PHL Embassy in Japan closed on July 15 for Marine Day

The Philippine Embassy in Japan will be closed on July 15 in observance of Marine Day, a holiday in Japan.

 

In an announcement on its website's Events and Holidays section, the embassy indicated that it will be closed on Marine Day.

 

An article on Kids Web Japan said that in Japan, Marine Day occurs during the third Monday in July, though originally it was originally observed on July 20.

 

"July 20 was actually designated Marine Commemoration Day way back in June 1941 to mark the return of Emperor Meiji to the port of Yokohama in 1876 from a trip to northern Japan," it said.

 

However, at the time, it was not a national holiday, and ocean-related organizations banded in 1991 to seek a holiday for the sea.

 

Due to strong public support for the idea, July 20 was declared a national holiday in 1995 after several years of debate in the National Diet.

 

Marine Day was observed for the first time in 1996.

Japan now has 15 annual holidays.

 

"The Japanese public was happy to gain a day off in the summer months, but the kids were probably the happiest of all, since they could now start their summer vacation—which frequently starts on July 21—one day earlier," Kids Web Japan said. — VVP, GMA News