What Happened to the Old Japanese Flag?

Japan's flag is one of the most iconic and easily recognisable. Known in Japanese as the Hinomaru, it symbolises the sun and by extension the emperor. Popularised by games like Call of Duty: World At War, and as seen in many iconic photographs and videos from the Second World War, the Japanese also famously used the "Rising Sun Flag", known in Japanese as the Hiashi. What's the history behind these flags and their usage?

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Music Used:
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Waltz of the Flowers - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Mystery - Holfix
Opium - Kevin MacLeod
Senbazaru - Kevin MacLeod
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

#Japan #JapaneseHistory #Flags

[thLegio]

Had a kid in middle school from Japan wear his Grandfather’s Japanese imperial army uniform to class when we discussed World War Two on Veterans Day. Needless to say the Chinese and Korean students weren’t thrilled...

[cennethadameveson]

Hadnt realised the difference between the naval and army rising sun flags.

[ThatSuperSpicyGuy]

I was kinda hoping the answer was "it was too hard to draw"

[waffle-waffle]

the best thing about simple flag is when in elementary school you're tasked to draw your country flag it won't cause a Headache

[bsmith]

They should change it to just a picture of Godzilla

[EzekielDeLaCroix]

>School teacher committed suicide because of kids debating about the Hinomaru and the anthem

Maximum Nihonjin

[NikoChristianWallenberg]

There was never a change: the rising sun flag was not the official national flag of Japan even in those days - it was the country's military flag and was often popularly used with the regular national flag, but the national flag was the same as it is today.

[matthewdewilde]

Having lived in Japan for 25 years, and been preoccupied with other aspects of life in this amazing country I’ve never really had any opportunity to delve deeper into the questions surrounding Japan’s flags. This brief and informative documentary helped a lot.

Of course, for all the time I’ve been living here I have been aware of the sensitivity surrounding Japan’s flags. Living here, you can’t help but notice its absence from daily life. Unlike in my native Australia, this country’s flag never gets used in TV commercials, billboards, or other forms of social education. In Japan, the Hinomaru is just simply missing from the public agenda.

Yes, it hovers over city administration buildings and public schools. But its presence is part of that building’s design only, like a “wall” or “elevator” would be. The national flag rarely publicly reminds residents nor visitors which country they are in.

The Hinomaru comes out on buses, trains, and urban street poles on public holidays only, and is quietly folded away the following day. On holidays perhaps one neighbor out of ten thousand might hang a Japanese flag up on their access to the street. People here seem to “be OK” with their flag, but the overall accepted Western version of historical events has obliged the individual Japanese not to “love it”. Those people who display the Hinomaru on days that are not public holidays are seen as extreme right-wing nationalists who are shunned by the majority.

While there is much ongoing criticism internationally of Japan’s actions in history, one can’t help but feel sympathy for the confused typical young Japanese and their uneasy relationship with its flag.
Sporting events are a rare opportunity for the individual Japanese to wave a flag that depicts the usual pride that peoples have towards a common identity, belongingness and success on the international stage, yet at international away sporting events though, particularly within Asia, Japanese supporters are warned by its government of the risks of flying any flag that symbolizes Japanese pride.

All nations’ flags carry history.
Few nations can be totally pride of its history.
The Japanese certainly have issues of history it needs to deal with internally.
Yet perhaps more than most people, the Japanese are aware of and struggle with the relationship between history and the flag that represents it, the present and the future.

[vladprus]

I would rather compare "Rising sun flag" to german Iron Cross (military symbol, often associated with WW2, but not strictly representing any ideology, used by military of these countries to this day), not to NSDAP flag (made specifically to be symbol of ideology and implemented as the symbol of ideology, being in use ONLY when country was run by followers of that ideology).

[khakiturtle]

Keep up with the great work man, also Hilbert, I hope you're doing okay during this pandemic

[timrobinson]

The Mitsubishi one was incorrect. That one was a merger of two symbols. One of 3 diamonds the the other (I think) was of a fern.

[edwardweeden]

I was in Yokosuka Japan in 1979-1980 as a U.S. sailor. There were several Japanese naval vessels moored at the naval station there and I was startled to see a Hinari flag at the stern of each vessel. I looked into the history of Japanese national flags at that point. Your post recounts much of what I discovered, and I thank you for letting the world know. One small addition. The reason the naval ensign used the hinari was because it was visible at great distances to approaching or passing vessels. The reason the sun-disk is offset is that it gives observers some indication of the ship's direction or course (I was told this by a signalman aboard my own ship). Again, many thanks, good post!

[donalddempsey]

The Japanese Rising Sun Flag is still flown on Navy ships as is our first union jack.

[Funlu]

Just for general knowledge: “land of the rising sun” doesn’t mean the people are “of the rising sun” or named themselves after the rising sun, but it represents, from a Chinese geographical perspective, the location of japan to the East. I like to translate it more as “the perceived origin of the sun as seen from China” lol. Kinda like how the name of China is “middle country.” Its more of a description of location than a true name. But then that’s where most Japanese family names come from, locations in nature.

[theodoreroosevelt]

For centuries Sony Clan and Nintendo Clan fight with each other over the control of Japan.
Now gamers.. I mean mercenaries from around the world support them in this endless war

[RR-SQ]

Actually it never changed. “Sun Beam version “ is still the official flag of Today’s powerful Navy, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, and it is “ Official “. Simple version on the other hand has been the “National Flag”. No charges.
Both are appropriate Flags as the Land of Rising Sun.

[moelisboardmolina]

“Japan has a lot of ruling families” 1:24 Mitsubishi

[AetherTheGenshin]

Fun fact: Paradox used the Hiashi flag for the Fascist Japan flag in HOI4 which is weird considered that the Fascist Japanese flag was a Pre-1999 flag

[sirtanchannel]

This might be off topic, but in my school in Singapore we were made to sing Kimigayo once or Japan's national anthem in our history lesson to simulate the wartime experience of students in Singapore during the Japanese Occupation.

[honhon]

Japan never changed the flag, Hinomaru is national flag, rising sun flag is used for a lot of usage and military organization.