According to tradition, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu founded Japan about 2700 years ago. Sun Goddess Amaterasu is also believed to be the ancestor of Jimmu, the first emperor of Japan. So, the emperor is known as the “Son of the Sun” and Japan is called the “Land of the Rising Sun.” The ancient history Shoku Nihongi says that Emperor Mommu used a flag representing the sun in his court in 701, and this is the first recorded use of a sun-motif flag in Japan. The sun-disc flag was adopted as the national flag for merchant ships under Proclamation issued on February 27, 1870. The Nisshōki flag is designated as the national flag in the Law Regarding the National Flag and National Anthem, which was promulgated and became effective on August 13, 1999.