The swastika predates Nazi Germany, but is forever tarnished by it. In Asia, the flag of Imperial Japan is often seen as a symbol of fascism, Imperialism, and war crimes.
More power to them for trying to reclaim it! It was stolen anyways.
The difference with Imperial Japan is that the flag is still being used by the same group that committed war crimes. The Rising Sun can’t simply be reclaimed, unlike the Swastika.
Point being is that there’s a reasonable reason for the Japanese Naval flag to be in a Japanese Naval meme. If you want at reason to think the meme wasn’t made in good faith, I’d be more worried about how the Japanese guy is holding a machete to the other guy’s throat. That actually does conjure up ideas about WWII war crimes.
It’s actually their Navy flag that’s still in use
Imagine if Germany still used the Nazi flag.
Their Navy flag predates the rise of State Shinto and Imperial Japan. It’s not really the same thing
The swastika predates Nazi Germany, but is forever tarnished by it. In Asia, the flag of Imperial Japan is often seen as a symbol of fascism, Imperialism, and war crimes.
There are actually efforts to reclaim the swastika for cultural reasons predating the Nazis. It’s not hard to tell a Nazi swastika from a Hindu one
Behind the Bastards did a two part episode on the history of it.
I know what the Rising Sun flag means in Asia. I’m just saying that they’re not quite the same thing.
More power to them for trying to reclaim it! It was stolen anyways.
The difference with Imperial Japan is that the flag is still being used by the same group that committed war crimes. The Rising Sun can’t simply be reclaimed, unlike the Swastika.
Point being is that there’s a reasonable reason for the Japanese Naval flag to be in a Japanese Naval meme. If you want at reason to think the meme wasn’t made in good faith, I’d be more worried about how the Japanese guy is holding a machete to the other guy’s throat. That actually does conjure up ideas about WWII war crimes.