Peace sign

I see it everywhere and somehow cannot get an answer as to why the Japanese make the 'peace' sign in a lot of photos. D;

This week's Vox populi at JT is really interesting. Have you ever wondered why the Japanese make the V sign when being photographed? I did, and my wife could never explain that habit to my full satisfaction. Oh, they refer to it as "the peace sign".



A genetical explanation:

Seiichi Igeta, 17

"I make the peace sign, but I don't know why I do it, who invented it and when we started doing this. I think I've been doing it since I was born. The peace sign gesture must have been programmed in my DNA, or foreigners mind-controlled Japanese to make the peace sign subconsciously when we...

Click to expand...

When I was younger, we always waved on pictures, or put a V sign behind people their head to make them look stupid But in Asia... it looks like they do this all the time! the "V sign" aka "Peace sign" . It even went that bad, that I also started using the V sign when I was in Japan.

So my question is.. what do you think of the "V" sign? do you use it when someone makes a picture of you? Or maybe you have another variant ?

Hello.

:win: This emoticon seems appropriate.

I see a lot of Japanese references to the holding of two fingers in the air, like a V sign.
For westerners, it can mean Victory (since Churchill) or Peace (Since the hippy years). But what does it mean for Japanese ? I saw many manga characters using V, after screeming "Yataaaa" for exemple, which connotes victory. But I also saw some footing of the Royal Family recently with the youngest child and her parent hold two V's while singing a song. So does the V connote additionnal meaning to this ?

Thanks.