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

[grapefruit]

The Self Defense Forces itself is military forces of the defense.
It is not a sign of friendship.
They will not violate territorial waters.

First, I agree that the SDF is not a charity organization. But, since it now engages in PKO activity, it has possibilities to get into territorial waters in parts of Asia that still harbor negative sentiments toward Japan from WWII. Wouldn't it defeat the purpose of engaging in peackeeping operations if the ship was not welcomed because it carries the rising sun flag? If I remember correctly, Japan's offer to send relief materials to China in the aftermath of the Suchuan Earthquake was turned down because of anti-Japanese sentiments held by common Chinese people. Carrying the rising sun flag is one way to brew distrust among Chinese, Koreans, and some other Asians. Since Japan wants to engage in PKO activity to improve the image of the country, isn't it counter-productive to keep the symbol?

Another reason why the idea of keeping the flag seems unattractive to me is because I do not understand why the SDF has to have a navy or army symbol. I am not naive enough to claim that the SDF is not serving as military forces. I know it is de facto military forces, but at least, on the surface, it should not be treated as a navy or an army, because the Japanese Constitution prohibits owning neither of them. So the argument that the flag has tradition does not sound constitutionally fit to me. If one wants to claim that the Japanese navy tradition needs to be maintained, the Constitution should be first changed to allow the country to own its navy. (by the way, I'm undecided on this issue.)

The flag will look like the ghost for enemy.

So, are you saying that since the flag looks like a ghost, it is OK to keep hurting others? Whether it looks like a ghost or not, intentionally tormenting others sounds awful. Japanese people all know that the flag evokes the image of Japanese imperialism. Can we find the flag employed in situations that have no association with Japanese imperialism or WWII in modern Japanese society other than the use of the flag by the SDF? Any sensible Japanese knows that the flag will be instantaneously connected in Asians’ minds to Japanese imperialism. Insisting on such a flag, even after realizing its negative impact to other Asians, seem to spell lack of chivalrousness and respect to others.

I think you should study about Sinocentrism.

The discussion probably has little bearing on Sinocentrism. Besides, any country puts itself in the center of its perspective. The US sees themselves as the police of the world. The whole pack of developed countries holds Eurocentrism. Russia wants to maintain its hegemony. Japanese, who maintain that “the shackles of sinocentrism still bind Asian countries like Korea and China,” seem that they themselves want to establish Japanocentrism. Probably Nihonjinron must have some association with that. The reason why Project X captured the hearts of so many Japanese must be relevant too. I have no qualms with such opinions. After all everyone should love their country. Nevertheless, we should all be aware of such behavior to put one’s country in the center is reciprocal. It is strange to claim Sinocentrism is/was the only view present in east Asia. Japan came to establish its knock-off version of Sinocentrism. Why do you think the post of shogun was created? 征夷大将軍, right?

Japan never complain of Textbook of other country, etc..

I think you misread my post...

If you are referring to childish behavior of China and Korea in relation to Yasukuni, textbook policy, border conflicts, and demand for apology, I have a different view on each case, and I don't have space here for explaining them. It is also inappropriate to put everything under "childish behavior". Some are childish and others are not.

I meant by this that some behaviors of China and Korea in relation to Yasukuni, textbook policy, border conflicts, and demand for apology are childish and other behaviors are not.