The House of the Rising Sun…
Japan’s ruling coalition– the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin)– is considering reviving 19th/20th century military rank titles from the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy for the Self-Defense Forces, causing concern within the Defense Ministry, according to a February 3, 2026, report by The Asahi Shimbun.
This is naturally going over well in China, with the South China Morning Post and others picking up the story, using it as a drum to beat out the tune of remilitarization from Tokyo.
The proposed changes replace the current very generic descriptive titles adopted in 1954 with much more historical Meiji era (circa 1868 onward) period names, which in turn were based on British and French ranks of that day, and used through 1945. These arguably make more sense to Western partners anyway:
- Taisa (Colonel) – replaces 1-to Rikusa.
- Chusa (Lieutenant Colonel) – replaces 2-to Rikusa.
- Shosa (Major) – replaces 3-to Rikusa.
- Tai-i (Captain) – replaces 1-to rikui.
- Ittohei (Private First Class) and Nitohei (Private)
Additionally, service branch names may revert to traditional terms, such as Hoheika for Infantry (currently Futsuka) and Hohyoka for Artillery (currently Tokka), etc.
A real blast from the past.
I’m not really sure this is a bad thing, as every military should embrace its history and martial tradition, so long as they don’t embrace the war crimes that occurred under the same watch.
After all, the JMSDF has been flying the old Imperial Rising Sun ensign for decades, and has fully embraced it, although it is a bone of contention with folks like South Korea.
JMSDF Kusu (Tree)-class frigates, former Tacoma-class patrol frigates, complete with rebooted IJN Rising Sun Flag, in the early 1950s. Notably, footage of them in JMSDF service appeared in 1954’s original Godzilla. While loaned to the Japanese military for initially five years, they were all eventually transferred outright and continued to serve into the 1970s.
Japanese submarine Hakugei SS-514 launched in October 2021, with some liberal Rising Sun decorations
Plus, both the Cold War era East and West German and now the unified German Bundeswehr (as well as the Austrian Bundesheer) have all practised very stirring torch-set Zapfenstreich tattoo ceremonies (which go back to at least the 19th-century Prussian Guard Corps, if not further) that would probably have old Sepp Dietrich himself getting all misty-eyed.