Matsuzaka [Mie prefecture Japan]

松阪市

Last modified: 2006-10-14 by phil nelson
Keywords: mie | matsuzaka | katakana: ma |
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by Eugene Ipavec, 19 January 2006

See also:

• Mie prefecture
• Japan

Matsuzaka city adopted its emblem and flag on 1 January 2005 by Notice No 1 (link in Japanese)

Flag proportion: 2:3

colour of field: blue

colour of emblem: white; stylized katakana Ma マ
Nozomi Kariyasu, 16 January 2006

A notice concerning the adoption of the emblem and flag is at the city website (link in Japanese)

The emblem appears on the flag in white on a navy blue (DIC893, CMYK c=100%,M=75%,Y=10%) background. The emblem's height is 17/35 the height of the flag, and its width is 19/28 of the height of the flag. The emblem is centred horizontally on the flag, but is moved 1/140 of the hoist towards the top.

The emblem consists of a single stroke looking vaguely like an oval "Q", with a circle taken out from the stroke opposite the part of the stroke which cuts through the oval. While I can see how it could be a stylised katakana ma, as Nozomi says, I couldn't see any reference to this, or any other symbolism.
Jonathan Dixon, 6 March 2006