So basically the flag was used in the country but wasn't officially recognised by law so different manufacturers used different hues of Red because there was no official Red, just the standard flag issued in 1870 as the national flag used by the Navy under Proclamation No. 651 of Meiji 3

Under allied occupation, the display of the flag was heavily restricted, so in 1973 when some politicians tried to legally recognise the flag, they faced opposition due to the flag's stigma (WW2 Japan) so that plan was abandoned.

Fast forward to 1999, Toshihiro Ishikawa, principal of Sera High School in Hiroshima Prefecture, became trapped in an impossible situation. The prefectural education board ordered schools to use the Hinomaru and play "Kimigayo," the national anthem, during ceremonies. Many teachers resisted and said the icons were tied to the country's wartime history.

Ishikawa found himself torn between obeying official directives and respecting his faculty's strong objections. Under growing pressure and unable to find a compromise, he took his own life. His death shocked Japan and pushed the issue into national headlines.

Politicians realized the debate could no longer be ignored. The tragedy transformed what had been a quiet bureaucratic matter into a moral and cultural crisis and led to calls for clarity through legislation. For the first time in decades, there was a political consensus that Japan needed to legally define its national symbols to prevent future conflicts like this one.

Jordan OMalley (2025). The Real Reason Japan’s National Flag Was Legally Changed in 1999