Rising Sun flag displayed at Asian Games judo final; complaint filed with OCA
Version 2: Additional Korean outlets joined the coverage, and a business daily reported that the flag had also appeared at earlier Japanese national team events, including a June World Cup group match in Monterrey, Mexico.
In short
Japanese spectators displayed the Rising Sun flag while cheering at the judo mixed team final between Japan and Kazakhstan at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya on Oct 3, during the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. A judo official asked the organising committee to act but no particular sanctions followed, and Sungshin Women's University professor Seo Kyung-duk said he sent a complaint email to the Olympic Council of Asia over the display. The organising committee had earlier put up and then removed a notice banning the flag before a Japan-Taiwan baseball game on Sept 26, later apologising over the ban notice.
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Japanese spectators unfurled a large Rising Sun flag while cheering for Japan during the judo mixed team final between Japan and Kazakhstan at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya on Oct 3, according to Seoul Economic Daily, CBS NoCut News, Yonhap and Maeil Business. Chosun Ilbo reported that the flag was waved in the spectator seats at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
A judo official who saw the flag asked the organising committee to take action, but no particular sanctions followed, Seoul Economic Daily, CBS NoCut News, Yonhap and Maeil Business reported. Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, said he received tips from internet users and sent a complaint email to the Olympic Council of Asia, attaching a video explaining the flag's history, according to NoCut News, Yonhap and Maeil Business. Korea Economic Daily and Newsis also reported that he filed the complaint with the OCA. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Seo said the flag is “the banner Japan put at the front when it invaded Asian countries including in the Pacific War” and symbolises militarism and imperialism, and that cheering with it “reminds Asians of the fear of war”. He said allowing the flag in “out of concern for its own citizens' reactions” was “a clear fault” of the organising committee, that “it is now the OCA's turn” to act, and that the committee should officially apologise and the OCA should keep watch so the flag does not appear at future Asian Games. Yonhap reported he also said he would do his best to have the flag expelled from sports events worldwide. [ 4 , 5 , 7 ]
The organising committee had already drawn criticism at these Games. Seoul Economic Daily reported that it put up a notice banning the Rising Sun flag and the Taiwan flag before a Sept 26 Japan-Taiwan baseball game at the Okazaki Central Park baseball stadium in Aichi Prefecture, removed the notice a day later, and then apologised over the ban, saying the flag is not subject to a ban and that the notice had been posted because of a mistaken understanding at the site. Chosun Ilbo reported that Chinese outlet Sina Sports asked why Qatar can ban the flag while Japan leaves it unaddressed at the Olympics, World Cup and Asian Games. [ 1 , 2 ]
Maeil Business reported that the flag had appeared at earlier Japanese national team events: at street cheering during Japan's first qualifying match, and at a June group-stage match between Japan and Tunisia at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Japanese supporters unfurled it in the stands and the scene was captured on the broadcast. [ 7 ]
Why it matters
The dispute turns on how the host of a major regional sporting event handles a symbol that Korea and China regard as representing Japanese militarism, and it follows the organising committee's reversal of its own ban notice. Seo Kyung-duk's complaint moves the issue to the Olympic Council of Asia, which oversees the Asian Games; the documents do not say whether the OCA has responded or what it might do.
Key facts
- Japanese spectators displayed the Rising Sun flag while cheering during the judo mixed team final between Japan and Kazakhstan at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya on Oct 3. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- A judo official asked the organising committee to act over the display, and no particular sanctions followed, according to the official and Seo Kyung-duk. [ 1 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, said he sent a complaint email to the Olympic Council of Asia, attaching a video explaining the flag's history. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Seo said the organising committee should issue an official apology and that the OCA should keep watch so the flag does not appear at future Asian Games. [ 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Seoul Economic Daily reported the organising committee put up a notice banning the Rising Sun flag and the Taiwan flag before a Sept 26 Japan-Taiwan baseball game in Okazaki, removed it a day later and apologised over the ban notice. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reported that Chinese outlet Sina Sports asked why Qatar can ban the flag while Japan leaves it unaddressed at the Olympics, World Cup and Asian Games. [ 2 ]
- Maeil Business reported the flag also appeared at street cheering during Japan's first qualifying match and at a June Japan-Tunisia World Cup group match at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico. [ 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Japanese spectators displayed the Rising Sun flag while cheering during the judo mixed team final between Japan and Kazakhstan at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya on Oct 3. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- A judo official asked the organising committee to act over the flag display, and no particular sanctions followed, according to the official and to Seo Kyung-duk. [ 1 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, said he sent a complaint email to the Olympic Council of Asia about the display, attaching a video explaining the flag's history. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Seo said the organising committee should issue an official apology and that the OCA should work to keep the flag out of future Asian Games. [ 4 , 5 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the Olympic Council of Asia has responded to the complaint, or what action it may take. No document reports any OCA response or decision.
- How many spectators displayed the flag, and whether any of them were removed or penalised. The documents describe the display and the absence of sanctions but give no numbers or individual measures.
- The organising committee's current official position on the flag. One document quotes an apology saying the flag is not subject to a ban, while other documents report Seo saying the committee announced it permits such cheering; no direct current committee statement is given.
- Whether the organising committee posted a notice banning the Rising Sun flag and the Taiwan flag before the Sept 26 Japan-Taiwan baseball game. This is reported by a single outlet, Seoul Economic Daily, and no other document mentions the notice.
- Whether the flag appeared at earlier Japanese national team events. The June World Cup group match and the qualifying-round street cheering are reported only by Maeil Business.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Seoul Economic Daily reports that Japanese spectators displayed the Rising Sun flag at the Oct 3 judo mixed team final in Nagoya, that a judo official said the organising committee showed no significant response, and that the committee had earlier put up and then removed a ban notice at the Okazaki baseball stadium. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports the controversy and cites Chinese outlet Sina Sports asking why Qatar can ban the flag while Japan leaves it unaddressed. [ 2 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reports that Seo Kyung-duk submitted a complaint over the flag display to the Olympic Council of Asia. [ 3 ]
- Seo Kyung-duk tells CBS NoCut News he sent the complaint email to the OCA after receiving tips from internet users, and calls for an official apology and continued OCA attention. [ 4 ]
- Yonhap reports Seo's social media post describing the complaint email and the video attached to it, and his statements on the flag's history and on the organising committee's responsibility. [ 5 ]
- Maeil Business reports Seo's complaint to the OCA and adds that the flag had also appeared at street cheering during Japan's first qualifying match and at a June Japan-Tunisia World Cup group match in Monterrey, Mexico. [ 7 ]