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June 30, 2026
 

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HINOMARU

Lawmakers who proposed a bill banning the desecration of the national flag bow as the bill was approved at a meeting of the Lower House Cabinet Committee on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 26, 2026
Lower House committee approves flag bill in appeal to conservatives
The proposed law would prohibit publicly damaging, removing or defacing the national flag in a way that “causes extreme discomfort or disgust to others.”
A bill to criminalize the act of damaging the national flag is among the measures the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party plan to enact during the current special Diet session under their deal to form a ruling coalition.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 24, 2026
Lower House begins discussions on flag-vandalism bill
Under the bill, those who publicly deface the flag in a way that causes the public to feel extremely uncomfortable or disgusted would be subject to imprisonment or a fine.
Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki speaks during a news conference at the Diet building in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 17, 2026
Japan set to enact bill criminalizing vandalism of the national flag
Backing from the opposition Democratic Party for the People paves the way for the bill’s passage through the Upper House, where the ruling bloc is a minority force.
Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, attends a party general council meeting at the Diet building on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 10, 2026
LDP and DPP to discuss bill to criminalize national flag vandalism
The Democratic Party for the People aims “to clarify what constitutes a crime”
A push by Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party to criminalize the desecration of the national flag is reviving a long-running debate over the limits of political expression.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 5, 2026
LDP’s flag desecration bill rekindles debate over limits of expression
Advocates say the measure is meant to address a legal gap but critics argue the bill’s language is “extremely vague.”
Criminalizing flag vandalism is a key policy goal of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and was included in the coalition agreement between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 2, 2026
LDP approves bill criminalizing vandalism of national flag
Criminalizing flag vandalism is a key policy goal of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
A Japanese national flag outside the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters in Tokyo last July.
JAPAN / Politics
May 23, 2026
LDP OKs draft bill to punish national flag vandalism
The draft calls for penalties of up to two years in prison or fines of as much as ¥200,000 for acts of vandalism that cause “extreme discomfort or disgust.”
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has presented a draft bill proposing penalties for both public vandalism of the Japanese national flag and the posting of related videos and images on social media, but it withheld approval amid concerns over freedom of expression.
JAPAN / Politics
May 15, 2026
LDP seeks to penalize sharing national flag vandalism online
The outline also calls for penalties of up to two years in prison or fines of up to ¥200,000 for individuals who publicly damage the flag.
Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno (left) addresses a meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party's project team as it discusses making damaging the national flag a crime, at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 1, 2026
LDP divided over move to criminalize desecration of Japan’s flag, sought by JIP
While some party members have called for a bill to be enacted during the current session of parliament, others express concern over freedom of expression.
Japan’s newly convened special session of the Diet is set to debate legislation criminalizing damage to the national flag, strongly backed by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the opposition party Sanseito.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 24, 2026
Parliamentary debate grows over move to criminalize flag desecration
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed a strong desire to enact a flag desecration ban, which is also supported by the opposition party Sanseito.
Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya (center right) and others submit a bill to revise the Penal Code to House of Councilors Secretary-General Fumitake Kobayashi (center left) at parliament on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 28, 2025
Sanseito submits bill to punish desecrating the Japanese flag
While damaging or defacing a foreign national flag with the intent to insult can result in imprisonment or a fine, there is no similar provision for the Japanese flag.
Though some in the country rejected their wartime associations, the Japanese government made the Hinomaru flag and "Kimigayo" anthem official 25 years ago.
JAPAN / History / Japan Times Gone By
Aug 1, 2024
Japan Times 1999: Flag, anthem now official
After some controversy, the Hinomaru flag was made official alongside the country’s national anthem, “Kimigayo.”
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Apr 29, 2019
Imperial swindle: Scammers reportedly handing out Japanese flags and then asking for money
Reports of con artists across Japan taking advantage of the celebratory mood ahead of this week’s Imperial succession have caused a stir on social media.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
May 23, 2018
Taxi! Tokyo prepares for Olympic tourism boom with accessible cabs and international drivers
Tokyo’s taxi industry is undergoing some radical changes as Japan, already dealing with unprecedented levels of tourism, gears up to host two major sporting events in the next 26 months.
JAPAN
Feb 15, 2017
Nursery schools should encourage familiarity with Japan’s national flag and anthem: guidelines
Children over the age of 3 should be “familiar” with the national flag and anthem, according to draft new guidelines for operating public and private nursery schools.
EDITORIALS
Sep 20, 2013
Censorship by education boards
It is extremely regrettable that boards of education are actively censoring history textbooks that have been approved by the ministry of education.
JAPAN
Jun 28, 2013
Texts that say teachers told to obey axed
The Tokyo board of education has labeled two history textbooks by Jikkyo Shuppan Co. as inappropriate for public high schools because they state some local governments are forcing teachers to sing the national anthem and display the Hinomaru flag.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Chinese and Russian bombers and fighter jets stage joint patrol near Japan
A Chinese Air Force H-6 bomber is seen during a joint patrol with Russian military aircraft on Saturday.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
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