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Japan passes legislation banning violation of national flag

العالم
Al Jazeera English
2026/07/17 - 10:56 501 مشاهدة
تحليل ذكي | AI Editorial Analysis

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xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoThe push by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to protect the Japanese flag is part of her drive to reassert traditional patriotism (File: AP)By AF...

The passage of the legislation on Friday is part of an ongoing drive by staunchly conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to promote traditional patriotism and correct what her supporters call a “w...

هذا الخبر من Al Jazeera English. خبر يقدم أدوات ذكاء اصطناعي للتلخيص والترجمة والاستماع.

play Live Sign upShow navigation menuNavigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificWorld CupMiddle EastExplainedOpinionVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomySportHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelSponsored Contentplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftTrendingUS-Israel war on IranWorld Cup 2026Tracking Israel's ceasefire violationsDonald Trumpcaret-rightNews|PoliticsJapan passes legislation banning violation of national flagCritics claim the latest element in PM Takaichi’s conservative drive threatens free speech and invites political abuse. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoThe push by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to protect the Japanese flag is part of her drive to reassert traditional patriotism (File: AP)By AFPPublished On 17 Jul 202617 Jul 2026Japan’s parliament has enacted a controversial law introducing criminal penalties for desecrating the national flag. The passage of the legislation on Friday is part of an ongoing drive by staunchly conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to promote traditional patriotism and correct what her supporters call a “wrong” legal double standard. Under existing laws, Japan penalises the desecration of foreign flags to prevent diplomatic disputes, but previously lacked equivalent protections for its own flag, the Hinomaru. Under the newly enacted law, violators who publicly damage, remove or defile the national flag in a manner that causes others “extreme discomfort or disgust” face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 200,000 yen ($1,250). According to Japanese broadcaster Kyodo News, the law covers physical acts of vandalism such as stomping, burning, or throwing mud in public spaces, as well as livestreaming such acts. The law drafting committee, led by former Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, carved out highly specific legal exemptions. The ruling party clarified that the new law completely exempts physical paintings, digital media including anime, manga, video games, and generative AI, and even the miniature paper flags famously used to decorate children’s restaurant meals. However, opponents, including constitutional scholars and liberal politicians, argue the vaguely worded law poses a severe threat to freedom of speech as protected under Article 21 of the constitution. The Democratic Lawyers Association of Japan strongly condemned the bill’s rationale, stating that what constitutes “discomfort” is left entirely to the “arbitrary judgment of investigative authorities,” which risks targeting political protests and government critics. A group of 150 Japanese academics had petitioned politicians to halt the controversial bill, warning of “strong concerns that it could curb freedom of political expression”. Highlighting the unique domestic sensitivities surrounding the Hinomaru, Ritsumeikan University law professor Takaaki Matsumiya told local publication Japan Today that “Japan has a history of waging wars of aggression, and even among the Japanese there are some people who have a negative image” of a flag that “doesn’t symbolise” democratic values in the way European flags do. Following its World War II defeat in 1945, Japan established a US-imposed pacifist constitution, but its national flag remains unchanged. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English:
المصدر: Al Jazeera English | Source: Al Jazeera English

ملاحظة تحريرية | Editorial Note: نُشر هذا المقال في الأصل بواسطة Al Jazeera English. خبر (Khabr) هي منصة إعلامية أردنية مرخّصة تعمل بالذكاء الاصطناعي. نضيف قيمة تحريرية من خلال: تحليل ذكي للأخبار، ملخصات تلقائية، رواية صوتية بالذكاء الاصطناعي، ترجمة متعددة اللغات، وتدقيق الحقائق. هدفنا جعل الأخبار أكثر وضوحاً وسهولةً للقارئ العربي.

This article was originally published by Al Jazeera English. Khabr is a licensed Jordanian AI-powered news platform (Registration #82086). We add editorial value through: AI-powered news analysis, automated summaries, AI audio narration, multi-language translation (Arabic, English, French, Turkish), and AI fact-checking. Our mission is to make news more accessible and understandable for Arabic-speaking audiences worldwide.

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المزيد عن العالم | More on World

هذا الخبر ضمن تغطية خبر لقسم العالم. نقدّم لك تحليلات ذكية وملخصات يومية لأهم الأخبار من مصادر موثوقة متعددة. المصدر: Al Jazeera English. يوجد 6 مقالات مرتبطة بهذا الموضوع.

This article is part of Khabr's coverage of World. We provide AI-powered analysis, summaries, and multi-source aggregation to keep you informed. Source: Al Jazeera English.

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