Uproar at the World Cup: Japanese fans waved their World War II-era flag in the USA

Fans of the Japanese national team violated FIFA’s strict protocol by bringing into the stands a controversial political symbol: the “Rising Sun” flag of Imperial Japan. It was under this flag that Japan conducted war crimes during World War II, and now acts as a trigger for trauma across Asia.

The incident occurred during a group-stage match between Japan and Tunisia, held at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico. The "Rising Sun" flag — consisting of a red disc with 16 rays — was clearly visible in the stands and even appeared on the giant screens in the stadium and on global television broadcasts.

Ahead of the current tournament, FIFA made it unequivocally clear in its regulations that bringing items of a political, offensive, or discriminatory nature, including flags, signs, slogans, and clothing are strictly prohibited. This strict policy was further demonstrated when FIFA forced Haiti's national team to change the design of its official uniforms, as they featured an illustration of a historic battle from 1803 that led to their independence from France.

The symbol that evokes trauma in Asia versus Japanese tradition

The waving of the flag in the stands sparked immediate outrage in neighboring countries, particularly South Korea, North Korea, and China. For these countries, as well as for veterans of World War II, the flag is directly associated with the war crimes, militarism, and imperialism of the Imperial Japanese Army, which invaded and occupied large parts of Asia and the Pacific.

Critics commonly compare the flag to the Nazi swastika and refer to it as a "war crimes flag."

On the other hand, in Japan there is longstanding opposition to this international criticism. The Japanese government and supporters of the flag argue that it is a traditional national symbol whose origins long precede the war by centuries. They note that since the 12th century it has been used to mark joyous occasions, births, and successful fishing expeditions. Today, various versions of the flag are officially and legally used by Japan's Self-Defense Forces and its naval forces.

Following the incident at the World Cup, Professor Song-Deok Seo from Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul, who has for years led an international campaign against the use of the symbol, sent an official and urgent letter of complaint to FIFA.

"The use of the Rising Sun flag as a cheering tool in the World Cup is completely inappropriate"

Professor Sao said, "This is an event intended to unite people of all nations and races, and the waving of the flag serves as a painful reminder of the horrors of war for millions of fans in Asia. FIFA must completely ban its entry into stadiums in the future."

Professor Sao also noted that Japanese fans waved the flag during street celebrations in Japan following the match against the Netherlands, calling it "an utterly foolish act" intended to circumvent FIFA rules. In addition, even before the tournament, a Mexican YouTuber was forced to blur the flag and make a public apology after inadvertently including it in an introduction video for the 48 participating teams.

Reports of the official complaint sparked a heated debate on Japanese media portals. An article published on Yahoo Japan drew thousands of comments. One comment, which received over 10,000 likes, called on the Japanese Football Association to submit an official protest to FIFA over the restriction of fans' rights. Other users demanded that the government sue the Korean professor, or alternatively, bring the issue before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Professor Sao later told media outlets, "Thousands of comments were posted on related news stories, making it a central issue, and I received many attacks through direct messages on my social media accounts. It seems that my protest to FIFA, based on historical facts and aimed at correcting an injustice, was painful for them."

He added, "The Koreans are well aware that the Rising Sun flag was also used as a symbol of good fishing, birth, etc. in Japan. However, they completely ignore the fact that it was prominently used as a flag when Japan invaded Asian countries, including during the Pacific War."

The legal precedent: A Japanese group has already been fined in the past.

Despite the claims in Japan, international soccer already has legal precedents on the issue. Professor Sao mentioned that during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, local security forces acted decisively, intervening immediately, and confiscating the Rising Sun flags that Japanese fans had brought with them.

Moreover, the most binding precedent was set in 2017 within the framework of the Asian Champions League (AFC). During a match of the Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale, the fans waved the controversial flag in the stands.

The Asian Football Confederation defined the act as a "political and discriminatory act," and fined the club $15,000, along with a suspended sentence that could have required the club to play matches behind closed doors if the offense were repeated. This precedent could now be used by FIFA's disciplinary committee in determining any punishment in the current case.