With Spain's victory concluding the 2026 North American World Cup, heated controversy continues off the field. As Japanese supporters' use of the Rising Sun Flag at this tournament has drawn intense scrutiny from international media worldwide, calls to eliminate the flag from international sporting events have reached unprecedented levels.
Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University provided detailed accounts on social media on the 21st regarding the appearance of the Rising Sun Flag at the tournament. According to Professor Seo, the flag was used by street supporters during Japan's first group match, and it was brought inside the stadium during the second match, drawing significant criticism.
Professor Seo stated that he sent two protest emails to FIFA regarding this matter, but FIFA has remained silent. While FIFA strictly restricts flags containing political messages, discriminatory expressions, and military imagery, it has not issued an official stance on the Rising Sun Flag. This prompted CNN to criticize it as "inconsistent double standards."
However, a meaningful plot twist in this controversy came from active international media coverage. Major Western outlets including CNN, Germany's public broadcaster DW, and the UK's Sports Bible intensively reported on the problems with Rising Sun Flag cheering, forming international public opinion. Subsequently, related articles appeared on Yahoo Japan, spreading the impact domestically. Many Japanese internet users sent direct messages to Professor Seo's social media account, stating "Rising Sun Flag cheering is not a problem."
Professor Seo emphasized, "It holds great significance that international media was able to widely inform the Western world about the problems with Rising Sun Flag cheering," and voiced his position strongly, saying "through continued international public discourse, the use of the Rising Sun Flag at global sporting events such as the World Cup and Olympics must be completely eliminated." International sports circles are closely watching whether FIFA's silence will continue.
