 The passage of the law stemmed from a suicide of a school principal in Hiroshima who could not resolve a dispute between his school board and his teachers over the use of the "Hinomaru" and "Kimigayo".Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) decided to draft legislation to make the "Hinomaru" and "Kimigayo" official symbols of Japan in 2000.His Chief Cabinet Secretary, Hiromu Nonaka, wanted the legislation to be completed by the 10th anniversary of the coronation of Akihito as Emperor.