Japan's flag
The national flag of Japan is the flag that represents Japan and, together with the coat of arms and the national anthem, has the category of patriotic symbol. It consists of a white rectangle with a large red disk (representing the Sun) in the center. It is officially called Nisshōki (日章旗< span class="t_nihongo_norom" style="display:none"> '' Nisshōki''? "disc-shaped sun flag") in Japanese, but is commonly known as Hinomaru (日の丸 «sun disk»).
The Nisshōki flag is the national flag of the Empire of Japan as provided for in the Law Concerning the National Flag and Anthem, which was promulgated and took effect on August 13, 1999. Although no official flag was previously specified, the Hinomaru was already de facto the national insignia. Two 1870 proclamations made provisions for the design of a national flag. The use of the Hinomaru was severely restricted during the early years of the US occupation after World War II, although the restrictions were later relaxed.
During the early history of Japan, the Hinomaru motif was used on the flags of daimyos and samurai. During the Meiji Restoration, both the sun disk and the rising sun insignia of the Imperial Japanese Navy became the main symbols of the emerging Empire of Japan. Propaganda posters, textbooks, and movies depicted the flag as a source of pride and patriotism. Citizens were required to display the flag in their homes during national holidays, celebrations, and other occasions decreed by the Government.
Different devotional objects to the country and the emperor with the Hinomaru motif became popular during the Second Sino-Japanese War and other conflicts. These objects ranged from slogans written on flags to articles of clothing and plates with the image of the flag.
Public perception of the national flag varies. For some Japanese, the flag represents the country, so no other can replace it. However, the flag is not flown due to its association with extreme nationalism. The use of the flag and the national anthem—the Kimi ga yo—have been a contentious issue in Japan's public schools since the end of World War II. Disputes over its use have led to protests, lawsuits and at least one suicide in Hiroshima prefecture. The Okinawan population preserved the flag even during the US military presence there. For the governments of China and South Korea, the flag is a symbol of aggression and imperialism. Despite the negative connotations, Japanese and Western sources claim that the flag is an enduring and powerful symbol for the Japanese.
Different flags have been based on the Hinomaru, including the insignia of the Navy, and it served as the basis for other flags in Japan, both for public and private use.
History
Background
The exact origin of the Hinomaru is unknown, though it appears that the rising sun had symbolic meaning since the turn of the century VII. Japan is frequently mentioned in various ancient texts as "the land of the rising sun", in addition to the fact that this star is strongly related to the imperial family since the myth of the creation of Japan affirms that the members of the throne are descendants of the goddess Amaterasu. In 607, an official correspondence beginning "from the Emperor of the Rising Sun" was sent to Emperor Yang of Sui.
Until before 1492 when America was discovered and 1606 when what is now known as Australia was discovered, the known world ended in Japan, which is located in the extreme East and since the sun rises through this cardinal point it was believed which was the first nation on the rising side of the sun, it is for this reason that it was also known as the land of the rising sun and for this reason this symbology was used.
Historically, great importance was attached to flags, banners, and crests in Japan, especially during battles. The first mentions of flags relating to this country come from Chinese chronicles describing messengers from Japan carrying yellow banners, in addition to having given away flags with golden brocades, as well as swords. Together with the flags, the mon —or coats of arms— were developed, the use of which has been recorded since the Nara period. During this time the most used was that of the "nine stars", and their use was not yet for military purposes but, for example, they were used to distinguish those transports where the officers of the Imperial Court traveled.
Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods
At the end of the Heian period, a time during which numerous wars such as the Genpei wars and the Hogen and Heiji rebellions took place, a type of flag, called hata jirushi, was used to identify and Organize samurai armies. The hata jirushi consisted of a kind of long pennants that hung from a horizontal bar tied to a mast. It is this type of insignia that was used by both the members of the Taira clan and those of the Minamoto clan, protagonists of the Genpei wars and to whom some sources —such as the Heike Monogatari, a work from the XII century that describes the fights between the two clans—they attribute having used the Hinomaru in their fans, called gunsen.
Another legend of the origin of Hinomaru is attributed to the Buddhist monk Nichiren. Supposedly, during the Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century, Nichiren gave a sun banner to the shōgun to carry it during battle. It is from this time that the first graphic sources of insignia in the history of Japan are obtained, through the Moko Shurai Ekotoba, a scroll written by Takezaki Suneaga with the record of the armies that fought the Mongols in that confrontation.
For their part, to legitimize their rule, the Ashikaga shoguns, descendants of the Minamoto clan, used invocations of Hachiman, god of war, on their flags, which had originally been adopted as a personal symbol by Minamoto Yoshikuni, the first to having taken the surname Ashikaga. Ashikaga Yoshiaki, the last shōgun Ashikaga, in addition to using the Hachiman invocations, added a Hinomaru to his flags. Ashikaga Shigeuji, a member of one of the lesser branches of the family, used a kiri mon with a Hinomaru as an insignia on his flags.
Statue of the Buddhist monk Nichiren. He is attributed in some sources to have given a Hinomaru Al shōgun to carry him in battle during the Mongol invasion.
Representation of Minamoto no Yoshiie holding a gunsen with the image of the solar disk.
Taira no Atsumori bearing a gunsen with the solar disk.
Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama Period
During the Sengoku period, the identification of troops by means of flags, as well as the signaling by means of them, increased in importance, and in addition, larger flags called nobori arose, which went tied to both a vertical bar and a mast.
Takeda Shingen, one of the leading daimyos of this period, used a Hinomaru on his flags. One of them is still kept at the Takeda Museum in the Erin temple in Kofu. Shingen's famous rival, Uesugi Kenshin, also used the Hinomaru in his.
Other daimyou from this period who used a sun disk as a personal symbol were Sakai Tadatsugu, who used it on an uma jirushi, and Date Masamune, who is depicted on a drawing with a sun disk as his sashimono—or small personal identification flag that was tied on the samurai's back. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the "great unifiers of Japan," wore the sun disk on their ships during the Japanese invasions of Korea, while Tozawa Masamori, an ally of Tokugawa Ieyasu, used a sashimono for messengers that featured a red disk at the center of a flag with a background blue.
Representation of a atakebunein which four can be observed Hinomaru on the stern side
Representation of the battle of Nagashino. You can see some Hinomaru in the flags
Tokugawa Shogunate
In 1600 the country was practically divided into two factions, which faced each other in the battle of Sekigahara. The winner of this conflict was Tokugawa Ieyasu, who that same year established the Tokugawa shogunate, in addition to ordering the location of the Hinomaru on the masts of his ships so that they would be his naval insignia.
During the Tokugawa shogunate, a policy known as sakoku was decreed, which restricted communication with other countries, mainly with foreign powers. The seclusion ended in 1853, when Commodore Matthew Perry forced Japan to open its borders—in an episode known as "black ships." In 1854, the government mandated that all Japanese ships carry the Hinomaru to distinguish themselves from foreign ships. Before that, flags with different types of Hinomaru were used. on ships that traded with Russia and the United States.
By the end of this period, the red sun disk was common on the flags of different social groups.
19th century drawing of a boat in Ryukyu, similar to the ship-dragon
View of one of the pages σ uma jirushi, written by the monk Kyūan at the beginning of the Edo period. You appreciate it. Hinomaruused by the Sakai clan.
The Shōhei MaruThe first Japanese warship in the Western style.
Meiji Restoration
The attitude that the shogunate took towards foreign powers motivated the discontent of various social groups, who fought for the return to political activity of the emperor, confined to religious affairs for several centuries. The situation led to the Boshin War, with the consequent resignation of the last Tokugawa shōgun. Curiously, during this conflict, both belligerent allies of the shogunate and those who supported the emperor used the Hinomaru flag.The emperor then took the reins of the country and his government began a process of modernization of the country.. Two proclamations from the year 1870, carried out by the Council of State (Daijō-kan), the governing body at the beginning of the Meiji era, gave provisions for the design of a national flag. A flag with a sun disk was adopted as the national flag for merchant ships in Proclamation No. 57 of the third year of Meiji—issued on February 27, 1870—while another national flag was used by the Navy under Proclamation No..º 651 of the third year of Meiji —issued on October 27, 1870—. A year later, however, legislative responsibilities fell to the left House (Sa-in) and finally, in 1885, the Council was replaced by the Cabinet (Naikaku). All previous laws that were not published in the Official Gazette of Japan were then abolished, as well as the "declarations" of the Council. The Hinomaru was then the national flag according to the law until 1885—making it the first national flag adopted—and later the de facto national flag, as no other law for this symbol was passed during the Meiji Restoration.
While the idea of national symbols was foreign to the Japanese, the Meiji government needed them to communicate with other countries. Later government implementations gave the country more identification, including the anthem Kimigayo and the imperial seal. State Shintoism was also established, through which a nationalist unity to the state was sought, supported by Shintoism beliefs. Among other measures, a new calendar was established that replaced the one of the five festivities a year (gosseku), and during the new celebrations, the government pressured the inhabitants so that the Hinomaru was waved on those dates, even under police duress.
Cavalry during the last years of Tokugawa shogunate, in the French style
Nishiki-e of the Meiji era representing Kuroda Kiyotaka. On the right is observed Hinomaru waving from a house.
Nishiki-e of 1878: The grand opening of Shintomi Theatre and its fabulous gas lights. You can appreciate a Hinomaru at the right end of the image.
_of_Kuroda_Kiyotaka,_with_Inoue_Kaoru_behind_him.jpg)
Japanese Imperialism and the Pacific War
The use of the national flag increased as Japan became an empire, and the Hinomaru was present during celebrations of the victories of the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. In addition, the flag was used in war efforts throughout the country. Despite this, in 1931, a member of the House of Representatives proposed a bill to raise the flag to the status of a national symbol (Dai Nihon teikoku kokki hōan), which was rejected by the Chamber of Peers.
A 1934 propaganda film depicted the flags of other countries as incomplete and flawed in their designs, while the Japanese flag was portrayed as perfect in all its forms. In 1937, a group of girls from Hiroshima Prefecture displayed their solidarity with the soldiers fighting in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War, eating Hinomaru bentō, consisting of a umeboshi in the middle of a bed of rice. The Hinomaru bentō became the main symbol of soldiers' war mobilization and solidarity until the 1940s.
The first victories of the war against China caused the Hinomaru to be used again in celebrations. It is said that the flag could be seen in the hands of all Japanese during parades.
During this period, textbooks displayed the Hinomaru with various slogans, which expressed devotion to the emperor and country. Patriotism was taught as a virtue to Japanese children. Expressions of patriotism, such as carrying the flag or worshiping the emperor every day, were considered habits of "good Japanese".
The flag was a tool of Japanese imperialism in the occupied areas of Southeast Asia during World War II: people had to carry the flag and children had to sing the Kimigayo at the school while the flag was raised at ceremonies. In some areas, local flags were allowed, such as in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Manchukuo, although in some other colonies—such as Korea—the Hinomaru and other symbols were used to relegate Koreans to second-class status within the empire.
To the Japanese, the Hinomaru was "the flag of the rising sun that will illuminate the darkness of the whole world". To Westerners, it was one of Japan's most powerful military symbols.
A makunouchiA guy. bentō Japanese. On the right you see a Hinomaru bentōvery popular during Japan's imperialism. Consists of a bed gohan "white rice steamed" umeboshi downtown.
Children wave the flags of Japan, Italy and Nazi Germany. 1938.
New year card of 1905 with image of Hinomaru.
Photograph of an enlistment of the 1930s. The Hinomaru is shown in the house and is ported by several children.
US occupation
The Hinomaru was the de facto national flag throughout World War II and the occupation period. permission of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers to raise the flag of the rising sun.
Existing sources diverge on the degree to which the use of the Hinomaru was restricted. Although some references use the term "forbid", the original restrictions were severe, but never amounted to a full ban.
After World War II, civilian Japanese ships of the United States Shipping Control Authority for the Japanese Merchant Marine used an insignia. Modified from the signal code, the insignia was used from September 1945 until the end of the US occupation.
For their part, American ships operating in Japanese waters used a modified "O" signal flag as their insignia.
On May 2, 1947, General Douglas MacArthur lifted restrictions on public wearing of the Hinomaru at the National Diet Building, the Imperial Palace, the Prime Minister's residence, and the Supreme Court building, this with the ratification of the new Constitution of Japan. Restrictions were further relaxed in 1948, when citizens were allowed to fly the flag in national celebrations. In January 1949, the restrictions were lifted for good, allowing everyone to wave the Hinomaru at any time without any kind of permission. As a result, flying the flag was encouraged in schools and homes until about the 1950s.
From the postwar period to 1999
Since World War II, the flag of Japan has been criticized for its association with the country's militaristic past; Similar criticisms have been leveled against the national anthem. The sentiments around Hinomaru and Kimigayo represented a shift away from the patriotic sentiment of Dai Nippon (Greater Japan) to the pacifist and anti-military Nihon. Due to this ideological shift, the flag was used less frequently in Japan after the war, even though the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers' restrictions were lifted in 1949.
While Japan began to re-establish diplomatic relations, the Hinomaru was used as a political weapon abroad. On the 1971 visit of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun to the Netherlands, the Hinomaru was set on fire by citizens of that country, who demanded that either the emperor return to his country, or that he be prosecuted for the deaths of Dutch POWs during the war. Internally, the flag was not even used during protests against the new status of military forces agreement negotiated between the United States and Japan. The flag used most frequently by unions and other protest groups was the red flag of revolt.
When Tokyo hosted the 1964 Olympic Games, a new problem arose with the flag. Before the games were held, the size of the sun disk was changed as it was considered not to have an impact when raised along with other flags. Tadamasa Fukiura, a color specialist, decided to place the sun disk at two-thirds of the length. of the flag Fukiura also decided the colors of the 1964 flag, as well as that of the 1998 Summer Olympics in Nagano.
In 1989, the death of Emperor Shōwa brought with it moral issues regarding the flag. Some conservatives considered that if the flag could be used during ceremonies without opening old wounds, perhaps there would be a chance for the Hinomaru to become the national flag without its meaning being challenged. For a period Within six days, the flag was flown at half mast or draped in black cloth throughout the country. Despite outbreaks of protest and acts of vandalism, the flag's presence on the day of the emperor's funeral, As well as the right for schools to fly the flag at half mast without reservation, it was a success for the Conservatives.
Since 1999
The Law Concerning the Flag and the National Anthem (国旗及び国歌に関する法律 Kokki Oyobi Kokka ni Kansuru Hōritsu?) was approved in 1999, where the Hinomaru and Kimigayo were proclaimed as national symbols of Japan..
The bill stemmed from the suicide of a Hiroshima school principal, who was unable to resolve a dispute between the school board and teachers over an argument about Hinomaru and the Kimigayo.
Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi, of the Liberal Democratic Party, decided to prepare the laws necessary for both national symbols to become official by the year 2000. His cabinet secretary-general, Hiromu Nonaka, wanted the respective legislation to be finalized. for the tenth anniversary of Akihito's coronation as emperor.
The main supporters of the proposal were members of the Liberal Party and the Kōmeitō, while the opposition included the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party, which claimed the links of both national symbols with the militarist era. The Communist Party did not allow the issue to be decided by the citizens, while the Democratic Party of Japan could not reach consensus within its own ranks. Its president, Naoto Kan, assured that the party should support the proposal, because the institution had already recognized both symbols as national. Both the general secretary of the Provincial Council and the future prime minister thought that the proposal would cause more divisions within society. and public schools.
The House of Representatives approved the proposal on July 22, 1999, with 406 votes in favor and 86 against. The legislation was sent to the House of Councilors on July 28, and was approved on August 9. It was proclaimed into law on the 13th of the same month. Attempts by the Democratic Party during the vote to have only the Hinomaru named the official flag were rejected by the Diet.
On August 8, 2009, a photograph was taken during a meeting of the Democratic Party on the occasion of the general elections for the House of Representatives of that year, in which a banner could be seen hanging from the ceiling, which had been made by cutting two Hinomaru flags and had been joined together to form the party logo. The members of the Liberal Party felt aggrieved and the prime minister, Tarō Asō, assured that such an act was unforgivable. In response, the chairman of the Democratic Party, Yukio Hatoyama —who had voted for the Law Concerning the Flag and the National Anthem—, assured that the banner was not a Hinomaru, so it should not be considered as such.
Design
Passed in 1870, the Prime Minister's Proclamation No. 57 contained two provisions related to the national flag. The first provision specified how and by whom the flag was raised, while the second specified how the flag should be made. The specified ratio was seven units long by ten units wide (7:10). The red disc, representing the Sun, was calculated at three fifths of the width on the shaft. The law stipulated that the disk be in the center, although it was usually placed one hundredth (1/100) to the side of the neck. On October 3 of that same year, another set of regulations for the design of the neck was approved. merchant ensign and other naval flags. For the merchant flag, the ratio was stipulated as two units long by three units wide (2:3). The disc size was the same, although a twentieth (1/20) was placed towards the neck side.
When the Law Concerning the Flag and the National Anthem was approved, the dimensions of the flag were slightly modified. The total proportion was changed to two units long by three units wide (2:3). The solar disk moved towards the center, although its size remained the same.
The background of the flag is white with a red sun disk (紅色 beni iro?< /sup>), but the exact shade of the color was not defined in the 1999 law. The only assumption given is that the color red was an "intense" shade.
Established by the Japan Defense Agency (today the Ministry of Defense) in 1973, the specification list for the red color of the flag was determined as 5R 4/12, while white is N9 in the System of Munsell colour. The document was changed on March 21, 2008, so that the construction of the flag according to the legislation and the Munsell color chart matched. The document mentions acrylic fiber and nylon as fabrics that can be used in making flags used for the military. For acrylic, the red color is 5.7R 3.7/15.5 and the white N9.4; nylon has 6.2R 4/15.2 for red and N9.2 for white. In a document issued by the Official Development Assistance office, the color red for the Hinomaru and the organization's logo is defined as DIC 156 and CMYK 0-100-90-0. During deliberations to establish the legal framework for the law concerning national symbols of 1999 it was suggested that a shade of bright red be used (赤色 aka iro?) or a color according to the Japanese Industrial Standards.
| Official color (white) | Official color (red) | Color system | Source | Year | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N9 | 5R 4/12 | Munsell | DSP Z 8701C | 1973 | |
| N/D | 156. | DIC | ODA Symbol Mark Guidelines | 1995 | |
| N/D | 0-100-90-0 | CMYK | ODA Symbol Mark Guidelines | 1995 | |
| N9.4 (Acrylic) | 5.7R 3.7/15.5 (Acrylic) | Munsell | DSP Z 8701E | 2008 | |
| N9.2 (Nailon) | 6.2R 4/15.2 (Nailon) | Munsell | DSP Z 8701E | 2008 | |
| N/D | 032 Coated | Pantone | 2008 Olympic Games Protocol Guide – Flag Manual | 2008 |
Use and customs
When Hinomaru arose, the government asked citizens to salute the emperor with the flag, which caused some resentment among the population and some protests. The acceptance of the flag by the citizens required some time.
During World War II, it was a popular custom for friends, classmates, as well as relatives of a soldier to sign a Hinomaru and present it to him as a gift. The flag was also used as a good luck charm and a prayer for the soldier to return home safely from the front lines. The term used for this amulet is Hinomaru Yosegaki (日の丸寄せ書き?). One of the traditions says that none of whatever is written must touch the sun disk. After battles, flags were often captured or found on the bodies of deceased soldiers. Although the flags became souvenirs, there is a growing trend to send them to the descendants of the soldier to whom it belonged.
The tradition of writing on a flag still continues, albeit in a more limited way. The Hinomaru Yosegaki can still be seen at sporting events, where one wishes to support the national team. Another example is the hachimaki, a white headband with a red disk in the center During the war, the phrases "sure victory" (必勝 Hisshō?) or "seven lives" were written on the hachimaki, which were worn by kamikaze pilots, showing that they were willing to die for their country.
Before the war, all households were required to display a Hinomaru during national celebrations. Today, the flag of Japan is displayed almost exclusively on national or local government buildings, such as municipalities. It is rare to see them in homes or commercial buildings, although some people and companies recommend putting out a flag during the holidays. Although the Japanese government encourages citizens and residents to fly the flag during celebrations, they are not legally required to do so.
Since the emperor's 80th birthday on December 23, 2002, the Kyushu Railway Company has put up flags at 300 stations.
Current perception
According to surveys conducted by major media outlets, the majority of Japanese perceived the flag as national even before the respective law was passed in 1999. Despite this, controversies surrounding the use of the flag at school events or in the media still take place. For example, liberal newspapers such as the Asahi Shimbun and the Mainichi Shimbun frequently write articles critical of the national flag, reflecting the political spectrum of their readers.
Displaying the Hinomaru in homes and businesses is also debated among Japanese society. Due to the association of the Hinomaru with uyoku dantai (right-wing) activists, reactionaries, or hooliganism, some homes and businesses have decided not to fly the flag. For other Japanese, the flag represents the time when democracy did not exist and Japan was an imperialist nation.
A negative perception of the national symbol is common in Japan's former colonies as well as within the country itself, such as Okinawa. An important example occurred on October 26, 1987, when an Okinawan supermarket owner burned down a flag before the start of the Japan National Sports Festival. to atrocities committed by the Japanese military as well as the presence of US forces, but also to prevent it from being displayed in public. Other incidents in Okinawa include a flag that was dropped during school ceremonies, in which students they refused to honor the flag as it was hoisted while the Kimigayo was sung.
In the Republic of China and South Korea, both nations occupied during the Empire of Japan, the adoption of the Hinomaru as the national flag was seen as a reaction by this country to the right and a step towards remilitarization. The proclamation of the respective law also coincided with debates on the status of the Yasukuni Shrine, military cooperation with the United States and the creation of a defense missile. In other countries that Japan occupied, the 1999 law was met with mixed reactions or simply ignored. In Singapore the older generations still have adverse reactions towards the flag, although the younger ones do not share the view. The Philippine government not only did not believe that the Japanese government wanted to return to militarism, but also asserted that the purpose of the 1999 law was to formally establish two symbols—the flag and the anthem—in law, and that every state had the right to create their national symbols.
There is no law in Japan criminalizing flag burning, although no foreign flag is allowed to be burned on national soil.
Protocol
According to protocol, the flag must be flown from sunrise to sunset, although schools and businesses are allowed to fly it from opening to closing. When the flag of Japan is flown along with the of another country simultaneously, the Japanese flag takes the position of honor and the flag of the other country is hoisted to its right. Both flags must be at the same height and be the same size. When more than one foreign flag is flown together with the host, the flags are placed in the alphabetical order of their countries in accordance with the order prescribed by the United Nations. When the flag becomes unfit for further use, it is tradition that it be privately cremated.
The Hinomaru has at least two ways of being hoisted for mourning. The first is to fly the flag at half mast (半旗 Han-ki?), common custom with other countries. The offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs fly the flag at half mast when the funeral of a head of state of other nations takes place. Another alternative style for mourning occasions is to cover the circular top of the pole with a black cloth and put a black ribbon over the flag, known as the mourning flag (弔旗 Chō-ki ?). This style dates from July 30, 1912, when Emperor Meiji passed away and the cabinet ordered that the national flag be raised during the mourning for the emperor. On the other hand, the cabinet also has the authority to announce the The flag is flown at half mast.
The respective flag law does not specify how the flag and anthem should be honored, although different prefectures have established their own regulations on the use of Hinomaru, as well as other regulations. prefeculal flags. Therefore, it is not mandatory that all those attending a ceremony rise out of respect for the flag and sing the anthem.
Public Schools
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Since the end of World War II, Japan's Ministry of Education has established regulations and regulations to promote the use of the national symbols — both the Hinomaru and the Kimigayo— in schools under its jurisdiction. The first of these regulations was published in 1950, where it was ensured that the use of both symbols was desirable, although not required. Later, it was expanded in such a way that both symbols were included in national holidays and during ceremonial events, this in order to encourage students to know the meaning of these celebrations. In an educational reform of the year 1989, the government — controlled by the Liberal Democratic Party - ensured that the flag should be used in school ceremonies and that honors should be presented to both the flag and the anthem. In that year and within the reforms, the pertinent punishments for those school officials failing to abide by the above order.
The Curriculum Guide (学習指導要領 Gakushū shidō yōryō?) of 1999, proclaimed by the Ministry of Education after the passage of the national symbols law, decreed that “during entrance and graduation ceremonies, schools must raise the flag of Japan and instruct their students to sing the Kimigayo, given the importance of the flag and the song". adoption of patriotism and consciousness of being Japanese, it is important to nurture school children's respectful attitude towards the flag and the Kimigayo, as they grow up to be respectable Japanese citizens in a to internationalized society." The ministry also assured that if Japanese students could not respect their own symbols, they would not be able to respect the symbols of other nations.
Schools have been places of controversy regarding both the anthem and the flag. The Tokyo Board of Education mandates the use of both symbols during events held in its jurisdiction. The order obliges teachers to honor both under penalty of losing their jobs if they do not. Some have protested, arguing that such rules violate Japan's Constitution, though the board has proclaimed that because the schools are agencies Government employees have an obligation to teach their students how to be good citizens. In protest, some schools have refused to display the flag at graduations, while some parents have torn it down. Some teachers have complained. unsuccessfully to the governor of Tokyo, Shintarō Ishihara, as well as to some other authorities for the order to honor the Hinomaru and the Kimigayo. teachers from Japan (日本教職員組合 Nihon Kyōshokuin Kumiai?) accepts the use of both symbols, but the All Japan Union of Teachers and Teaching Staff does not< span style="font-weight: normal"> (全日本教職員組合, smaller, who reject the use of both symbols within the school system.
Related flags
Military
The Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force use a version of the sun disk design with eight sun rays extending outward, called Hachijō- Kyokujitsuki (八条旭日旗. A gold border runs partially along the edge.
A well-known variant of the sun disk design is one with 16 red rays to the siemens star, which has also been used historically by Japan's military forces, particularly the Imperial Japanese Army. The insignia, known as the Kyokujitsu-ki (旭日旗 "Rising Sun Flag" ?), it was first adopted as a naval ensign on October 7, 1889, being used until the end of World War II in 1945. It was adopted again on October 30 June 1954, and is currently used as the naval ensign of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). In nearby Asian countries that were occupied by Japan, this flag still has negative connotations.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force also wears a National Command Pennant. First adopted in 1914 and re-adopted in 1965, the pennant contains a simplified version of the naval ensign on the mast side, with the remainder of the pennant in white. Their proportion is 1:40 and 1:90.
The Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF), created in 1952, has only the sun disk as its emblem. This is the only branch of service with an emblem that does not evoke the Imperial standard with good heavens. However, this branch has an insignia for flying between bases and during parades. The insignia was created in 1972, being the third to be used by the JASDF since its formation. The badge contains the emblem of this branch in the center on a blue background.
Although not an official national flag, the "Z" signal flag played an important role in Japan's naval history. On March 27, 1905, Admiral Heihachirō Tōgō of the battleship Mikasa prepared to engage the Russian Baltic Fleet. Before the Battle of Tsushima began, Tōgō hoisted the "Z" flag on the battleship, subsequently winning the battle. As he hoisted the flag he told the crew: 'The fate of the Empire of Japan depends on this battle; all hands must strive and do the best they can. That flag was also used on the aircraft carrier Akagi during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Flag of JSDF
(isolation)
Japanese naval
()日本語)
Flag of JASDF
Aeronautics of JASDF
Imperial
Starting in 1870, various flags were created for the Emperor of Japan (then the Meiji Emperor reigned), the Empress, and other members of the imperial family. At first the Emperor's flag was highly ornate, with a sun on the top. center of an artistic design. He had flags for when he was on land, at sea and when he was in a carriage. The imperial family were also given flags for when they were in the water and on dry land—one for when on foot and one for when in a carriage. The flags for the carriage featured a monochrome 16-petaled chrysanthemum, placed in the center of a single-color background. The flags were scrapped in 1889, when the emperor decided to use the chrysanthemum on a red background as the flag. With minor changes in hues and proportions, the flags adopted in that year are still in use by the imperial family.
The current flag of the emperor is a chrysanthemum with 15 golden petals, in the center and on a red background, with a ratio of 2:3. The Empress uses the same flag, except for a triangular cutout at the end, while the Crown Prince and Princess have the smaller chrysanthemum and a white border in the center.
The chrysanthemum has been associated with the imperial throne since the reign of Emperor Go-Toba, 12th century, though not it became the official symbol of the throne until 1868.
Subnationals
Each of Japan's 47 prefectures has a flag similar to the national one and consisting of a symbol, called mon, on a single color background (with the exception of Ehime, which has two background colors). Many of the flags of the different prefectures, such as that of Hiroshima, have the same specifications as the national flag —2:3 in proportion, the mon in the center and 3/ 5 parts of the total length of the flag. Some mon show the name of the prefecture according to its respective kanji, others show stylized representations of its location or some characteristic place of the prefecture. One example is from Nagano Prefecture, where a katakana character, the ナ (na), appears in the center of a white disk. One of the interpretations of the mon is that the na represents a mountain, the white disk a lake. The orange color represents the sun, while the white color symbolizes the snow in the region.
Municipalities can also have their own flags. The design of the flags of the cities is similar to that of the prefectures: a mon on a background of a single color. An example of these flags is that of Amakusa in Kumamoto Prefecture: the symbol of the city is composed of the katakana character ア (a), surrounded by waves. The symbol is centered on a white background, with a ratio of 1:1.5. Both the city emblem and the flag were adopted in 2006.
Derivatives
In addition to the flags used by the armed forces, other flags have been modeled on the national flag. The former flag of the Japan Postal Service consisted of a Hinomaru with a red horizontal strip placed in the center of the flag. It also had a small white ring around the red disk. It was later replaced by a flag consisting of the postal symbol 〒 in red on a white background.
Two newly designated national flags resemble the Japanese flag. In 1971 Bangladesh gained its independence from Pakistan, and adopted a flag with a green background, with a red disc (although it is not in the center) containing a gold map of that country. In the current flag, adopted in 1972, the gold map was removed but everything else was retained. The red disk is officially named by the government of Bangladesh as a circle, where the color red symbolizes the blood that was shed in creating their country. Palau, for its part, uses a flag with a similar design, although the colors are totally different. Although the island's government does not cite the Japanese flag as a basis for or influence, Japan administered Palau from 1914 to 1944. The Palau flag has a gold-colored "full moon"—though not in the center—above a sky blue background. The moon symbolizes peace and a young nation, while the background represents Palau's transition to self-rule from 1981 to 1994, when it gained full independence.
The naval ensign of Japan has also influenced other designs. One of them is the flag used by the Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper. In the lower part, on the side of the mast, there is a quarter of the sun. The kanji 朝 appears on the flag, white in color, covering most of the sun. The rays extend from the sun, alternating red and white colors, making 13 stripes in all. This flag can be seen frequently during the School Baseball Championship, as the Asahi Shimbun is the main sponsor. of the tournament. The flags of the various grades and insignia of the Imperial Japanese Navy were also based on the design of the naval insignia.
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