Tony's thoughts....: Italian apology for Japanese flag

Monday, May 13, 2013

Italian apology for Japanese flag

Italian apology for Japanese flag

The Italian company in Milan a maker of iPhone, iPad, iPod cases and other devices recently issued an apology on their Facebook page for one of their cases. The so-called offending case illustrated a flag known as Naval Ensign of Japan, the Rising Sun Flag, Kyokujitsu-ki, currently the flag of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

The company received many complaints from Koreans claiming seeing that flag was insensitive and equivalent to the Nazi flag. Huh? Why the controversy over the flag? The Korean peninsula was part of Japan for about thirty-five years from 1910 to 1945 (Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910 - “the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1910”). Koreans claim the Japanese were brutal during this period while the Japanese respond Koreans were elevated out of poverty, built infrastructure, educational institutions, and other improvements. What happened during those thirty-five years is a subject of debate between the two.

Currently some Koreans use anything Japanese as a vehicle to express hate as illustrated with this
iPhone case. The Koreans complaining see evil in the Japanese flag because of the thirty-five year history. Now take this west across the Pacific Ocean to the United States of America, the American flag, the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory.

For about one-hundred years under the flag of the United States of America, Native Americans (Indians) suffered. Lands were stolen, massacres, broken treaties, children forced and shipped off to boarding schools. The Native Americans have around 100 years of bad history with the American flag as oppose to the Korean 35 year relationship with the Japanese flag.

Yet Native Americans harbor no hate to the American flag. There are many Native American reservations in the United States all of which proudly display and wave the flag of these here United States of America. Native Americans have served in the American military under and for that flag in many wars.

When South Koreans look at the flag of North Korea, the Hermit Kingdom, do they also see a Nazi flag there? Japanese forces left the Korean peninsula sixty-eight years ago. While recent history with North Korea has been hostile: artillery shells hitting a South Korean island, sinking of a South Korean vessel, shooting tourist and the list continues of North Korean crimes against South Koreans. Why only the hate towards Japan?

Under the United States flag two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. How come today the Japanese do not find the American flag to be offensive?

Back to claiming the Japanese Naval flag is the same as the Nazi flag: During World War Two in Nazi-occupied Lithuania a Japanese diplomat Mr. Chiune Sugihara was responsible for saving the lives of nearly six-thousands Jews from extermination.

NOTE: American flag style shirt worn in this video purchased at Bass Pro Shop in Rockwall, Texas for about $27.99.

Benjamins Italy Facebook page where the apology appears:

https://www.facebook.com/BENJAMINSITALY/posts/642931529054694

Here is the company Benjamins.it website:

http://www.benjamins.it/