The Zipair tailfin's current "Z" design can be seen in the background on the right. Image marked up by Insider.Maki Shiraki/Reuters/Insider

The Japanese airline Zipair is ditching its large "Z" logo from planes for fear of having it taken as a sign of support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, The Japan Times reported.

The budget airline, which is a subsidiary of Japan Airlines, had painted the tailfins of its B-787 planes with a large black letter "Z."

But its president, Shingo Nishida, told reporters Thursday that some people may view the giant logo as an indication of support for Russia's war, per The Japan Times.

"I think some people might feel that way when they see it without any explanation," Nishida said.

The logo will be replaced with a green, black and white pattern on Saturday, the paper reported the company as saying.


The letter Z, which has become the Russian emblem for the war, is seen on a blown Russian APC near Kutuzivka, east Ukraine, Friday, May 13, 2022.Bernat Armangue/AP Photo

The letter "Z" became a symbol of support for Russia's military early in the invasion, appearing on military apparatus as well as in popular demonstrations.

Russian athletes and movie stars sported the Z logos, President Vladimir Putin gave a rally in front of giant signs incorporating the letter Z, and schoolchildren were encouraged to make art pieces around the theme of the letter Z, which doesn't appear in Russia's Cyrillic alphabet.

Japan, as a member of the G7, opposed President Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine, joining western nations early on to block Russia's access to the SWIFT banking system.

In early May, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson met to discuss ways to reduce dependence on Russian oil. Most recently, President Joe Biden met with Kishida and other allies in the region in late May.

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