Here is the National Anthem of Japan, Kimi Ga Yo:
If you want to sing along, here are the words. This is the world's oldest national anthem. The words date back to the 9th century, but the music, like most national anthems, is from the 19th century.
Official
君が代は
千代に八千代に
さざれ石の
巌となりて
苔の生すまで
Hiragana
きみがよは
ちよにやちよに
さざれいしの
いわおとなりて
こけのむすまで
Rōmaji
Kimigayo wa
Chiyo ni yachiyo ni
Sazare-ishi no
Iwao to narite
Koke no musu made
English
May your reign
Continue for a thousand, eight thousand generations,
Until the pebbles
Grow into boulders
Lush with moss
I'm getting tired of the Anglo American conflict going on over at Madpriest's, so I need something to cut through the Anglo-Saxon excess.
The anthem is quite a nice melody. I was coming over to say that I'd guessed the non-apparent reason, but I see that you've explained.
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