The imperial flag on my apartment building

[aakurtz]

[floatl][/floatl]

So I live in the backwoods (mountains rather) of Okayama. After a few months of living here I noticed that there is an Imperial flag on top of my building (the old school naval flag with the red dot and the rays coming out). Keep in mind that my apartment building has 6 apartments and all of them are non-japanese. Too add to the situation, I'm 2 hours from any seaport, let alone a naval military port.

I was told about 5 years ago someone took down an American flag and an Australian flag and put this one up during the night. There are also 2 other flags, the green cross which means safety and then a 3rd one I dont understand at all. Its like an X with the 4 different parts being 3 different colors; black, yellow, and green I think.

But the point is, what does this flag mean to the Japanese? I know what it means to the Chinese and all the other countries they invaded during WW2. But should I be offended? I was under the impression that this is very similar to the American confederate flag in terms of offensiveness.

OK help me out.

[Not Invented Here]

I must have read this wrong, but does one of the other flags look like this?..

But the point is, what does this flag mean to the Japanese? I know what it means to the Chinese and all the other countries they invaded during WW2. But should I be offended? I was under the impression that this is very similar to the American confederate flag in terms of offensiveness.

Well, to be honest I find the imperial hi-no-maru to be about as offensive as any flag. It's bright, gaudy, and makes annoying sounds when it flaps in the wind. For the Japanese, it probably can mean a lot of things, with the majority paying it no mind at all. I'd say that aside from those who are into the heavy nationalism stuff (think black/white roving party vans), the real meaning of this flag is the same as the more commonly seen one today.

That having been said, if you think it's some kind of patriotic jibe against the foreigner's hut, then it might as well be. Then again, it's most likely a really dull-witted and boring jibe by a lonely nationalist who had nothing else better to do (I've been up towards the mountains in Okayama-ken before. What the hell else do people do around there for a good time?)

One word of advice though: If you ever should happen to run into a fellow by the name of Cooter, who drives an Isuzu with a (empty) gun-rack, and listens to the soundtrack from "Dukes of Hazzard", chances are you've found your culprit.

[Kuang_Grade]

This might help narrow it down some

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_flags


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_municipal_flags

Never paid any attention to the municipal flags before...some of them are pretty interesting...I guess things are only so so in Aizuwakamatsu

[ttjereth]

and then a 3rd one I dont understand at all. Its like an X with the 4 different parts being 3 different colors]
One of these?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_flags

This one maybe?

The "Z flag", unofficial naval ensign

You might also want to take a glance at:

Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

and

Flag of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

Maybe your landlord is ex-SDF?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Ground_Self-Defense_Forcehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Maritime_Self-Defense_Force

[ttjereth]

This might help narrow it down some

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_flags


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_municipal_flags

Never paid any attention to the municipal flags before...some of them are pretty interesting...I guess things are only so so in Aizuwakamatsu

I think it works better smaller.



We must have posted at nearly the same time. Jinx!

[Taro Toporific]

[quote="aakurtz"]...I was told about 5 years ago someone took down an American flag and an Australian flag and put this one up during the night. There are also 2 other flags, the green cross which means safety and then a 3rd one I dont understand at all. Its like an X with the 4 different parts being 3 different colors]Since a green cross flag was put up, the flags must have been put up by a somebody with a construction company, which makes sense since construction companies (and yakaza) have often have logos and flags "that look like an X with the 4 different parts in different colors."

Best guess: That a local construction company boss when drunk got pissed off at always seeing the American and Australian flags. He ordered that one of his flunkies to put up one "their" flags. Now, nobody no dares to take down the flags.
[floatr][/floatr]
Fun solutions: If you are into confrontation, take down the Japanese flag and put up the JOLLY RODGER.

Or better yet, leave the Sacred Kotex flying and put up many more flags like Chinese pirate flags and the Rainbow Flag with a purple buttplug on top.

[aakurtz]

This one maybe?

It looks just like that only the right most 4th is also black I think. Another thing I should mention is that the first level of my building isnt apartments but rather the gas company for the city. There are always guys in blue jump suits coming and going from the first level. I wouldn't be suprised if one of these guys was a nationalist.

Personally my plan was to buy a normal Japanese flag (without the rays) and replace it in the middle of the night. I dont fully understand the meaning of the green cross flag also. I thought it was for saftey and helping or something? Doesn't really fit with the Imperial flag.

BTW this was my first post and the quality and speed of the responses has been amazing.

[amdg]

I think it works better smaller.



We must have posted at nearly the same time. Jinx!

That's awesome. It's the saddest little teenage mutant ninja turtle ever.

[IkemenTommy]

OK help me out.

They might find it as a novelty item here, but it sure is offensive back in the US

[Greji]

That's the state flag of Ohio, or was until AO came home.

[IkemenTommy]

That's the state flag of Ohio, or was until AO came home.

Ohio was part of the union if I remember correctly.

[Greji]

Ohio was part of the union if I remember correctly.

No, they were all non-union scabs

[ttjereth]

It looks just like that only the right most 4th is also black I think. Another thing I should mention is that the first level of my building isnt apartments but rather the gas company for the city. There are always guys in blue jump suits coming and going from the first level. I wouldn't be suprised if one of these guys was a nationalist.

Personally my plan was to buy a normal Japanese flag (without the rays) and replace it in the middle of the night. I dont fully understand the meaning of the green cross flag also. I thought it was for saftey and helping or something? Doesn't really fit with the Imperial flag.

BTW this was my first post and the quality and speed of the responses has been amazing.

I wouldn't bother. If it really was somebody putting them up there t make some kind of point (which honestly I doubt), then the odds are switching them again won't go unnoticed and might even escalate things.

I'd say that since you are living above a gas company though, that there is a more rational explanation for the flags than anti-foreigner sentiment (otherwise why would they have you living there?).

[kurohinge1]

I wouldn't bother. If it really was somebody putting them up there t make some kind of point (which honestly I doubt), then the odds are switching them again won't go unnoticed and might even escalate things . . .

I agree with that, although I also like Taro-san's suggestions.

My own recommendation would be to leave what's there there, but add a few International Code Nautical Flags to convey the following messages:

Zulu - I require a tug.

Alfa - I have a diver down]Bravo[/URL] - I am taking in, discharging, or carrying dangerous cargo.

[IkemenTommy]

[quote="kurohinge1"]

Bravo - I am taking in, discharging, or carrying dangerous cargo.

]
That closely resembles the Marlboro logo.

[sublight]

My own recommendation would be to leave what's there there, but add a few International Code Nautical Flags to convey the following messages:

Zulu - I require a tug.

Alfa - I have a diver down]Bravo[/URL] - I am taking in, discharging, or carrying dangerous cargo.

Wow, we could use a few of those in our bedroom.