixon shock (floating exchange rate system)
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1972
  Winter Olympics held in Sapporo
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1972
  Okinawa Prefecture returned to Japan
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1972
  Japan and China normalize diplomatic relations
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1973
  Oil crisis (first oil shock)
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1978
  New Tokyo (Narita) International Airport opens
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 1978
  Sound multiplex broadcasting begins
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1979
  5th G7 Summit held in Tokyo
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1982
  Tohoku Shinkansen opens
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1982
  Joetsu Shinkansen opens
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1987
  Japanese National Railways split and privatized (launch of JR)
  Kyodo News Images Inc.
• 1988
  Seikan Tunnel opens
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1989
  Showa Emperor dies, Heisei era begins
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1989
  Consumption tax introduced (3%)
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1989
  Berlin Wall falls
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1991
  Soviet Union collapses
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1994
  Kansai International Airport opens
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1997
  Kyoto Protocol adopted
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1997
  Hong Kong returned to China
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 1997
  Consumption tax increased to 5%
  Kyodo News Images Inc.
• 1998
  Winter Olympics held in Nagano
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2002
  Japan and South Korea jointly host first soccer World Cup in Asia
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2002
  The euro, a unified European currency, starts circulating as cash
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2004
  Teito Rapid Transit Authority privatized, Tokyo Metro launches
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2005
  Expo 2005 held in Aichi Prefecture
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2006
  Digital terrestrial broadcasting begins
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2007
  Japan Post privatized (launch of Japan Post Holdings)
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2008
  Bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers (Lehman shock)
  The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
• 2009
  Barack Obama inaugurated as first Black President in U.S.
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2011
  Transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting (2012 in three disaster-affected prefectures)
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2016
  Hokkaido Shinkansen opens
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.
• 2019
  Current Emperor accedes to throne, Reiwa era begins
  THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN Co., Ltd.