Japanese Flag and writing

**General Patton** · 03-17-2017, 05:15 AM

Good morning everyone. I don't normally collect Japanese militeria because I'm not well versed in it. I normally stick to German and American militeria. However a seller offered me this flag from a grouping. It was from a marine vets family, he bought the whole lot and I bought most of it from him except this flag. I have no reason to distrust him but I'd rather double check if you guys would help me. From other threads I've gone to first I see it has the "prayers and good fortune in war" general slogan. Is the flag and writing original? Is there any writing that anyone can translate? Thanks for the help!

**Stu W** · 03-17-2017, 06:16 AM

Is the flag and writing original?

It certainly appears so to me.

Is there any writing that anyone can translate?

You have the main slogan - 武運長久 Buun (Fortunes of war) Choukyuu (Forever/perpetually) usually translated as "Eternal Good Fortune in Battle" correct. Beyond that I'll step aside and wait for Guy.

Regards,
Stu

**Nick Komiya** · 03-17-2017, 10:04 AM

The flag looks good, made of silk as typical for the time (extravagant material for flags, but they had to find domestic demand for silk to support the industry that had lost its export market during the war). The flag belonged to Akira Kato. It appears he was a worker at Nitto Machine Shoe Mending Factory. The president, Yoshigoro Nakanishi presented the flag and other workers joined in with their signatures。On the top left corner is the slogan 一億一心(100 million souls with one mind), a slogan commonly used from 1940, stressing the need to unite in support of the war effort, as material shortages were already affecting daily life.
Some call these prayer flags, which is a misnomer, as they hardly ever contain prayers, but merely wishes. It is just that in Japanese, the word for praying and wishing are the same and there is only the context to separate them. If these were prayer flags, Christmas cards and birthday cards will also have to be called prayer cards, as the intent is the same. 　

**Nick Komiya** · 03-24-2017, 11:09 AM

Sticking to German and American items is a good idea, as you surely wouldn't get any further help from me with your lack of common courtesy.

**General Patton** · 03-28-2017, 05:28 AM

Good evening,

I didn't mean to offend you by not replying. I'm an infantryman in the US Army and was in the field for a couple weeks. I thought I had a good connection but I didn't. I DID reply to this post and hit post quick reply but I guess the connection wasn't good. I did reply a couple days after the two replies. I replied something along the lines of:

"That's awesome! Thank you Nick and Stu for the help. I'm not well versed in Japanese militeria but it's nice to know there are people who are. Thank for for putting my mind at ease and thank you for the translation! I had no idea you could break it down so far and give me all those details. It means a lot to me that you both helped out. The story goes that the Vet brought it back from one of the islands. Thank you! From your guys opinion, what other Japanese militeria should I add to my collection?"

Something along those lines. Anyways I did reply and thanked you two but it didn't go through. I thought it posted. Unfortunately the military doesn't give me a choice of when I can get on or if I'll have good connection. Regardless, I'm sorry that you feel offended or mad. It wasn't intentional. Thank you again for the help and great translation. If you don't want to help me in the future I take no offense to it and do as you wish. I'm only 22 so I'll take any advice or help I get from anyone.

Thank you.
Alan