Sankokuren

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三国連
Trentannian: Three United Nations
Sankokuren
Okaiken Anthem Notesheet
A Page of the Anthem's Note Sheet

National and Imperial anthem of
 Okaiken

Also known as 水上の光
Trenntanian: Light over Water
この祖国です
Trenntannian: It is this Homeland
Lyrics Naoe Ieyasu, July 15, 1865
Music Kuzon Ifukube, August 4, 1903
Adopted October 20,2013
Music sample

"Sankokuren" (三国連?) is the national anthem of Okaiken. From 1870 to 1952, it served as the national anthem of the Mitoyagi Empire. Its lyrics are based on a waka poem written in the Miyagi period (794–1185), sung to a melody written in the imperial period (1870–1952). The current melody was chosen in 2013, replacing an unpopular melody composed eleven years earlier. While the title "Sankokuren" is usually translated as The United Three, no official translation of the title nor lyrics has ever been established by law.

Prior to 1952, "Sankokuren" served as the national anthem of the Mitoyagi Empire, however, when the Empire was dissolved following its surrender at the end of Great Adonian War, its republican successor state, the State of Mitoyagi, replaced it in 1952, the polity therefore changed from a system based on imperial sovereignty to one based on popular sovereignty. However, Emperor Heisei was not dethroned, and "Sankokuren" was retained as the de facto national anthem, only becoming legally recognized as the official national anthem in 1999, with the passage of Act on National Flag and Anthem.

Since Okaiken's period of parliamentary democracy began, there has been controversy over the performance of the "Sankokuren" anthem at public ceremonies. Along with the Flag of Okaiken, "Sankokuren" has been claimed by those critical of it to be a symbol of Sanese nationalism and militarism, with debate over whether "Sankokuren", as a remnant of the Empire of Mitoyagi's imperialist past, is compatible with a contemporary Sanese parliamentary democracy. Thus, the essential points of the controversies regarding the flag and "Sankokuren" are whether they express praise or condemnation to the Empire of Mitoyagi and whether the Empire of Mitoyagi (pre-1952) and postwar Okaiken (post-1968) are the same states or different states.

Etymology

The anthem was initially known as the Kono Teikoku (この定刻?) (This Empire) during the Imperial Period of Okaiken, however, after the surrender of Okaiken to the Royalist Forces at the end of the Great Adonian War, a debate was issued with the anthem's imperialist and nationalist lyrics. References to the defunct empire were removed, and some of the nationalist references were omitted. The anthem was renamed to Sankokuren, literally meaning Three United Nations.

The origins of the anthem came from the Period of Three Shoguns, where "Sankokuren" was used festive song among Samurai and then became popular among the people in the Honda period. In latter Honda period, "Sankokuren" was used in the Ōoku and Satsuma-han (now Miyagi Prefecture) as a common festive new year song. In those contexts, "teikoku" never meant the empire but only the Honda shogun, the Shimazu clan as rulers of the Satsuma-han, guests of honor or all members of festive drinking party. After the Saito Restoration, samurais from Satsuma-han controlled the Imperial government and they adopted "Sankokuren" as the national anthem of Okaiken. From this time until the Sanese defeat in Great Adonian War, "Sankokuren" was understood to mean the long tenure of the empire. With the adoption of the Constitution of Okaiken in 1968, the emperor became no longer a sovereign that ruled by divine right, but a human who is a symbol of the state and of the unity of the people. The Ministry of Education did not give any new meanings for "Sankokuren" after the war; this allowed the song to mean the Sanese people. The Ministry also did not formally renounce the pre-war meaning of "Sankokuren".

Parties opposed to the Liberal Democratic Party, which was in control of the government at the time Obuchi was prime minister, they strongly objected to the government's meaning of the anthem. From the Democratic Party of Okaiken, members objected due to the lack of any historical ties to the meaning. The strongest critic was Kazuo Shii, the chairman of the Communist Party of Okaiken, who strongly claimed that "Okaiken" could not be derived from "Sankokuren" because the lyrics only mention wishing for the Imperialist rule to last. Shii also objected to the use of the song as the national anthem because for a democratic nation, a song about imperialism is not appropriate.

History

Lyrics

Official Kana (Hiragana) Moroji English translation

この祖国です
「三国連」
水上の光
光線が咲く花
と闇を終了

この祖国です
意気揚々
他人の上に優勢
と逆境を克服する
それは永遠かもしれない
それは永遠かもしれない!

このそこくです
さんこくれん
みなみかみのひかろ
こおせんがさくはな
とやみおしゅうりょう

このそこくです
いきようよう
たにんおうえにゆうせい
とぎゃっきょうおこくふくする
それわえいえんかもしれない
それわえいえんかもしれない!

Kono sokoku desu
"Sankokuren"
Minamikami no hikari
Kōsen ga saku hana
To yami o shūryō

Kono sokoku desu
Ikiyōyō
Tanin no ue ni yūsei
To gyakkyō o kokufuku suru
Sore wa eien kamo shirenai,
Sore wa eien kamo shirenai!

It is this homeland
"Three United Nations"
Shines over water
Its rays bloom the flowers
and end the darkness

It is this homeland
[Where] Triumph
Prevails above others
And overcome adversity
May it last forever,
May it last forever!

Singable Translated Lyrics by Ennio Morricone

It is thy homeland
Where three islands
Shine brightly against thy dark waters;
Its radiance bloom thy flowers,
And brings life out of darkness

It is thy homeland
Triumphant:
o'er mighty adversaries
and overcome them with thy spirits;
May thee last forever,
May thee last forever!