The gym has been spruced up in preparation for tomorrow's big day. Red and white banners have been put up all around the walls - red and white are the colours of celebration in Japan. Also note the Japanese flag - the Hinomaru - on the stage. Every Japanese school I've been to has a Hinomaru on the stage, and it still seems kind of weird to me. I suppose it's because in England you rarely see the Union Jack or St George's Cross, especially not in a school. Why is that? Are we ashamed of our nationalistic past? Or are we just not very patriotic? Or maybe we are, but we just don't want to flaunt it.