The Rising Sun design is used widely on flags in Japan, such as those used by fishermen and the Maritime Self-Defense Force. The claim that the Rising Sun flag symbolizes militarism does not make sens

I fly the The Rising Sun from my bedroom window and I do not care if people do not like it.

Dokdo could be easily solved by an independent arbitrator or the world court, if only Korea would go. They won't.

Everyone tells history their own way, ignores the uncomfortable truth, and tries to play victim. Japan does. Korea does. China does. They all need to get over it and start doing business.

The Japanese military budget is a miniscule percentage of GDP. Good on Abe for finally raising it. Japan NEEDS to get more militaristic. This is a dangerous neighborhood- Russia, China, North Korea all have nuclear weapons.

As for "intruding", the only intruding I see these days is Korea intruding into Japan with crappy food, crappy tvs, and crappy tv dramas.

So why would the South Koreans be concerned about Japanese militarism represented in this flag these days? Well let's see...they deny the history of WWII, they have one of the best funded navies in the world and they have a preposterous claim on the island of Dokdo!

Nobody can blame to korean for worrying about it because Japan's been keeping intruding korean again and again whenever it's stronger during whole history! however korea never intruded Japan. History always repeats!

I wonder why so many here, who I assume are not Japanese, embrace Japanese nationalist revisionist history as they do?

Rather strange.

The Buddhist Manji symbol is often equated with the Nazi swastika but look very closely. They are not the same.　Biased opinions create distorted perceptions..

As with so many things, the Kims need to frankly mind their own damn business. The flag the Japanese military chooses to fly is up to them. Korea and China both have enough skeletons in their respective closets.

Plus, the Rising Sun is just simply cool.

The thing about the rising sun flag is that its pure Japanese and was used by pure Japanese during an age of militarism and barbarity and basically introduced to the people of the world during that age generating the obvious effect; we associate the flag with militarism and barbarity.

Meanwhile, the swastika was appropriated by early aviators as a good luck charm long before the word Nazi was even coined. It has a long, long history among the Buddhists of the world as a religious symbol. But try walking around with one on your chest today. No, if anything has been wronged and misunderstood, its the swastika. The Japanese forever ruined the rising sun flag all by themselves in exactly they way they chose to do it. Don't blame us Japanese people. Blame your grandfathers. And just get rid of that damned flag they damned with no assistance from us. Just be glad we don't universally revile your "banzais" too.

I dont know why those countries ( China and Korea) associate the Rising Sun flag as a flag that represent the nazi when actually it has nothing to do with nazism.

that flag gives me the heebie-jeebies. im not old enough to remember it being used in an aggresive military way but it makes me uncomfortable, like coming across the stars and bars in the southern US. it's not a welcoming sight, thats for sure

80393

You are 10,000% correct! Me too, sends chills down my spine, especially when you see old WWII footage or pictures, sorry Japan but THAT flag was corrupted, maybe a couple 100yrs from now the masses might forget but at present, its a nasty reminder of when Japan killed between 20-30million, damn that's a lot of dead people!

So say if someone sees the Chinese flag and associates it with repeated abuse to human rights it automatically becomes true everywhere? WOW!

What a fatuous comment. The rising sun is very closely associated with Japan's military and today it is most commonly waved by extreme rightists, biker gangs and the like. It is no surprise that the person trying to rehabilitate it is a right-winger.

that flag gives me the heebie-jeebies. im not old enough to remember it being used in an aggresive military way but it makes me uncomfortable, like coming across the stars and bars in the southern US. it's not a welcoming sight, thats for sure

@Tokiyo: The world's population --as of now-- is around 7.2 Billion people, it hasn't stood at a 'few' for quite some time, and in the minds of many Asian, European and North American people --so billions-- the flag has an association with the Japanese Imperial armed forces, i.e. military. QED. Silly? Invalid? Your facts, perhaps?

Sorry suga as usual you got it wrong!!!

The 1930-40s FOREVER changed the meaning of the rising sun flag. This flag like yasukuni, both do so much more harm than any perceived good, too bad they are both still with us as they just continue to drag Japan downwards

So say if someone sees the Chinese flag and associates it with repeated abuse to human rights it automatically becomes true everywhere? WOW!

P.S Billions? The world is only a few billion people, may not want to tell tall tales and exaggerate, lest it make the point you are trying to make invalid with silly comparisons.

Even if ONE single person asscoiates that flag with militarism. QED. It matters NOT that it doesn't make sense to you. If it does, which it does in billions of minds, it does.

The flag is not the problem and if the house was properly cleaned no one would care which flag is adorning the house.

It's also part of the logo of the Asahi Shimbun.

The hinomaru is the flag of Japan. The rising sun is largely associated with militarism and the right. He even states in his example that it is used by the "Self-Defense Force".

"No, it has nothing do with militarism...after all, our armed forces use it".

One thing I will say for it: the rising sun is a remarkably striking and beautiful flag. Other flags are often too busy (e.g. British) or a random collection of rubbish colours. The hinomaru is also aesthetically pleasing.