Portal:Japan/Anniversaries/April/April 8

April 8:

Events
 * 1900 - The first sleeper cars appear on the former Sanyō Line between Kyoto and Mitajiri
 * 1922 - The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology establishes 2,000 regular use kanji (常用漢字)
 * 1940 - The National Fitness Law is passed, requiring regular checkups for males between the ages of 17 and 19

Births
 * 1934 - Kisho Kurokawa (d. 2007), architect, designed the Nakagin Capsule Tower and Singapore Flyer
 * 1986 - Erika Sawajiri, actress and singer
 * 1989 - Hitomi Takahashi, singer
 * 1991 - Minami Takahashi, singer and actress
 * 1993 - Gaku Matsumoto, actor
 * 1993  - Kanae Yoshii, idol, singer, and actress

Deaths
 * 1986 - Yukiko Okada (b. 1967), signer and actress

Film and television
 * 1999 - Majo no Jōken begins airing on Tokyo Broadcasting System, starring Nanako Matsushima and Hideaki Takizawa