The Diet enacted controversial legislation Monday that legally recognizes the Hinomaru as Japan's national flag and "Kimigayo" as its anthem.
The flag-anthem bill was first endorsed by a House of Councilors special committee in the early afternoon after a public hearing in the morning.
The bill was then immediately put before a plenary session of the Upper House, where it was passed with the support of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its junior coalition partner, the Liberal Party, and New Komeito, according to Diet officials.