History

• In the late 13th century, a Buddhist priest name Nichiren presented a sun flag to a shogun to persuade him to fight the invading Mongols. This strengthened the shoguns and weakened the emperor in the eyes of the Japanese people.
  
  

Interpretation

• The white background of the Japanese flag represents peace and honesty; the color red stands for bravery and strength.
  
  

Size

• In 1870, the Meiji government set the standard vertical-to-horizontal ratio for the flag at 7:10. In 1999, the Diet established new standards, with a ratio of 2:3. The sun disc must be placed in the center.
  
  

Designation

• The Hinomaru finally become Japan's official flag in 1999. An effort undertaken by the country's Diet in 1931 failed when it was denied by the House of Peers.
  
  

Fun Fact

• The Meiji government ordered all vessels--including fishing boats--to fly the Hinomaru. If the boats didn't comply, they would be attacked as pirate ships.
  
  

Military Designs

• The Rising Sun flag flew on Japanese battleships during World War II
  
  The Rising Sun flag has 16 sun rays emanating from the sun disc. It was designed for the Japanese navy in 1889. The Maritime Self Defense Force adopted it in 1954. The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force uses a Rising Sun flag with eight sun rays.