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Flag of Japan: meaning and facts for kids

A red circle in the middle of a white field.

The flag of Japan is a red circle on white. Here is what it means, how to tell it from the flags that look like it, and a quick quiz to try.

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What does the flag of Japan look like?

The flag of Japan is white, with a red circle in the middle. In Japanese it is called the Hinomaru, which means sun disc.

What does the red circle mean?

The red circle is the Sun. A popular name for Japan is the Land of the Rising Sun.

Japan has used a sun flag for more than 800 years, but the Hinomaru only became the official national flag by law in 1999.

Flags that look like the flag of Japan

Some flags use the same colours or the same shape. Here is how to tell them apart:

Flags that look like the flag of Japan, and how each one differs
FlagHow it differs
BangladeshA red circle too, but on dark green, and set a little towards the flagpole.
PalauA circle set a little towards the flagpole too, but it is yellow, on light blue.
South KoreaWhite too, with a red and blue swirl in the middle and four black patterns around it.

Japan in a nutshell

Quick quiz: the flag of Japan

Try these, then tap Show answer under each one.

  1. What does Hinomaru, the Japanese name for the flag, mean?

    • Rising star
    • Sun disc
    • Red moon
    • Island of fire

    Sun disc.

  2. True or false: Japan shares a land border with China.

    False. Japan is a chain of islands, so it has no land border with any country.

  3. What is the capital city of Japan?

    • Osaka
    • Kyoto
    • Tokyo
    • Hiroshima

    Tokyo. Greater Tokyo is home to more than 30 million people.

  4. Which country's flag puts a red circle on a green background?

    • Bangladesh
    • South Korea
    • Vietnam
    • China

    Bangladesh.

  5. True or false: the Hinomaru became Japan's official flag by law in 1999.

    True. Japan had used a sun flag for hundreds of years before that.

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