Why do young Japanese make the V sign when they pose for photos?

They don't make the "V" sign, Churchill, and others before him, did that. They make the so-called Peace sign and, to me at least, it looks ridiculous.

It's better than the middle finger.

What I want to know is why no-one smiles in formal photos.

@papa

If they smiled in formal poses, all those bad crooked teeth would be showing. I think they are smart not to smile.

I think the V thing up near the eyes is to try to make people look at their eyes and face rather than the cute bodies many have.

"Peeeeace!" Have you never heard people say that as they pose? What's wrong with it? Better, if you think about it, than people saying "Cheeeeese!" as they mime eating a quarter or Edam, no?

And certainly better than that annoying gangsta rap pose.

Often I see families taking group pictures at tourist sites during my travels around Japan and most of the time their photos are incomplete as one family member is usually missing (the one taking the picture). So I offer to snap a group picture of them ... with all of them in one frame. And quite often the younger ones flash the "V" sign ... and me being a foreigner ... they say "cheese" at the same time. I believe there is no real meaning in their "V" signs as the younger ones see others doing it and they, likewise, do it. So it probably has become customary to do this with no real reasoning behind it. And I always seem to get a picture full of smiles from one and all.

i really wish i knew. it`s stupid.

they do it for the kawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii factor , Korean and Chinese do that too. At least they share something common in that respect.

Why do they do it? Because everyone does it.

I do it pretty often myself.

Japanese kids make the V sign saying　 ピース　(peace). If you make the V sign and turn it upside down, it looks like a Λ (do it with your hand). This Λ stands for the feet of a pigeon. And a pigeon is a symbol of peace. That's why they say peace. Many adults do it too, but I think it's silly and immature. I don't know why so many people do it. I don't do it. As to why they do it, I wouldn't know.

then we know they are japanese and can say "konnichiwa"

Unfortunately, they are teaching people, or at least kids, in other countries to do it, too.

It may look stupid, as sillygirl says, when teenagers and kids do it, but when middle-aged people do it, it looks ridulous and childish.

Because of the 'Borg' mindset.

Making the V sign in pictures is a throw-back to mid 70s americana. It came to Japan mainly through black and white teenie bopper picture magazines on international pop culture. Current generations are simply copycatting a trend that was cool when their parents were in junior high. Of course they have no idea that this is so and think it makes them look like rebels.

i wish i know the real meaning

Because it is what they think thats what they are supposed to do. I have taken a photo of my kids in class and have told them not to do the peace sign....they honestly didn't know what to do with their fingers.......half the class did it without actually knowing they were doing it.

"Crazy Joe" says above that "This Λ stands for the feet of a pigeon. And a pigeon is a symbol of peace. That's why they say peace." Just a footnote to this: there are some places where an inverted peace sign means, "I'm selling pot ... do you want some?"

What I have noticed is that when flashing the "V", Japanese tend to smile more. No "V', less smile.... just me?

Most people from the UK will differentiate between the Peace sign (made with the palm facing away from you) and the V sign (made with the palm towards you). The V sign, if made with an upward movement of the arm and hand, is effectively telling someone to F off. Many hundreds of years ago when the British were fighting the French, captured French archers would have the first two fingers of their right hands cut off and were then released so as not to inconvenience the British by having to take care of prisoners; after all, they could not pull their bowstrings any more so were harmless. In order to make their point the British archers would make the V sign with an upward movement of the arm thus demonstrating to the French that they still had THEIR fingers. The British have continued with this tradition to this day for some reason :-)

I always thought the V stood for victory, not peace?

It certainly did when made by Winston Churchill.

I am genuin yong Japanese and I will tell you the truth. Foreigners are not shy and they have lots of self-confidence. So foreigners can pose many kinds of way, like macho pose or sexy pose. But Japanese can’t do so because they’re shy and kind and not very self-centered. The peace sign is easy for the Japanese to make and also convenient. It makes any one smile. When you make a peace sign, you smile naturally, don’t you?

a// Because they think they must pose for photos and can't have a photo taken just in a simple, straight, naturally friendly way.

b// The " V " sign because they have no better idea, they haven't got too much personality in general, they always do the same that the others - all of them, why should it be different for photos? Even that would be a better and more individual idea not to pose at all and not form a V sign, but they wouldn't dare go that far.

Why is everyone on here so negative? I love making a peace sign it's fun and shows happiness, and its not immature... plenty of japanese adults make one when snapping a photo as well.