Who knew that a map icon could be so controversial
In the West, there are few images more arresting than the swastika.
But in Japan, the swastika was a religious symbol long before it was appropriated by the Nazi regime. For thousands of years, the swastika has been an important emblem of Japanese Buddhism, which makes it all the more surprising that country officials are looking to remove it from the public eye.
In anticipation of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan’s tourism authorities and official mapmaking body are planning to remove manjis, as they’re called in Japanese, from public maps and street signs. The decision came after a survey of over 1,000 tourists from 92 countries confirmed that most foreigners associate the symbol with Nazi Germany instead of Buddhist temples. This is unsurprising given the swastika’s strong connotations in the West, but the decision has also sparked a backlash.
Some believe that the symbol is an opportunity for foreign nationals to educate themselves about an important aspect of Japanese culture. Makoto Watanabe, a communications expert at Hokkaido Bunkyo University, voiced his concern to the Telegraph: “I think it would serve a good purpose if people from abroad see the symbol, ask what it means and where it originated.”
The manji traces its origins back to ancient Sanskrit and has been used as a symbol in Japanese Buddhism since the first century. When facing left, it represents love and mercy. Facing right, it represents strength and intelligence. Japanese authorities are trying to appease both confused tourists and Japanese traditionalists by changing the symbols on foreign-language maps, while leaving the manjis on maps written in Japanese.
A record 19.74 million people visited Japan last year. With a weaker yen and two imminent international sporting events, tourism is expected to reach an unprecedented high in the coming years. “Japanese users are divided in their opinions on the new symbols,” Takayuki Nakamura, an official from the Geospatial Information Authority, told the Japan Times. “Some say we should change symbols for Japanese-language maps at this opportunity, while others say the traditional symbols should stay. Either way, it will take a while before any changes are made, as we need to coordinate with related government agencies.”
Although the change will undoubtedly alleviate confusion for some tourists, the Japanese government may be losing out on an opportunity to separate the symbol from its stigma.
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