The Naha Municipal Government has retracted an instruction for its employees to wave the Hinomaru flag on the street when Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visit Okinawa this weekend, city officials said Wednesday.
The city decided to withdraw the instruction issued last Thursday in response to protests from a labor union. The local government said it will thus merely ask its employees to wave the flags voluntarily Friday and Saturday.
The Itoman Municipal Government also withdrew a similar instruction.