After seeing a picture on Donald Trump's Twitter featuring Shinzo Abe and then visiting the Wikipedia page about Shinzo Abe, I noticed in the two pictures he's wearing the same two badges on his suit jacket.
I can see that the golden/yellow badge is clearly a chrysanthemum, one of Japan's national symbols, but I do not know the significance of the blue badge. What is this symbol and what is its significance?
Shinzo Abe stated during a speech entitled "Japan is back", the following line
Now, if you look at the lapel of my jacket, I am wearing a blue-ribbon pin. It is to remind myself, each and every day, that I must bring back the Japanese people who were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s. Among them was a girl, Megumi Yokota, who was only thirteen at the time.
The Chrysanthemum flower on the red background is the symbol of a Minister's role on the Japanese Diet.
NOTE the second link above is broken, so while it doesn't really explain this specific pin, I'm including a wikipedia page which explains a bit.
NOTE Shinzo Abe was killed today, 8 July, 2022, in Nara, Japan. It was suspected to be a targeted killing by a "dissatisfied constituent." Abe was the longest serving Prime Minister in Japanese history. The killing happened while Abe was on a campaign stop.
Now, if you look at the lapel of my jacket, I am wearing a blue-ribbon pin. It is to remind myself, each and every day, that I must bring back the Japanese people who were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s. Among them was a girl, Megumi Yokota, who was only thirteen at the time.
The round pin Shinzo Abe is also wearing is also worn by Members of The Japanese Government otherwise known as "The Diet". The center of the pin is that national symbol of the chrysanthemum which also were constructed into the bow of the formal Japanese Imperial Navy during World War Two. The national symbol is akin to the round pin of the Great Seal of The United States (American Eagle) worn on the left lapel of the suits worn by Members of The United States House of Representatives.
