Should Japan abandon the "16-rays rising sun flag" ?

[Maciamo]

Though the swastika flag was Germany's national flag for a time, it was initially a nazi party flag and so is identified more with Nazi era Germany rather than Germany per se, at least in my mind. Does kyokujitsu have the same connotation or link with a particular movement in Japan's history? If so, I could see why it might be considered inappropriate.

The rising sun flag was first adopted by the Imperial Navy (then Army) under Meiji, at the time of the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95). It was used during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), the occupation of Korea (from 1905), of Manchuria (from 1931), the invasion and occupation of China (1937-45) and Southeast Asia, as well as the Pacific War against the Allies. So we could say that the falg was used as a symbol of Japan's military in the only period of its history (50 years) when it waged war, invaded and occupied other countries. The Japanese at home didn't have much to do with these wars or this flag. So, yes, like the Nazi flag, it has a strong negative association : war, massacres and destruction. That is why I don't understand why it has been kept so far, and has even become a naval flag for civilian ships in addition to the Navy after 1945 (so it's like when the Nazi flag changed status from the party flag to the second national flag in 1933).

[Bramicus]

The rising sun flag was first adopted by the Imperial Navy (then Army) under Meiji, at the time of the first Sino-Japanese War (1894-95).

In that case no, it should not be banned. It wasn't adopted as a specific symbol of a fascist ideological movement as is the case with the Nazi flag, but as a national symbol only. (Not the national flag symbol, but a national flag symbol -- got to be really careful about terminology on this forum.)

As for how angry it makes other countries who remember the brutal occupation, etc., there's a lot more burning of the American flag these days than there has ever been of any Japanese flag, and a lot more anger around the world directed at America. So I guess by that standard United States would have to ban its flag as well.


Looks like the poll results so far (38 voters, not 32) are:

Keep the flag -- 55%
Ban the flag -- 34%
No opinion -- 11%