Rising Sun flag

Rays from center

The Rising Sun flag features a red disc with rays extending outward, used historically by Japan's military forces.

It remains Japan's naval ensign today but is deeply controversial in East Asia, particularly Korea and China, where it symbolizes Japanese imperial aggression and wartime atrocities.

Protesters demanded the Rising Sun flag be banned from the stadium.

Some compare displaying it to displaying the Nazi swastika.

Related

JapanEast Asian archipelago nation
imperialRelating to supreme rule
navalOf maritime warfare
ensignFlag or junior officer
NipponJapan's native name

Imperial Japan · rays · red · white · military · warship · samurai · kamikaze · war crimes · WWII · Pearl Harbor · Pacific · battleship · propaganda · controversial · emblem · banner · nationalism

Categories

flagscolors, bunting, banner, standard, ensign
Japanese Empireimperial expansion, Manchuria, Korea, Taiwan, China
Imperial Japanese NavyYamato, Musashi, Kongo, Maya, Sendai

Opposites

symbols of aggression vs. victimhood in WWII Pacific theater

Rising Sun flagPhilippine flag

Southeast Asian national emblem

militarist vs. pacifist symbolism

Rising Sun flagpeace symbol

Anti-war movement emblem

white flag · dove of peace · origami crane

historical-political symbolism

Rising Sun flagStars and Stripes

American national banner

Union Jack · Soviet flag · hammer and sickle · peace flag · rainbow flag

Family

rising, risen, rises, sunned, sunning, sunlight, flag, flags, flagged

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Negative · Rated PG