Rising Sun Flag Flies at Tourist-Crowded Mount Fuji... Seo Kyung-duk Says "It Amounts to Denial of War Crimes"

Used as a Military Ensign During Japan's Wars of Aggression
Rising Sun Flag Souvenirs Also Sold at Mountain Lodges

Allegations have been raised that a Rising Sun Flag is displayed at a mountain lodge on Mount Fuji in Japan, a popular destination among foreign tourists.

On August 11, Professor Seo Kyung-duk of Sungshin Women's University announced via his social networking service (SNS) account that he had recently received photos and videos showing the Rising Sun Flag hung on a flagpole at a lodge on Mount Fuji.

The Rising Sun Flag is perceived as a symbol reminiscent of Japanese imperialism and militarism in Asian countries, including Korea, that experienced Japanese invasion and colonial rule. The Rising Sun Flag is planted on the summit of Mount Fuji. Professor Seokyoung Duk

Professor Seo criticized the display, stating, "Mount Fuji is a representative Japanese tourist site visited by travelers from around the world," and emphasizing that it is inappropriate for the flag to be flown at such a venue.

He pointed out, "The Rising Sun Flag served as a symbol of militarism and imperialism, having been used as an ensign by Japan in its invasions throughout Asia, including during the Pacific War. The biggest problem is that tourists, unaware of this historical context, regard it simply as a symbol of Japan and take pictures and videos with it."

Furthermore, Professor Seo highlighted the issue of products featuring the Rising Sun Flag design being sold around the Mount Fuji lodges. He stated, "Wooden sticks adorned with the Rising Sun Flag are still being sold to tourists at various Mount Fuji lodges," criticizing the continued commercialization of the emblem. He further argued, "This amounts to denying the war crimes and the history of aggression Japan committed in the past."

The Rising Sun Flag is characterized by rays of sunlight emanating from a red sun. While similar patterns have been used in Japan for centuries, the flag came to symbolize Japanese imperialism and militarism in modern times, especially in Asian countries—including Korea—that experienced Japanese invasion and colonial rule.

Professor Seo also raised concerns about products featuring the Rising Sun flag pattern being sold around the Mount Fuji mountain lodge area. Professor Seo Kyungduk

The Imperial Japanese Army used a variant of the Rising Sun Flag as a military ensign from the late 19th century. The Imperial Japanese Navy also adopted similar flags for its warships. In particular, as the flag came to represent the Japanese military during foreign aggression such as the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Pacific War, it has become one of the most controversial symbols among neighboring countries, sparking significant historical resentment.

To this day, stark differences remain in perceptions of the Rising Sun Flag between Korea and Japan. In Korea, there is continued criticism of the flag as representing Japan's imperialist wars of aggression. On the other hand, the Japanese government maintains that the Rising Sun design is a traditional motif used in celebrations and daily life for centuries. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force continues to use a naval ensign reminiscent of the Imperial Japanese Navy flag, often reigniting controversies at international sports or military events involving the Rising Sun Flag.

Meanwhile, Professor Seo plans to produce a multilingual video highlighting the historical issues of the "Mount Fuji Rising Sun Flag" using the photos and videos he received this time. He intends to distribute this video via social media and other channels to inform overseas tourists visiting Mount Fuji about the historical background related to the Rising Sun Flag.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.