It sounded like it was ringing in the middle of the capital city of Korea.

(1)First performance of the Japanese national anthem at the birthday celebration of the Japanese emperor in Seoul.
(2)Input 2023-02-16 2345 Modified 2023-02-16 2346
(3)Photo courtesy of Yonhap News Agency
(4)The Sankei Shimbun reported that the Japanese national Kimi-song passed for the first time at the birthday celebration of Japanese Emperor Naruhito hosted by the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.
(5)The Japanese Embassy in Seoul held a reception to celebrate the birthday of Japanese Emperor Naruhito at a hotel in Seoul this afternoon.
(6)Kimi-song was played for the first time in the venue along with the Korean national anthem.
(7)Sankei analyzed that the Japanese government delayed opening the country in previous years due to anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea, but decided that the Yoon Suk Yeoln regime, which was launched last year, wanted to improve relations with Japan, and that it was an opportunity for the Japanese government to escape the strained bilateral relationship.
(8)A Japanese embassy official said, “We have been considering not burdening the participants, but there have been excessive aspects,” adding, “The national performance at the embassy event is natural and we decided to play the song with the Korean national anthem this time amid the trend of improving relations between Korea and Japan.”
(9)Critics of Kimi-song argue that Kimi-song symbolizes militaristic Japan in that it wishes for the reign of the Emperor to continue forever.
(10)It is the first time in four years and three months that a reception has been held in Korea to commemorate the birthday of the Japanese emperor, due to the influence of COVID-19, and it is the first time since Emperor Naruhito took the throne in May 2019.
(11)Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon attended the reception and delivered a congratulatory speech.