Tokyo, Apr, 17.
Japan today solemnly celebrated the anniversary of the establishment of local self-government.
In the morning, Emperor Hirohito granted a congratulatory Rescript. Simultaneously, 11000 officials of local and national governments and prominent civie figures gathered in the plaza before the Imperial Palace io mark the anniversary with solemn ceremony, The proceedings were broadcast on a nation-wide hook-up at 10.30 o'clock in the morning.
Honours were awarded to more than forty local officials by the Cabinets Bureau of Decorations and to 350 ofücials by the Home Ministry in recognition of their contribution to the sound development of the local self-rule system
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.