A pristine Hinomaru flag adorned a corner of the Foreign Ministry press briefing room Friday, the day a law officially recognizing it as the national flag took effect.

It was one of several Hinomaru flags hoisted at various government buildings that day, while some government ministries and agencies began studies into establishing guidelines to outline when the flag should be displayed.

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura, glancing over at the flag during his news conference, said it could have been placed there earlier, because "it had already been generally recognized (as a national symbol) without the law."