politics

Japan hosts int'l fleet review with S Korean navy participating

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Bet the use of the imperial flag still being used for the navy goes down well with SK navy.

-17 ( +4 / -21 )

No one would have minded if South Korea had boycotted the fleet review.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

There's that horrid imperial flag again.

-20 ( +5 / -25 )

love that flag, bring it back!!

12 ( +17 / -5 )

Absolutely nothing wrong with the Japanese Naval Ensign. Navies from 30 countries, including from the US, UK, Australia which, unlike the Koreas, actually fought Japan in WWII have no issue with that flag. If Pres Yoon really is prioritizing SKorea's security then he needs to get the anti-J faction in his country to get their heads out of their collective eongdeong-i and face the reality that it is North Korea that is threatening South Korea today, in fact for the last 71 years non-stop. The 16 rayed Rising Sun ensign today flies along,side the Stars & Stripes, The Royal Navy Ensign, the Australian White Naval Ensign, and others. Just as it did in WWI.

19 ( +24 / -5 )

That's fair enough @Ossan

Much respect to your point.

However, I find the flag offensive and imperialist. I'm not from any of those countries you mentioned and I'm not from an Asian nation, however.

-17 ( +2 / -19 )

Also all those countries you mentioned that fought alongside the Japanese didn't have to put up with their imperial rule. I guess so anyway.

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

Looks like they're trying to hide the flag. Half staff behind the bridge. Cowards. Either fly it high and proudly or not at all. Do other countries have a separate flag for their navy? No. Why does Japan? Seems like they're still smelling their farts from WWII.

-14 ( +3 / -17 )

Looks like they're trying to hide the flag. Half staff behind the bridge. Cowards. Either fly it high and proudly or not at all. Do other countries have a separate flag for their navy? No. Why does Japan? Seems like they're still smelling their farts from WWII.

Just comes across as stubborn, arrogant and imperialist to me.

Anyway, I'll shut up. Sorry all for my views.

-17 ( +3 / -20 )

There's that horrid imperial flag again.

Freedom of Expression.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

under Yoon's progressive predecessor Moon Jae In

Moons administration was far from progressive, more regressive.

Harping on the past while undermining the necessary defence relationships for the current and foreseeable future threats is stupidity personified.

Having said that, the behaviour of some Japanese politicians doesn’t help their case.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

It would be better for both countries if they could get over their past.

Britain and the USA fought a war, but are good allies today.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Just comes across as stubborn, arrogant and imperialist to me.

It is a bit more complicated. In 1948, due to the raise of communism, Nobusuke Kishi was released from prison, having been sentenced as class A war criminal. It was more important to fight the communists, than fascists. He was set to rule Japan, and his descendants were heading the major faction in LDP, until the assassination of Abe. Japan has been ruled by imperialists for a very long time. That may change. While communism is a big problem still, US is interested in selling weapons to countries like Japan. Though, US can't sell weapons to ultranationalist countries. There is big money involved. Look at Japan's defense budget. Japan has to change, and LDP has to be reshuffled and ruled by peopled not directly linked to its Imperial past. These changes are happening right now.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Japan & USA holding these drills will enrage North Korea Fat Man with 3 chins. And he will fire more missiles across Japan into the Pacific.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Bet the use of the imperial flag still being used for the navy goes down well with SK navy.

The flag in question is not the national flag of Japan but rather a "Navy Jack", a flag representing the Navy. The ships of may nation's navies do not fly their national flag but rather their Jack, while underway and in port. The US Navy is unlike most others in that the national flag is flown from the mainmast while at sea and from the aft flagstaff while in port. It is only while in port that the US Navy Jack is flow from the forward flagstaff. Scores of other navies such as Japan, Russia, UK and others fly their Navy Jack from the mainmast while underway and from the aft flagstaff while in port or anchored. At that point Japan flies the national flag from the forward flagstaff. As best I know the current Japanese navy jack dates to the founding of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the 1800s and is not the same flag flown as the national flag by the Empire of Japan up till the conclusion of WWII.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

US is interested in selling weapons to countries like Japan. 

A statement that utterly ignores the fact that Japan produces the great majority of its weapons, ground vehicles including tanks, combat aircraft and combat ships including the majority of their systems, domestically in Japan. If you look at the equipment on JMSDF ships is it nearly always equipment produced in Japan including radars, sonars, torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and guns. Some of the guns are license built copies of Italian Oto-Breda or US FMCdesigns but they are manufactured in Japan. About the only really expensive things the JMSDF buys from the US are the big AN/SPY-1 radars and Aegis combat management systems used on their big DDGs and the Standard Missiles in their VLS cells. Pretty much the rest of those ships are unique to Japan composed of Japanese made equipment including the SH-60 helicopters.

The JGSDF is filled with equipment unique to the JGSDF, from basic rifles to artillery, wheeled armored vehicles and their tanks.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Do other countries have a separate flag for their navy? No. Why does Japan?

So I made a mistake in my post above. That flag flown on that Japanese ship is their Naval Ensign, not their jack. Japan uses the national flag as their jack following Royal Navy practice. The ensign is what is flown while underway. The jack is only flown in port or at anchor at the bow. The naval ensign can be flown from the stern or from the "gaff" on a mast depending on the traditions of that particular navy. The US is among the few navies to use their national flag as their ensign flown from the gaff while underway. Most including Russia, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, China and on and on fly a naval ensign that differs from their national flag. Some navies also have a separate "War Ensign", a different flag flown as their ensign during time of war.

Flag etiquette for ships is complicated and set by centuries of tradition. In the instance of the top photo, the ships is dressed for a naval review. Under normal circumstances a JMSDF ship underway flies their ensign from the gaff, not from the sternpost.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Beautiful rising sun flag !!!...

2 ( +7 / -5 )

FredrikNov. 6  10:08 pm JST

It is a bit more complicated. In 1948, due to the raise of communism, Nobusuke Kishi was released from prison, having been sentenced as class A war criminal. 

False statement, Nobusuke Kishi was held and questioned for some 3 months But was never charged, tried, convicted or sentenced as a War Criminal of any class. This is common knowledge easily verified.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Korea and Japan have many common interests, so it makes sense for them to cooperate militarily and diplomatically. Unfortunately, recent history stands in the way.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

1glennToday  04:50 pm JST

Korea and Japan have many common interests, so it makes sense for them to cooperate militarily and diplomatically. Unfortunately, recent history stands in the way.

Not exactly correct. The US, UK and Australia and many other countries are former enemies that are today allied with Japan. That "recent history" is over 70 years old. One needs to ask who benefits from keeping South Korea hating Japan? Because it certainly isn't South Korea or Japan. And it certainly isn't the US and it;s allies.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Move on forward. If that was a war flag - I had a photo by it when I visited Yokohama a few years ago. It is like a uniform - wear it! Any flag reminds anyone of history anyway. And parading fleets in the water is a warning too. So use the flag! I personally do not see anything wrong.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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