Japanese novelist. He translated Lady Murasaki, and was the author of Snow Country (1947) and A Thousand Cranes (1952). His novels are characterized by melancholy and loneliness. He was the first Japanese to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1968.
Blue represents the black population and links with Africa. Red stands for those of mixed race. The original blue and red flag was based on the French tricolour. Effective date: 25 February 1986.