Chinese military account condemns rising sun flag at World Cup as 'war criminal banner'

Rising sun flag spotted at 2026 World Cup stadium

Japanese fans' display violates FIFA regulations

Chinese military media criticizes militarist legacy

Professor Seo Gyeong-deok files formal complaint with FIFA

A broadcast screen captures the Japan vs. Tunisia World Cup group stage match. [Captured from Professor Seo Gyeong-deok's Facebook]

A Chinese military social media account has sharply condemned the display of Japan's rising sun flag inside a 2026 World Cup stadium, calling it a "war criminal banner stained with the blood of aggression" and calling for FIFA to strictly enforce its regulations.

During the World Cup group stage match between Japan and Tunisia at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on June 21, a rising sun flag was spotted in the stands and captured on the match broadcast and stadium screens. The match carried symbolic weight as the 1,000th game in World Cup history. The rising sun flag was used by Japan's imperial military during its wars of aggression across Asia and the Pacific, and remains a deeply charged symbol for countries such as China and South Korea that suffered under Japanese colonial rule.

According to China's state-run Global Times, a social media account called "Junzheng Ping," operated by the People's Liberation Army, published a commentary on June 22 titled "A World Cup stadium is no place to summon the spirit of militarism."

Junzheng Ping typically serves as an external mouthpiece for China's military, and its decision to directly target the display of political symbols at a sporting event is unusual. "The rising sun flag, a remnant of militarism, has been appearing frequently inside and outside the stadium during Japan's matches," the account said. "It is a war criminal banner stained with the blood of aggression and a symbol explicitly banned by FIFA."

The criticism grew sharper given that a similar incident had already occurred at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, when security personnel stopped Japanese fans from bringing the flag into the stadium, yet the problem resurfaced.

"Japanese fans using the rising sun flag as a cheering prop not only turns a blind eye to the history of aggression but also hurts the feelings of people in victimized nations and reveals Japanese society's ambiguous and permissive attitude toward its militarist history," Junzheng Ping said. "There is no place for the legacy of militarism at a football stadium, and we must firmly oppose any form of cheering that desecrates history."

The rising sun flag displayed at a World Cup stadium. [Captured from Professor Seo Gyeong-deok's Facebook]

In South Korea, an activist response came swiftly through formal international channels. Seo Gyeong-deok, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, said June 22 he had sent a letter of protest and a formal complaint to FIFA over the rising sun flag display during the Japan-Tunisia match.

"The rising sun flag was flown at the forefront of Japan's invasions across Asia, including during the Pacific War, and symbolizes Japanese militarism and imperialism," Seo said. "Displaying it clearly reopens the wounds of war for football fans across Asia."

Citing the precedent set at the Qatar World Cup, when the flag was forcibly confiscated, Seo expressed deep regret over what he described as lax oversight by the North and Central America World Cup organizing committee. "It is absolutely unacceptable for the rising sun flag — a symbol of militarism — to be waved at the World Cup, a scene where people from all nations and backgrounds come together as one," he said. "This incident should be used as an opportunity to raise awareness among football fans around the world who may not know the history of the rising sun flag and the problems with its use."

terry@heraldcorp.com