Basic Facts About Japan's Flag

The Japanese flag represents the rising sun.

The Japanese name for the national flag, hinomaru, means "circle of the sun." At the center of the white banner is a large red disc, representing a rising sun without rays. A variant of the flag with 16 red rays was long used by the Japanese military, particularly the navy. That flag is now the country's naval ensign, according to the website Got Japan.

Symbolism

The sun is an important symbol in Japanese culture. The country lies on a small island off the coast of the Asia, on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean. From the point of view of the continental mainland, Japan lies in the direction of the sunrise. Long ago, the Japanese began referring to themselves as "Nihon" or "Nippon," meaning "source of the sun." In English, Japan is often called "the land of the rising sun." As seen from the island, the sunrise in the sky over the vast ocean to the east makes an impressive sight.

Legend

According to a Japanese legend, the flag dates to the 13th century, when the country was being invaded by Mongols. A Buddhist priest name Nichiren offered a flag bearing the sun disc to the Japanese emperor because the ruler was supposed to be descended from the sun goddess, Amaterasu, herself.

Early Use

Exactly when the sun circle was first used on a Japanese flag or banner is uncertain, but it is known that 12th-century samurai warriors drew the sun circle symbol on folding fans. The hinomaru icon was used as a military insignia during Japanese wars of the 15th and 16th centuries. Although some examples of insignias of the period portrayed a gold circle on a blue background, a red circle on white was the most commonly used.

Use as National Flag

By the late 16th and early 17th centuries, the hinomaru appeared as a national symbol when the flag was flown from Japanese trading ships. When Japanese officials sailed on an official mission to the United States in 1860, their ship bore the hinomaru. On Jan. 27, 1870, the hinomaru was made the official flag for use on Japanese commercial vessels, and by 1872, the flag was in use on the grounds of public buildings. A bill codifying the hinomaru as the national flag was not officially enacted by Japan's national assembly until 1999, according to the Web Japan website.

Controversy

After World War II, the flag was restricted by occupation forces, but when those restrictions were removed in 1947, the hinomaru remained a national symbol. Flying the hinomaru in modern-day Japan remains somewhat controversial, since some citizens feel the flag represents the country's imperial and warring past. According to the website Japan Visitor, mass display of the flag is usually limited to special occasions such as a national team soccer match or a public appearance by the Japanese emperor.

References

• Got Japan: About Japan--Flag of Japan
• Web Japan: Japan Fact Sheet--National Flag and Anthem
• Japan Visitor: Japanese Culture--Hinomaru