--- description: Japan's opposition Democratic Party revealed its new logo Thursday after picking from over 3,000 entries — and the winning design has elicited reactions about both imitation and lewdness. title: This Japanese Political Party's Logo Looks a Bit Naughty image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd1284a385cd01f49/6988940ce20a87d2bfa90ebc/demoncratic-party-logo-tokyo.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # This New Logo for Japan's Democratic Party Looks a Little Naughty  by [Julia Zorthian](/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 20, 2016 1:35 PM CUT  Katsuya Okada, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, unveils the party's logo at a press conference in Tokyo on May 19, 2016. Katsuya Okada, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, unveils the party's logo at a press conference in Tokyo on May 19, 2016.Kyodo/Getty Images  by [Julia Zorthian](/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 20, 2016 1:35 PM CUT Japan’s opposition Democratic Party [revealed its new logo Thursday](http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/19/national/politics-diplomacy/japans-democratic-party-reveals-new-logo-cries-plagiarism-indecency/#.Vz8FFhWDGko "undefined") after a contest which attracted 3,000 entries — but the winning design has . The logo is fashioned out of two people joining arms to form an ‘M’ for the party’s Japanese name, Minshinto, the Japan _Times_ reports. The partnership illustrated by the red and blue figures is intended to echo how the party was formed when in March when the Democratic Party of Japan merged with others. But others note it seems to show one figure touching the rear of another. > [](https://twitter.com/stevedouglas1/status/733626598918901762) > [](https://twitter.com/GearoidReidy/status/733129962941747200) > [](https://twitter.com/MichaelTCucek/status/733152844648349696) The logo’s critics also noted how it [resembles the logo](http://time.com/4019664/tokyo-olympic-2020-plagiarism-design-logo/ "undefined") for the[ Imuraya Co](http://www.imuraya-usa.com/ "undefined")., in which two ‘i’s’ make an ‘M.’ The party’s lawyer said they obtained permission from the confectionary company to use the similar image. The party’s president Katsuya Okada described the progressive logo as having “a feeling of vibrancy.” Ultimately, he said, “It’s a good logo.” \[[_The Japan Times_](http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/05/19/national/politics-diplomacy/japans-democratic-party-reveals-new-logo-cries-plagiarism-indecency/#.Vz8FFhWDGko "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4342901/japan-democratic-party-logo/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4342901/japan-democratic-party-logo/"},"headline":"This New Logo for Japan's Democratic Party Looks a Little Naughty","datePublished":"2016-05-20T13:35:28.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T17:42:47.673Z","description":"The opposition party revealed the new design Thursday.","url":"https://time.com/4342901/japan-democratic-party-logo/","keywords":["politics","Japan"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd1284a385cd01f49/6988940ce20a87d2bfa90ebc/demoncratic-party-logo-tokyo.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Julia Zorthian","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd1284a385cd01f49/6988940ce20a87d2bfa90ebc/demoncratic-party-logo-tokyo.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Logo for Democratic Party unveiled","caption":"Katsuya Okada, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, unveils the party's logo at a press conference in Tokyo on May 19, 2016.","creditText":"Kyodo/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4342901/japan-democratic-party-logo/","name":"This New Logo for Japan's Democratic Party Looks a Little Naughty"}}]}] ```