Events in the year 1980 in Japan.
Emperor: Hirohito (Emperor Shōwa)
Prime Minister: Masayoshi Ōhira (L–Kagawa) until June 12, Zenkō Suzuki (L–Iwate) from July 17
Chief Cabinet Secretary and acting Prime Minister from June 12 to July 17: Masayoshi Itō (L–Fukushima) until July 17, Kiichi Miyazawa (L–Hiroshima)
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: Takaaki Hattori
President of the House of Representatives: Hirokichi Nadao (L–Hiroshima) until May 19, Hajime Fukuda (L–Fukui) from July 17
President of the House of Councillors: Ken Yasui (L–Tokyo) until July 7, Masatoshi Tokunaga (L–national) from July 17
Diet sessions: 91st (regular session opened in December 1979, to May 19), 92nd (special, July 17 to July 26), 93rd (extraordinary, September 29 to November 29), 94th (regular, December 22 to 1981, June 6)
January 16 - Paul McCartney is arrested at Narita airport for possession of drugs.
April 24 - Nintendo releases the first portable game console, the Game&Watch.
June 22
Japanese general election, 1980
Japanese House of Councillors election, 1980
August 14 - A rock fall hit mountainer in Mount Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture, according to official results report, 12 person fatalities, with 29 person injures.
August 16 - A gas explosion occurs in the underground shopping area of Shizuoka Station, killing 200.
August 19 - 1980 Shinjuku bus fire, according to official confirmed report, 6 person fatalities with 15 were wounded.
November 19 - A fire at the Kawaji Prince Hotel in Fujihara, Tochigi Prefecture kills 40.
Arts and entertainment
In film, Zigeunerweisen by Seijun Suzuki won the Best film award at the Japan Academy Prize and the Yokohama Film Festival, Kagemusha by Akira Kurosawa won Best film at the Hochi Film Awards, the Blue Ribbon Awards and the Mainichi Film Award. For a list of Japanese films released in 1980 see Japanese films of 1980.
In manga, the winners of the Shogakukan Manga Award were Hakatakko Junjō and Gangaragan by Hōsei Hasegawa and Chie the Brat by Etsumi Haruki (general) and Urusei Yatsura by Rumiko Takahashi (shōnen or shōjo). Susano Oh by Go Nagai (shōnen) and Lemon Report by Mayumi Yoshida (shōjo) won the Kodansha Manga Award. For a list of manga released in 1980 see Category:1980 manga.
In music, the 31st Kōhaku Uta Gassen was won by the Red Team (women). Hiroshi Itsuki won the FNS Music Festival.
In television, see: 1980 in Japanese television.
Japan hosted the Miss International 1980 beauty pageant, won by Costa Rican Lorna Chávez.
In football (soccer) Yanmar Diesel won the Japan Soccer League. For the champions of the regional leagues see: 1980 Japanese Regional Leagues. For more see: 1980 in Japanese football.
At the Winter Olympics Japan won a silver medal.
January 6: Hiromi Oshima, model
January 13: Akira Kaji, football player
January 21: Nana Mizuki, voice actress and singer
January 23: Nana Natsume, AV idol and celebrity
March 28: Minori Aoi, AV and gravure idol
April 2: Yuya Shirai, mixed martial artist
April 3: Yūko Ishibashi, singer
April 7: Mr. C.B., thoroughbred racehorse (died 2002)
April 21: Hiro Shimono, voice actor
May 10: Mayumi Kawasaki, race walker
May 20: Chinatsu Mori, shot putter (died 2006)
May 31: Akitoshi Tamura, mixed martial artist
June 1: Mitsuru Chiyotanda, football player
June 2: Shingo Suetsugu, sprinter
June 3: Keiji Suzuki, judoka
June 9: Kana Ueda, voice actress
June 27: Takahiro Futagawa, football player
July 15: Masayuki Hirahara, pianist and composer
July 18: Ryōko Hirosue, actress and pop star
July 22: Hisashi Mizutori, gymnast
July 28: Harumi Nemoto, gravure idol
July 30: Ayako Uehara, classical pianist
July 31: Rina Aiuchi, singer
August 1: Yoichi Mori, football player
August 14: Yusuke Kawaguchi, mixed martial artist
August 29: Daisuke Saito, football player
September 4: Ran Asakawa, model and AV idol
September 8: Mai Kadowaki, voice actress
September 19: Jun Natsukawa, gravure idol
October 13: Salyu, singer
October 16: Takehito Shigehara, football player
November 18: Junichi Okada, singer, actor
November 21: Hiroyuki Tomita, gymnast
November 26: Satoshi Ohno, singer, actor
December 5: Shizuka Itō, voice actress
December 15: Mayu Kotono, AV idol
December 16: Daito Takahashi, Nordic combined skier
January 4: Shohachi Ishii, wrestler
January 23: Shōjirō Iida, general
February 14: Kitsuju Ayabe, general
February 22: Sadaaki Akamatsu, officer and ace fighter pilot in the Imperial Japanese Navy
February 27: Shin'ichi Hisamatsu, philosopher
March 16: Susumu Kimura, admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
May 21: Hiroshi Inagaki, filmmaker
June 12: Masayoshi Ōhira, Prime Minister (died in office)
October 10: Tameichi Hara, Imperial Japanese naval commander
October 21: Kanjūrō Arashi, actor
December 28: Nobuzo Tohmatsu, admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
