Opposing View: Don't Change Temple Symbols, Educate Instead

Above, the manji symbol at Senso-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japanese government is considering changing some map symbols as some of the ones currently being used are either confusing of offensive.

The only reason why any would be "offensive" is that they resemble something else.

Change.org has posed an article with a petition to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) asking that these "offensive" symbols should be kept and the focus should be on educating people instead.

They start with:

The Japanese government is considering to replace the Japanese manji symbol which indicates the thousands of temples all over Japan, because in the eyes of some visitors to Japan it might be confused with the Hakenkreuz (Nazi's swastika) symbol. 

I agree with the article and signed the petition. There will always be ignorant people around who will assume things instead of getting the facts.

To see both, go here.