After more than half a century of constant Tokyo destruction, cultural icon Godzilla has finally been declared an official resident of Japan.
The fictional movie monster was awarded a special residency certificate in April, making it a resident of the Shinjuku area in Tokyo. Kenichi Yoshizumi, mayor of Shinjuko, presented the 'King of Monsters' with the certificate as well as a sash at a ceremony.
The event was celebrated by the City Office by handing out 3,000 copies of Godzilla's certificate to his many adoring fans.
The pictures of the kaiju's certificate are currently being passed around on Facebook. The certificate declares that the reason for Godzilla's special residency is "promoting the entertainment of and watching over the Kabuki-cho neighborhood and drawing visitors from around the globe."
So Japan has finally recognized Godzilla as an official resident. The big lizard also fondly known as Gojira has been...
Posted by FHM Malaysia on Wednesday, June 3, 2015
It also reveals that Godzilla has been around town three times before his residency. His first visit was in 1984 for the movie 'Godzilla,' while his second appearance was for 'Godzilla vs King Ghidorah' in 1991. He returned in 1999 for 'Godzilla 2000 Millenium,' where he defeats the alien monster Orga.
The certificate has given the kaiju an official birth date as well. It says Godzilla's date of birth is April 9, 1954, which is the same year his first movie was released.
Godzilla is now one of the main attractions in Shinjuku. A 171-foot model of the monster's head has been erected over the city's Toho building. Several replicas of the kaiju have also popped up in several other buildings.
In Japan, the monster is known as 'Gojira,' which is a combination of the words "gorilla" and "kujira" meaning "whale." In his movies, Godzilla has fought several other kaijus like Mothra, Biollante, Destroyah and Megaguirus. There have been two American films about the monster, with another Godzilla movie being planned for release in 2016.