Rising Sun flag appears again in Japan during World Cup street celebrations

The Rising Sun flag has surfaced again in Japan during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Japan drew 2-2 with the Netherlands on Sunday in a Group F opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

As the match ended in a draw, some fans who had gathered for street celebrations pulled out the Rising Sun flag — widely regarded as a symbol of Japanese wartime aggression.

The same flag caused controversy four years ago at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when it was displayed inside Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium during Japan's Group E match against Costa Rica.

FIFA, which strictly prohibits banners and messages with political content, intervened and had the flag removed, defusing the situation.

Meanwhile, ahead of this year's tournament, a prominent Mexican YouTuber drew backlash after including the Rising Sun flag in a video introducing the Japanese national team, and later deleted the clip.

송도 사람 다리 사건에, “아이 이름은 OO, 마트 여직원이 잘라” 글 확산

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