Translation help please

[herrgeezer]

While visiting the Berman Musuem in Anniston, Ala, I had the pleasure of meeting the curator of the museum. While talking with him about the collection of guns and relics on display, he showed me this Japanese flag with Kanji script. I told him that I would post a picture here and see if anyone might be able to translate it.

Photo may be upside down.

Thank you in advance for your translation help.

[gunto]

It shown correct

[Nick Komiya]

The flag was given to an employee of Naigai Foods Company, Nagasaki Factory. They started business in 1924 in Nagasaki and produced canned sardines in tomato sauce. The fact that the Nagasaki Factory is mentioned means they had other factories at that time, which means it was after 1931, when they started to build up other operations throughout Japan.There is a newspaper article dated 1932 that states the company was planning to build a factory in Korea to export tomato sardines to Manchuria, so they were obviously a big company in those days, but they seem to have gone out of business and there is no trace of them now. I did not know that the Japanese had any taste for sardines in tomato sauce back in those days, but they had also been a major export item to England since 1914.

[herrgeezer]

It shown correct

The flag was given to an employee of Naigai Foods Company, Nagasaki Factory. They started business in 1924 in Nagasaki and produced canned sardines in tomato sauce. The fact that the Nagasaki Factory is mentioned means they had other factories at that time, which means it was after 1931, when they started to build up other operations throughout Japan.There is a newspaper article dated 1932 that states the company was planning to build a factory in Korea to export tomato sardines to Manchuria, so they were obviously a big company in those days, but they seem to have gone out of business and there is no trace of them now. I did not know that the Japanese had any taste for sardines in tomato sauce back in those days, but they had also been a major export item to England since 1914.

Very fascinating! Does this mean the employee was going off to the war, or is this just a traditional thing to give an employee something to denote their patriotism? Thank you for taking the time to reveal this information.

[Nick Komiya]

He would have been going off to war as denoted by the inscription "Wishing you everlasting fortune in Battle and great achievements", which is the second vertical line from the right edge.

[Nick Komiya]

If you are not familiar with these flags, read this as a general guide http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...yosegaki+flags

[herrgeezer]

If you are not familiar with these flags, read this as a general guide http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...yosegaki+flags

Thank again Nick for your time and especially pointing me to your research on these types of flags and the history of their presentation to the individuals at the time. People like you are such a valuable resource to this forum because of the passion and skill you bring to your research.

[MikeB]

Translation Help Please...

I have to say that I consider myself fortunate to have acquired a couple of Nick's flags, posted as examples to the link below. The Asai Brothers collection is one of my favorites and is truly a jewel in my collection. Thanks again Nick. MikeB

[herrgeezer]

I have to say that I consider myself fortunate to have acquired a couple of Nick's flags, posted as examples to the link below. The Asai Brothers collection is one of my favorites and is truly a jewel in my collection. Thanks again Nick. MikeB

Hello Mike.

Please post some photos of your flags.

While I collect mostly TR era items I hope to get the opportunity to add one of these flags to the small Imperial Japan section of my collection. Right now I have a silk Rising Sun flag and a small silk Red Orb flag, along with a couple of postcards.

[MikeB]

Translation Help Please....

Hello David-
Best of luck in your collecting endeavors. I'll have to see if my Photobucket account is still active. It's been many moons since I've downloaded any images to the Forum. It's probable that my photo sharing account is now stale.........MikeB