Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- How is the Constitution Memorial Day usually celebrated in Japan?
- What do you know about Japan’s constitution?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- sovereignty /SOV-rin-tee/
- symbol /SIM-buhl/
- state /steyt /
- human rights /HYOO-muhn rahyts/
- democratic /dem-uh-KRAT-ik/
[noun] – the power of a country to control its own government
The question of who should have sovereignty over the island is being debated.
[noun] – something that is used to represent a quality or idea
Water is a symbol of life.
[noun] – a country or its government
The drought is particularly severe in the state.
[noun] – the basic rights that it is generally considered all people should have, such as justice and the freedom to say what you think
Her arrest by the police was a violation of her human rights.
[adjective] – based on the principles of democracy
Do you consider Australia to be a more democratic country than the United Kingdom?
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
This public holiday is part of Golden Week and is also known as Constitution Day and “Kenpo kinenbi” in Japan. Japan’s Constitution took effect on May 3rd, 1947. To commemorate the occurrence, the date has been recognized as a national holiday. On this day, many newspapers and magazines publish articles about Japan’s government. The National Diet Building in Tokyo, where the constitution was formed, will also be open to the public for one day only.
Following the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan’s constitution was changed to emphasize peace and pacifism. The present Constitution, unlike the Meiji Constitution it replaced, declares that the people have sovereignty and that the Emperor is “the symbol of the state and the unity of the people.” Individuals have basic human rights, and they resist war, according to the document. It’s a highly democratic text that’s based on the US and British constitutions.
Constitution Memorial Day is dedicated to commemorating Japan’s democratic transition. It’s also pacifists’ day to remember the constitution’s “guarantee” of perpetual peace, which declares Japan to be forever neutral. This is also one of Japan’s most significant historical and cultural days. It’s a big part of “Golden Week,” a collection of four major Japanese festivities held in late April and early May.
Following the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan’s constitution was changed to emphasize peace and pacifism. The present Constitution, unlike the Meiji Constitution it replaced, declares that the people have sovereignty and that the Emperor is “the symbol of the state and the unity of the people.” Individuals have basic human rights, and they resist war, according to the document. It’s a highly democratic text that’s based on the US and British constitutions.
Constitution Memorial Day is dedicated to commemorating Japan’s democratic transition. It’s also pacifists’ day to remember the constitution’s “guarantee” of perpetual peace, which declares Japan to be forever neutral. This is also one of Japan’s most significant historical and cultural days. It’s a big part of “Golden Week,” a collection of four major Japanese festivities held in late April and early May.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- What is the translation of Constitution Day in Japan?
- When did Japan’s constitution take effect?
- Where was the constitution formed?
- Why was Japan’s constitution changed?
- What does the constitution declare?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Among the holidays in the Golden Week, which is your favorite? Why?
- What do you do on Constitution Day in Japan?
- If you were to celebrate Constitution Memorial Day in any way possible, how would you celebrate it? Why?
- Are you a pacifist?
- How would you compare today’s era to the previous ones?