Official Palette
Symbolism
The red disc, known as the 'Hinomaru' (Circle of the Sun), represents the sun. Japan is historically known as the 'Land of the Rising Sun,' and the sun goddess Amaterasu is said to be the ancestor of Japan's emperors.
History
The Hinomaru has been used as a symbol for centuries. It was officially designated as the national flag in 1870 for merchant ships and formally adopted as the sole national flag in 1999.
Construction
The flag has a 2:3 ratio. The red sun is exactly in the center of the white field, with a diameter that is three-fifths of the flag's height.
Color Meanings
white: Purity, honesty, and peace
red: The sun, warmth, and national vitality
Country Facts
- Population
- 122.4M
2.5% of Asia
- Capital
- Tokyo
- Languages
- Japanese
- Continent
- Asia
- Subregion
- East Asia
- Landlocked
- Island state
- ISO 3166-1
- JP
Flag Identification
- Adopted
- August 13, 1999
- Proportions
2:3 (≈1.500)
- Total Colors
- 2
Influences
Amaterasu sun goddess mythology
Related flags
Flag Protocol
- The red disc must be perfectly centered
- The disc's diameter must be 3/5ths of the flag's height
Practice
Think you know the flags of Asia? Test your recognition in a quick practice round.