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Aira City (Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan)

姶良市

image by Tomislav Šipek, 17 September 2014

The Flag
Aira (town)
Kamou
Kajiki

See also:

The Flag

Flag of Aira is white with symbol.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_Aira_Kagoshima.JPG
http://www.city.aira.lg.jp/shisei/aira_city/summary/access.html
Tomislav Šipek, 07 February 2013

According to Law Regarding Use of the City Emblem and Flag, a city flag exists but the design at Wikipedia isn't confirmed by any source. (I would have to caution Tomislav that I had to go around and correct this user a lot of times about city flags or update images based on laws, but that tends to be the nature of Wikipedia).
Zachary Harden, 07 February 2013

You can see the flag of Aira city at:
http://www.pref.kagoshima.jp/an01/chiiki/aira_isa/chiiki/chiiki_information/borannthiahyousyou001.html
http://video.the-search.jp/0/tag/神道の歴史.html
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/seno777s/e/f0c1a86108061ca0c60f432d8c0063c4
Tomislav Šipek, 07 February 2013

Just for completeness. There exist a source about Japanese municipal flags. ISBN 4-09-526311-3 (http://hagilib.city.hagi.lg.jp/tosmok.asp?tilcod=133265&mngkbn=01&style=10), sorry, my Japanese is not quite up to task on this. I have the book, but I can look only at the images ;) However, Aira is not shown in this book. Looks like the flag did not exist or was not known back in 2007.
Dirk Schönberger, 07 February 2013

Aira is a city in central Kagoshima prefecture, in southern Kyushu. It was formed on 23 March 2010 by the merger of the towns of Kajiki, Aira and Kamou. [So, yes, it didn't exist in 2007.]
The emblem and flag were published on the same day in city notice no. 1, which no longer seems to be online. Photos seem to indicate that the logo is used on a white background as a flag, and indeed the ad for entries for the new emblem stipulated that it should be suitable for use on, among other things, the city flag.
The logo consists of an ア (ア katakana 'a') and ∞ (∞, the infinity symbol) in two shades of green, designed as the shape of a bird soaring, dynamically towards the future. In their joining, the three lines woven into ∞ stand for the three towns, and also symbolise the new city's agreed principle (a quote something along the lines of 'a town raised up by everyone') and the city's 'unlimited potential' and 'lasting possibilities. To the lower right is the writing "姶良市" ( Aira City) above "AIRA CITY" in English, all in black.
This design was chosen before the inauguration of the city from among 2104 submissions. It was received from a man from Chiyoda, Tokyo. The final choice was made from a shortlist of 5 on 26 November 2009 at the 12th meeting of the amalgamation convention. 15 of the 20 people present gave one of their two first round votes to entry 1889 from 須賀裕明 [Suga/Suka/Sugasaki Hiroaki/Yuumei], which was then chosen over the second placed entry with a vote of 18-2 in the second round. The explanation for the decision refers to the shades of green representing the city's verdant nature, and also says that while the balance provided by the writing in the lower right is good, the logo without writing would also be appropriate for use as a mark.
Sources:
http://www.city.aira.lg.jp/shisei/aira_city/cat396/symbol.html - City webpage regarding symbol
http://www.city.aira.lg.jp/shisei/pdf/magazine/vol9_all.pdf - 9th issue of the amalgamation committee's bulletin - page 2 introduces the emblem, page 7 details the process, with details of the other shortlisted designs.
http://www.city.aira.lg.jp/shisei/pdf/magazine/vol5_all.pdf - 5th issue of the amalgamation committee's bulletin - pp3-4
You might also be interested in the logos of the 3 predecessor towns shown at http://www.city.aira.lg.jp/shisei/shisei_guide/gappei/synoecism_profile.html. Some of photos in the amalgamation bulletins show these used on flags.
Jonathan Dixon, 08 February 2013

Aira city was found on 2010 by the merger of Aira (town), Kamo (town) and Kajiki (town).
Tomislav Šipek, 21 March 2013

The city emblem and the flag were adopted on Mar 23rd 2010 by Notice No 1. The white flag has a green and a light green two color city emblem in the center and the kanji and the English names in black horizontally at the lower fly. The city emblem is a stylized katakana ア A of Aira in a form of a bird dynamically flying in the future giant sky. The three lines stand for three towns in the city and the basic idea of the new city namely a city for human contact, an unlimited possibility and a permanent development. The flag proportion is 2: 3. The length(not height) of the emblem is 1/2 of the length of the flag.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 14 September 2014

Thanks to Mr. Kariyasu, here are corrected flag.
Tomislav Šipek, 17 September 2014

Aira Town / 姶良町

image by Tomislav Šipek, 13 September 2013

Arai town used a white circular emblem made up of stylised katakana ア (ア a) イ (イ i) and ラ (ラ ra) with a white background. The flag was simply the emblem in the same colours.
Jonathan Dixon, 08 February 2013

Flags of Aira (town), Kamou and Kajiki you can see at: http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/takutaku/2010/03/post_f4e6.html
Aira (town): http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/photos/uncategorized/2010/03/18/sn3e0666.jpg
Tomislav Šipek, 08 February 2013

That flag is actually white on a maroon-type colour. I thought I had seen a green and white flag, rather than just the emblem, but I can't find it, so I take that back.
Jonathan Dixon, 08 February 2013

Flag of Aira (town) is white with symbol.
Source: http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/photos/uncategorized/2010/03/18/sn3e0666.jpg
Tomislav Šipek, 21 March 2013

The former Aira Town became a part of Aira City on Mar 23rd 2010.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 31 December 2014

Kamo Town / 蒲生町

image by Tomislav Šipek, 13 September 2013

Kamou town's emblem was also circular, with a white background and three green stylised characters - カ (カ katakana ka) in the centre, モ (モ katakana mo) to the lower left and (presumably) ウ (ウ katakana u) forming the rest of the circle. The flags bore the emblem in the same colours.
Jonathan Dixon, 08 February 2013

Flags of Aira (town), Kamou and Kajiki you can see at: http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/takutaku/2010/03/post_f4e6.html
Kamou: http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/photos/uncategorized/2010/03/18/sn3e0670.jpg
Tomislav Šipek, 08 February 2013

Flag of Kamo is some redish with symbol.
Source: http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/photos/uncategorized/2010/03/18/sn3e0670.jpg
Tomislav Šipek, 21 March 2013

The former Kamo Town became a part of Aira City on Mar 23rd 2010.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 31 December 2014

Kajiki Town / 加治木町

image by Tomislav Šipek, 13 September 2013

Kajiki town used a green circular emblem with a white background including a stylised カ (カ katakana ka). The flag was the same emblem in white on green.
Jonathan Dixon, 08 February 2013

Flags of Aira (town), Kamou and Kajiki you can see at: http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/takutaku/2010/03/post_f4e6.html
Kajiki: http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/photos/uncategorized/2010/03/18/sn3e0673.jpg
Tomislav Šipek, 08 February 2013

Flag of Kajiki is green with symbol.
Source: http://taku-taku.blog.ocn.ne.jp/photos/uncategorized/2010/03/18/sn3e0673.jpg
Tomislav Šipek, 21 March 2013

The former Kajiki Town became a part of Aira City on Mar 23rd 2010.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 31 December 2014