Japan's red circle on white, called the Hinomaru, had long served as the country's flag. It flew over schools, ships, and international gatherings, yet it was never officially recognized by law. That ...

The law forbids publicly damaging, removing, or defacing a Japanese flag in a manner likely to cause others “extreme discomfort or disgust.” Public opinion offers no clear answer to where that line ...

TOKYO — Japan on Friday enacted a controversial new law prohibiting desecration of its national flag, a key right-wing agenda pushed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Opponents say it’s an attempt to ...

(Tokyo) – The Japanese Diet on July 17, 2026, adopted a flag desecration law that criminalizes damaging Japan’s national flag, a violation of the right to freedom of expression, Human Rights Watch ...

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, said on March 17 that they would present a law forbidding the ...