Portal:Japan/Anniversaries/February/February 16

February 16:

Events
 * 1665 - Lightning strikes Osaka Castle, burning the castle tower to the ground. (Traditional Japanese Date: Second Day of the First Month, 1665)
 * 1872 - The first military review of the army by the emperor is held. (Traditional Japanese Date: Eighth Day of the First Month, 1872)
 * 1932 - The number of radio listeners reaches 1,000,000 after just seven years of domestic broadcasting.
 * 1945 – World War II: American forces land on Corregidor island in the Philippines.
 * 1945  - America begins its bombing campaign of Tokyo and the Kantō region.
 * 1946 - The Soviet Union announces its occupation of Karafuto and Chishima Islands (the Kurile Islands north of Hokkaidō).
 * 1959 - Japan begins minting 100 yen, 50 yen and 10 yen coins.
 * 1976 - Public hearings in connection with the Lockheed scandal begin. Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd.'s Osano Kenji testifies and starts a fad of responding to questions with "I have no recollection."
 * 1977 - Restrictions on the export of textiles to the United States are lifted.
 * 1981 - The Provisional Commission for Administrative Reform is established and Dokō Toshio is appointed chairman.
 * 2005 – The Kyoto Protocol comes into force, following its ratification by Russia.

Births
 * 1222 - Nichiren (d. 1282), monk, founded Nichiren Buddhism
 * 1543 - Kanō Eitoku (d. 1590), painter and educator
 * 1931 - Ken Takakura (d. 2014), actor and singer
 * 1948 - Kaiketsu Masateru (d. 2014), sumo wrestler and coach
 * 1950 - Kazuki Tomokawa, singer
 * 1951 - Yumi Takigawa, actress and singer
 * 1972 - Naomi Nishida, actress
 * 1975 - Nanase Aikawa, singer
 * 1976 - Kyo, singer-songwriter and producer
 * 1976  - Joe Odagiri, actor and singer
 * 1977 - Hinako Saeki, actress
 * 1987 - Yuu Kashii, actress and model
 * 1987  - Ryosuke Miura, actor
 * 1995 - Mayu Matsuoka, actress
 * 1996 - Nana Komatsu, actress and model