Flag of Japan

The national flag of Japan, known as Nisshōki (日章旗 "sun flag") or Hinomaru (日の丸 "sun disc") in Japanese, is a base white flag with a large red disc (representing the rising sun) in the center. A legend says that its origins lie in the days of the Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century, when the Buddhist priest Nichiren was supposed to have offered the sun disc flag to the Emperor of Japan, who was considered a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. In fact the sun disc symbol is known to have been displayed on folding fans carried in the 12th century by samurai involved in the feud between the Taira and Minamoto clans. It was widely used on military banners in the Sengoku ("Warring States") period of the 15th and 16th centuries. On August 7, 1854, shortly after commerce was opened with the West, the Hinomaru was established as the official flag to be flown from Japanese ships.

By the time of the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the sun disc design had come to be regarded as the de facto national flag, and it was officially adopted for use as the civil ensign by Proclamation No. 57 on January 27, 1870. However, it was not formally adopted as the national flag until August 13, 1999 by Proclamation No. 127, which also confirmed its dimensions: the flag has a height:width ratio of 2:3, the disc is at the exact centre of the flag, and its diameter is three fifths of the flag's height.

Military

A very well known variant of the sun disc design is the sun disc with 16 red rays, which was also historically used by Japan's military, particularly the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was first adopted as the naval ensign on October 7, 1889 and was used until the end of World War II. It was re-adopted on June 30, 1954 and is now used again as Japan's naval ensign. Outside of Japan, the Naval Ensign has a negative connotation, especially to people who fought against Japan in the Second World War or to those countries that were occupied by Japan.[1]

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force has a sun disc design with 8 red rays extending outward, called Hachijō-Kyokujitsuki (八条旭日旗). A gold border lies partially around the edge. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force, which was officially adopted in 1972, has the JASDF emblem charged on a blue background. This is the only branch of service that does not envoke the national flag in their own colors.

Imperial Standard

Starting in 1869, flags were created for the Japanese emperor, his wife (the empress) and for other members of the imperial family. At first, the emperor's flag was ornate, with a sun resting in the center of an artistic pattern. He had flags that were used on land, at sea and when he was in a carriage. The imperial family were also granted flags to be used at sea and while on land (one for use on foot and a carriage flag). The carriage flags were a monocolored chrysanthemum, with 16 petals, placed in the center of a monocolored background. These flags were discarded in 1889 when the emperor decided to use the chrysanthemum on a red background as his flag. With minor changes in the color shades and proportions, the flags adopted in 1889 are still being used by the imperial family.

The current emperor's flag is a 16 petal chrysanthemum, colored in gold, centered on a red background with a 2:3 ratio. The empress uses the same flag, except the shape is that of a swallow tail. The crown prince and the crown princess use the same flags, except with a smaller chrysanthemum and a white border in the middle of the flags. [2]

Prefectural

Each of Japan's 47 prefectures has its own flag. Each resembles the national flag insofar as consisting of a symbol, called a mon, charged on a monocolored field. Some of the mon display the name of the prefecture in katakana characters, others are stylized depictions of the location or other special feature of the prefecture. [3]

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