Posts Tagged ‘sybolism’

There is a new government in Japan. A party that did not exist two years ago has swept to power. There is a very interesting interpretation to be taken from the colour and shape of the symbol that has been chosen by the Minshu political party. It is fitting with their promise to the Japanese people. A message of change and new beginning.

The two red circles of the Minshu symbol

The symbol shows two red circles meeting on a white background. The red circle is an echo of the sun on the Japanese flag – and thus associates the Minshu party with Japanese identity. However the presence of the second red circle indicates something new is happening. We should pay attention. Something new is being added to the traditional situation.

Look more closely and you will see the lower circle has a shaky edge. Why? What can this mean? The lower circle seems to be more energetic, the shaky edge seems to express movement, as if this second circle is vibrating with some kind of energy. This second circle is alive. The message is the Minshu party is vibrating with energy, an energy they can bring to Japan.

Even in England the Japanese election result was treated as big news. It was described as a political earthquake. We were told that for 50 years Japan had had only one party in government, and the result was that everything had become very fixed: politics, big corporations, the bureaucracy, nothing could move anymore in this power structure. This election result has broken an important part of this fixed power structure, something new can now grow. A shaking energy has been brought to what used to be very solid. The symbol with its vibrating red circle hovering over the traditional fixed red sun perfectly expresses this new (red) awakening energy.

There is more though. See the white space where the two circles overlap. As the energised red begins to overshadow the original circle a white process happens. White is clearing, cleansing - like a blank page, white offers a fresh start for a new story. As the Minshu party move to the centre of the Japanese picture, more and more of the original red sun will be bathed in white. There will be a clearing from which a new start may be made. This is what the Minshu party and this election result offers. A fresh start from which Japan can emerge reenergised. This seems to be what so many people hope for.

Colour, shape and resonance offer insight into the messages of the symbols around us. They allow us deeper understanding of the messages offered to us. Look around and enjoy.