▲ The Rising Sun Flag appears at a street cheering event in Japan
Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, has voiced criticism regarding the use of the Rising Sun Flag by Japanese soccer fans during the North and Central America World Cup.
On his social media account today (June 16), Professor Seo pointed out that the Rising Sun Flag appeared during street cheering events in Japan on June 15 (local time) during the Group F opening match between Japan and the Netherlands.
He recalled an incident during the previous Qatar World Cup, where FIFA security personnel intervened to stop Japanese fans from unfurling the flag inside the stadium, and criticized the fans, stating, "Since the use of the Rising Sun Flag is prohibited inside the stadium, they have taken to using it at street cheering events."
He added, "Using the Rising Sun Flag as a tool for World Cup cheering is a wrongful act."
The Rising Sun Flag is a symbol of Japanese militarism and imperialism, used by Japan when it invaded various Asian countries, including during the Pacific War.
Professor Seo also shared another recent controversy regarding the Rising Sun Flag that occurred online before the start of the World Cup and the subsequent response.
When a YouTuber active in Mexico included footage of cheering with the Rising Sun Flag in a World Cup-related video, Professor Seo brought the issue to public attention. The YouTuber subsequently issued an apology and took corrective action by blurring the parts of the video where the flag appeared.
He emphasized, "I will continue to work toward eliminating the improper use of the Rising Sun Flag in Japan and across the globe through continuous public discourse in the international community."
(Photo: Captured from Professor Seo Kyoung-duk's social media, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.