Japan becomes an Observer of CERN and announces a financial contribution to the LHC.

The Japanese Minister for Education, Sciences and Culture offers a Daruma doll to CERN’s Director-General. According to Japanese tradition, an eye is painted on the doll to mark the beginning of the LHC project and the second eye must be drawn at the time of its completion.

Japan makes two other major financial contributions to the LHC project in 1996 and 1998.