Events in the year 1981 in Japan.
Incumbents
Emperor: Hirohito (Emperor Shōwa) Prime Minister: Zenko Suzuki (L–Iwate) Chief Cabinet Secretary: Kiichi Miyazawa (L–Hiroshima) Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Takaaki Hattori President of the House of Representatives: Hajime Fukuda (L–Fukui) President of the House of Councillors: Masatoshi Tokunaga (L–national) Diet sessions: 94th (regular session opened in December 1980, to June 6), 95th (extraordinary, September 24 to November 28), 96th (regular, December 21 to 1982, August 21)
Governors
Aichi Prefecture: Yoshiaki Nakaya
Akita Prefecture: Kikuji Sasaki
Aomori Prefecture: Masaya Kitamura
Chiba Prefecture: Kiichi Kawakami (until 27 February); Takeshi Numata (starting 4 April) Ehime Prefecture: Haruki Shiraishi Fukui Prefecture: Heidayū Nakagawa Fukuoka Prefecture: Hikaru Kamei Fukushima Prefecture: Isao Matsudaira Gifu Prefecture: Yosuke Uematsu Gunma Prefecture: Ichiro Shimizu Hiroshima Prefecture: Hiroshi Miyazawa (until 29 October); Toranosuke Takeshita (starting 29 October) Hokkaido: Naohiro Dōgakinai Hyogo Prefecture: Tokitada Sakai Ibaraki Prefecture: Fujio Takeuchi Ishikawa Prefecture: Yōichi Nakanishi Iwate Prefecture: Kagawa Prefecture: Tadao Maekawa Kagoshima Prefecture: Kaname Kamada Kanagawa Prefecture: Kazuji Nagasu Kochi Prefecture: Chikara Nakauchi Kumamoto Prefecture: Issei Sawada Kyoto Prefecture: Yukio Hayashida Mie Prefecture: Ryōzō Tagawa Miyagi Prefecture: Sōichirō Yamamoto Miyazaki Prefecture: Suketaka Matsukata Nagano Prefecture: Gorō Yoshimura Nagasaki Prefecture: Kan'ichi Kubo Nara Prefecture: Shigekiyo Ueda Niigata Prefecture: Takeo Kimi Oita Prefecture: Morihiko Hiramatsu Okayama Prefecture: Shiro Nagano Okinawa Prefecture: Junji Nishime Osaka Prefecture: Sakae Kishi Saga Prefecture: Kumao Katsuki Saitama Prefecture: Yawara Hata Shiga Prefecture: Masayoshi Takemura Shiname Prefecture: Seiji Tsunematsu Shizuoka Prefecture: Keizaburō Yamamoto Tochigi Prefecture: Yuzuru Funada Tokushima Prefecture: Yasunobu Takeichi (until 4 October); Shinzo Miki (starting 5 October) Tokyo: Shun'ichi Suzuki Tottori Prefecture: Kōzō Hirabayashi Toyama Prefecture: Yutaka Nakaoki Wakayama Prefecture: Shirō Kariya Yamagata Prefecture: Seiichirō Itagaki Yamaguchi Prefecture: Toru Hirai Yamanashi Prefecture: Kōmei Mochizuki
Events
January to March - A heavy massive snowfall with avalanche hit around Japan, according to Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency confirmed report, 152 peoples lost their lives, 2,158 peoples were wounded. March 31 - Pink Lady performs their farewell concert in the same stadium where Candies performed their concert 3 years earlier. October 10 - Ministry of Education issues jōyō kanji. October 16 - Gas explosions at a coal mine in Hokutan, Yūbari, Hokkaido kill 93. The first fully Automated guideway transit driverless people mover train technology in the world, introduced on Port Island Line, Kobe.
Popular culture
Arts and entertainment
In film, Station by Yasuo Furuhata won the Best film award at the Japan Academy Prize, Enrai by Kichitaro Negishi won Best film at the Hochi Film Awards, Muddy River by Kōhei Oguri won Best film at the Blue Ribbon Awards and Something Like It by Yoshimitsu Morita won Best film at the Yokohama Film Festival. For a list of Japanese films released in 1981 see Japanese films of 1981.
In manga, the winners of the Shogakukan Manga Award were Sunset on Third Street by Ryōhei Saigan (general), Dr. Slump by Akira Toriyama (shōnen or shōjo) and Doraemon by Fujiko Fujio (children). Sanshirō of 1, 2 by Makoto Kobayashi (shōnen) and Ohayō! Spank by Shun'ichi Yukimuro and Shizue Takanashi (shōjo) won the Kodansha Manga Award. Kibun wa mou sensou by Katsuhiro Otomo won the Seiun Award for Best Comic of the Year. For a list of manga released in 1981 see :Category:1981 manga.
In music, the 32nd Kōhaku Uta Gassen was won by the White Team (men). Akira Terao won the FNS Music Festival.
In television, see: 1981 in Japanese television.
In radio, Japan FM Network, Japan's biggest FM radio network, was established in May 1981.
Sports
In athletics, Japan hosted the 1981 Asian Athletics Championships where it ranked 1st with 18 gold medals.
In football (soccer), Japan hosted the 1981 Intercontinental Cup. Fujita Engineering won the Japan Soccer League. For the champions of the regional leagues see: 1981 Japanese Regional Leagues.
In tennis, Japan hosted the Federation Cup, won by the United States.