Japanese Soldier's Personal Flag

[Limogirl51]

My father inherited a Japanese soldier's flag from his uncle who was in WW2. In trying to figure out how to translate it, I saw a post on this site, but when I became a member, I can't seem to find it again. Is there a place on this website that can help with this? My father was born in 1930 and only showed me this flag a couple of years before he passed away. My first thought when I inherited this flag was that maybe I could find the family of the person this flag belonged to and see if they would like to have it. I know if it were my dad's, it would mean so much to acquire it after so many years.

Thank you for any help you may be able to provide in pointing me to the right direction.

 

[ARTESH]

I hope Shinpachi can help you with translation.

 

[Kyushuj7w]

Your avatar does not indicate your general location. If your in a major metro area you may be able to visit a Japanses consulate as they are scattered about and just not in DC.

Barring that I'd search for Japanese American societies. This thing is now 75+ years old and you may need an older Japanese person to understand the time period meaning of some of the text.

 

[Limogirl51]

I hope Shinpachi can help you with translation.

Thank you!

 

[GrauGeist]

We've had some members in the past, who have had captured items returned to Japan.
There is an organization that works to make that happen, called the "OBON Society".
Here is their link:
Obon Society | Our Mission

 

[Shinpachi]

My father inherited a Japanese soldier's flag from his uncle who was in WW2. In trying to figure out how to translate it, I saw a post on this site, but when I became a member, I can't seem to find it again. Is there a place on this website that can help with this? My father was born in 1930 and only showed me this flag a couple of years before he passed away. My first thought when I inherited this flag was that maybe I could find the family of the person this flag belonged to and see if they would like to have it. I know if it were my dad's, it would mean so much to acquire it after so many years.

Thank you for any help you may be able to provide in pointing me to the right direction.

Those letters written on the flag are neither Japanese nor Chinese.
They look like old Vietnamese which had been abandoned by French colonists circa 1920.
Take apology if I was wrong.

 

[GrauGeist]

Shinpachi, is it possible that this Yosegaki Hinomaru belonged to a volunteer?

The IJA did have a large number of volunteers from many of the nations under Japanese occupation.

 

[Shinpachi]

Shinpachi, is it possible that this Yosegaki Hinomaru belonged to a volunteer?

The IJA did have a large number of volunteers from many of the nations under Japanese occupation.

Yes, it is possible, Dave. A difference in French Indochina from other areas was that IJA was unable to use local people as workers or soldiers without French colonial government's permission until March 1945 when IJA overthrew it.

 

[Limogirl51]

We've had some members in the past, who have had captured items returned to Japan.
There is an organization that works to make that happen, called the "OBON Society".
Here is their link:
Obon Society | Our Mission

Thank you very much! I'll contact them.

Those letters written on the flag are neither Japanese nor Chinese.
They look like old Vietnamese which had been abandoned by French colonists circa 1920.
Take apology if I was wrong.

Thank you so much for your help. All my dad told me was his uncle gave it to him. I appreciate your help very much.

 

[Shinpachi]

Thank you so much for your help. All my dad told me was his uncle gave it to him. I appreciate your help very much.

Thanks Limogirl51.
A few words on the flag resemble Japanese (and Chinese) but are different in writing style.
1. This looks 造改 but, if so, it ought to be 改造 in JP/CN which means "Reformation"
2. This could be read 敵滅撃(or 撃滅敵 in modern style) which means "Demolish Enemy" but writing style is so unique and different from ours.

Sorry for no more help but hope you will find the family for it in the future.

 

[Limogirl51]

Thanks Limogirl51.
A few words on the flag resemble Japanese (and Chinese) but are different in writing style.
1. This looks 造改 but, if so, it ought to be 改造 in JP/CN which means "Reformation"
2. This could be read 敵滅撃(or 撃滅敵 in modern style) which means "Demolish Enemy" but writing style is so unique and different from ours.

Sorry for no more help but hope you will find the family for it in the future.

View attachment 637303

Thank you so much for explaining. I truly appreciate that! I would be very happy to get this back to the family of the person this belongs to. I know I would be so appreciative to receive something that was my great grandfather's!

 

[GrauGeist]

I would love to know the history behind it, since it's so unusual

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

Thanks Limogirl51.
A few words on the flag resemble Japanese (and Chinese) but are different in writing style.
1. This looks 造改 but, if so, it ought to be 改造 in JP/CN which means "Reformation"
2. This could be read 敵滅撃(or 撃滅敵 in modern style) which means "Demolish Enemy" but writing style is so unique and different from ours.

Sorry for no more help but hope you will find the family for it in the future.

View attachment 637303

I suppose you had already try but Shinpachi have you reversed the photo and see if It is more readable?

 

[Wurger]

Do you mean in that way?

 

[vikingBerserker]

I have a lot of respect for people who are trying to return these to the family of the original owners.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

Do you mean in that way?

View attachment 637357

Yes.

Perhaps even in others ways.

Given that there are slanted and oblique writings I think it is posible that more than a personal flag it was a unit banner.

L Limogirl51 , did you have any knowlegde of the way the flag was found? When or where?

 

[Wurger]

OK. Let's see what Shinpachi can say.

 

[Limogirl51]

I would love to know the history behind it, since it's so unusual

All I know is what my dad told me, that his uncle (who fought in WW2, I'm thinking it was the army because my dad served in the army during the Korean War) was given this by a Japanese soldier. I wish I knew more.

 

[Limogirl51]

Yes.

Perhaps even in others ways.

Given that there are slanted and oblique writings I think it is posible that more than a personal flag it was a unit banner.

L Limogirl51 , did you have any knowlegde of the way the flag was found? When or where?

No, I'm sorry, I don't. I only know my dad told me his uncle gave him this (a very long time ago, before I was born) and that he got it from a Japanese soldier. The way my dad said it, it sounded like the soldier gave it to my dad's uncle.

 

[Limogirl51]

I would love to know the history behind it, since it's so unusual

I wish I did as well. My dad didn't show this to me until he was 80 years old so his uncle had already passed away long before. Learning from this experience, I have started to write down the stories of things I have that my sons might want to know or maybe might not remember. I love learning stories about my family. To learn a story about someone is to learn what that person was like before we knew them.