Why Sun Will Rise Again Is Banned

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This was published 7 months ago

Why Japan's neighbours desire the 'ascent sun' flag banned at the Olympics

Past Hyung-Jin Kim and Mari Yamaguchi

July 23, 2021 — i.02pm

Seoul: Japan considers the "rising sun" flag part of its history. Merely some in the Koreas, Prc and other Asian countries say the flag is a reminder of Japan's wartime atrocities, and is comparable to the Nazi swastika.

That's why the flag has created anger at the Olympics, with some of the host nation's neighbours calling for it to exist banned during the Tokyo Games, which start Fri.

The Japanese escort send Kurama, left, navigates behind destroyer Yudachi, carrying a ascent sun flag - the kyokujitsuki -, during a fleet review off Sagami Bay, south of Tokyo, in 2012. Credit:AP

In that location's trivial prospect that ties between Seoul and Tokyo will ameliorate any fourth dimension soon. But the flag dispute may ease. Some experts say the COVID-xix restrictions that have banned spectators at most Olympic venues stadiums may preclude the disagreement from growing.

Here's a look at the "ascent sun" flag and the long-running unease it has acquired in north-east Asia.

Origin

In that location are two rising lord's day flags associated with Nippon, whose very proper name in Japanese means "the lord's day's origin".

Ane is the state's national flag, called nisshoki or hinomaru, which has a red disc on a white background. Few accept a trouble with this.

A Japanese well-wisher holds a national flag - called nisshoki or hinomaru - at the Imperial Palace before the purple motorcade of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako in Tokyo in 2019. Credit:AP

The other one also has a cherry disc, but it is surrounded by sixteen rays that extend outward. Called kyokujitsuki - this 1 has led to vehement protests from some of Nippon'southward neighbours.

The rising sun flag of the Japanese Navy reappeared in Sydney Harbour for the first fourth dimension in 27 years on Jully 12, 1962, when 4 Japanese Navy destroyers berthed at Garden Isle for a goodwill visit. Credit:George Lipman

Both flags accept been used for centuries. But disputes well-nigh the rise lord's day flag date dorsum to the early on part of the 20th century. That'southward when Nippon'southward imperial navy used it every bit its official flag every bit the nation colonised the Korean Peninsula and invaded or occupied China and other Asian countries until its Earth State of war 2 defeat in 1945.

Information technology'south yet Nippon's navy flag, used by the Maritime Self-Defense force Force and, in a slightly modified version, by the Ground-Self Defence since 1954.

These days, ultra-rightists in Japan often use the flag during rallies or on social media.

'Big misunderstanding'

Japan's authorities emphasises that both rising sun flags use the sunday as a motif and were used across the country even before the wartime catamenia. Fifty-fifty today, the rising sun with rays motif is used in everyday life in Japan, such as to celebrate a big catch by fishermen, childbirth and other festivities, the government says.

"An argument that it is a political statement or a symbol of militarism is completely irrelevant. I believe there is a large misunderstanding," now-Japanese Prime Government minister Yoshihide Suga said in 2013, when he served as principal cabinet secretary.

Nihon's neighbours view it differently.

Protesters tear a Japanese rising sun flag during a rally denouncing a Japanese government's export decision in Seoul, Republic of korea. Credit:AP

In 2019, South korea formally requested that the International Olympic Committee ban the flag at the Tokyo Olympics. Seoul said that the flag recalls the "scars and pain" of Asian people who experienced Japan'south wartime military aggression, similar to how the swastika "reminds Europeans of the nightmare of Globe War 2".

Democratic people's republic of korea's state media, not known for understatement, have accused Japan of trying to turn "the flag of war criminals" into a symbol of peace at the Olympics, saying that is "an intolerable insult to our people and other Asian people".

Protesters fire a Japanese rising sun flag in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, South Korea, in 2013. Credit:AP

Cathay is also highly sensitive to perceived slights from the Japanese regime, individuals and companies. Still, official outrage over history has diminished somewhat, while China'due south political, economic and cultural rivalry with the United States and European democracies has increased in recent years. When information technology comes to the flag, information technology's clearly less sensitive in Communist china than in South Korea.

Utilise at the Games

On Sat, when Republic of korea removed banners at the Olympic athletes' hamlet in Tokyo that the IOC ruled to be provocative, Seoul said information technology received an IOC promise that the displaying of the "rising sun" flag would besides be banned at stadiums and other Olympic venues.

But S Korean media later reported that some activists carried the "rising sun" flag almost the athletes' village. Media reports also said the Tokyo organising committee ruled the flag wasn't banned inside Olympic stadiums.

Athletes stand under the Greek, Olympic and Japanese flags during the Olympic flame handover ceremony for the Tokyo Summertime Olympics in Athens in March 2020. Credit:AP

"It would be inappropriate to ban the flag from naval exchanges considering a version is used past the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Forces," Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said. "However, you would non wait the Tokyo Olympics hosts or Japanese athletes to use the rising sun emblem considering it is non the national flag."

Ties between Seoul and Tokyo, both U.s. allies, have suffered for years in part because of disputes over history and trade.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in's office appear on Monday that he had decided not to visit Nihon for the Olympics because the 2 countries failed to discover enough common ground to support a leaders' summit.

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Will this go worse?

Some experts say the flag dispute isn't as serious as other points of contention, like Japan'southward wartime mobilisation of Koreans into sexual slavery or forced labour for which there are negotiations over compensation, and won't likely worsen ties.

The flag dispute can still flare, however, if anger among anti-Japan civic groups in Due south Korea draw a backfire among the Japanese public, says Lee Myon-woo, deputy caput of the private Sejong Institute near Seoul. Lee says South Korea should refrain from a "too excessive, political interpretation" of the flag because there is no sign that Japan is reviving by militarism.

But Bell Youngshik, a research fellow at Yonsei Academy Institute for N Korean Studies, says the flag wouldn't have become a major issue if Japan had accustomed its neighbours' demands for making a more than "sincere apology" over its wartime abuse.

The dispute may not have much kindling to fuel it, though, for ane primal reason: the lack of spectators at well-nigh all Olympics venues ways no ane is waving that flag — which means the dispute may die downward for the time existence.

AP

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Why Sun Will Rise Again Is Banned

Source: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/why-japan-s-neighbours-want-the-rising-sun-flag-banned-at-the-olympics-20210723-p58cc1.html

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