Houseflags of Japanese shipping companies (6)

Last modified: 2003-08-16 by phil nelson
Keywords: maritime shipping | mon |
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• Nippon Kisen K.K.
• Nippon Suisan K.K.
• Nippon Salvage Co., Ltd.
• Nissan Kaisan K.K.
• Nittetsu Kisen K.K.
• NYK Line (Nippon Yusen Kaisha)

• House flags of Japanese shipping companies (index)
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• House flags of shipping companies

by Phil Nelson

Nippon Kisen K.K. merged 1994 into Kobe Nippon Kisen K.K.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003

by Al Fisher

Nippon Suisan K.K. Sources give conflicting formation dates between 1907 and 1919. Still operating as a fishing company and involved in whaling until 1976.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003

by Ivan Sache

Blue flag with a red stripe per bend, charged with the letters N S C in white.

Based in Tokyo, the company joined forces with other ISU members to respond to the pollution emergency when the Russian tanker 'Nakhodka' broke in two in the Sea of Japan, in January 1997.

Source: The World Salvage Directory
Ivan Sache,
June 24, 2001

Nippon Salvage K.K. dates from 1934. I have seen a diagram of another flag being green with a red bend bearing the white letters on the same angle as the bend which appears to relate to a 1940 vessel but lack the article which would give the background. However it is suspect.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003

by Phil Nelson

Nissan Kaisan K.K. The correct name is Nissan Kisen K.K. According to an authoritive source the breaks are probably straight, not forked but this is not certain and Brown 1958 compounds the confusion by showing the bands unbroken and surmounted by a squared black "S". The company was formed 1937 and in 1964 merged into Showa Kaiun K.K.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003

by Phil Nelson

Nittetsu Kisen K.K. formed 1950 merging 1962 to form Shinwa Kaiun K.K.
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003

by Jaume Ollé

by Phil Nelson

According to The Flag Bulletin #189, the original houseflag of the company became the inspiration for the Japanese postal flag (Figure 14, page 181, text on page 180). A more recent version uses wider stripes to create five equal stripes. The Flag Bulletin translates Nippon Yusen Kwaisha as Japanese Mail Ship Company. The two red lines are meant to represent the katakana ni the first syllable of Nippon, extending the upper portion of the glyph to the borders of the flag.
Phil Nelson, 3 March 2000

The company dates back to 1870 when the Tsukumo Shokai Shipping Company was formed by the Tosa Clan. This company was renamed several times until it became teh Mitsubishi Mail Steamship Company in 1875.

In 1882, another company was formed, teh kyodo Unyu Kaisha and in 1885 it merged with Mitsubishi Mail Steamship to become Nippon Yusen Kaisha (later Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha). [NYK] In 1923, it's Near-Sea Department became a separate entity, Kinkai Yusen. It's twin stripes became a feature of its funnel in 1929.

NYK acquired Kinkai Yusen Kaisha in 1939. NYK emerged from the war with only 37 ships operating.

In 1964, NYK merged with Mitsubishi Shipping Company to become the NYK Group. In 1991, NYK acquired Nippon Liner Systems, a container liner to New Zealand. Showa Lines merged with NYK in 1990.
Phil Nelson, 5 May 2000

Nippon Yusen Kaisha. Various flag band widths are shown by sundry sources resulting, according to the company, from the fact that there were no actual specifications until 1939 and consequently actual variations abounded. To help assist confusion is the fact that the funnel bands are not equal i.e. the outer white are slightly narrower than the others so anyone trying to work out the flag from the funnel is on the wrong track for a starter. After the merger with Mitsubishi Kaiun K.K. the name of Nippon Yusen Kaisha was retained according to Lloyds, as happened after they acquired Showa Kaiun K.K in 1998 (not 1990).
Neale Rosanoski, 5 March 2003