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Flag ratio: 2:3The national flag of Japan, known as Nisshōki (日章旗) or Hinomaru (日の丸 "sun disc") in Japanese, is a base white flag with a large red disc (representing the rising sun) in the center. A legend says that its origins lie in the days of the Mongol invasions of Japan in the 13th century, when the Buddhist priest Nichiren was supposed to have offered the sun disc flag to the Emperor of Japan, who was considered a descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. In fact the sun disc symbol is known to have been displayed on folding fans carried in the 12th century by samurai involved in the feud between the Taira and Minamoto clans. It was widely used on military banners in the Sengoku ("Warring States") period of the 15th and 16th centuries. On August 7, 1854, shortly after commerce was opened with the West, the Hinomaru was established as the official flag to be flown from Japanese ships.
By the time of the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the sun disc design had come to be regarded as the de facto national flag, and it was officially adopted for use as the naval ensign through Proclamation No. 57 on January 27, 1870. However, it was not formally adopted as the national flag until August 13, 1999 by the Proclamation No. 127, which also confirmed its dimensions: the flag has a height:width ratio of 2:3, the disc is at the exact centre of the flag and its diameter is three-fifths of the flag's height.
In Western heraldry, the Hinomaru could be blazoned: Argent, a torteau or Argent, a roundel gules.
A well known variant of the sun disc design is the sun disc with 16 red rays, which was also historically used by Japan's military, particularly the navy. It was first adopted as the naval ensign on October 7, 1889 and was used until the end of World War II. It was re-adopted on June 30, 1954 and is now used again as Japan's naval ensign. This particular variant is considered offensive by some people, particularly in Asia, where it has a strong association with Japan's past military aggressions and the atrocities that were committed by the Japanese during WWII.
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force have a sun disc design with 8 red rays extending outward, called Hachijō-Kyokujitsuki (八条旭日旗). A gold border lies partially around the edge.
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