Newcastle United in the Premier League has come under fire for including a scene reminiscent of a war crime flag in a promotional video it released. This mistake, which exposed a sensitive historical symbol ahead of its Asia tour, has triggered deep backlash from Asian fans.
On the 2nd (according to Korea time), Newcastle released a video introducing the 2025-2026 season third uniform created in collaboration with Adidas on its official social media. However, the released video included a scene of a flag resembling a war crime flag, escalating the controversy. The flag was emblazoned with the phrase 'NUFC JAPAN' along with a white and black radial pattern, which could clearly be recognized as an image symbolizing Japan.
The war crime flag symbolizes Japanese imperialism and militarism. In particular, it was used as a military flag during Japan's war of aggression in Asia during World War II and has sometimes been used to justify the revival of Japanese militarism. Given that various Asian countries regard it as both a war crime flag and a provocative symbol, its use in uniform promotion was understandably perceived as sensitive.
The more problematic issue is that Newcastle is planning an Asia tour this summer, visiting Singapore and Korea. Newcastle will play against Team K League at Suwon World Cup Stadium on July 30 and face Tottenham Hotspur at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3. Tickets for the pre-sale have already sold out, and a considerable number of Asian fans are expected to watch the games in person.
The backlash from fans was immediate. Critiques pointed out that "while touring Asia, there is a complete lack of awareness regarding the historical pain of Asia," with voices of criticism stating that "using a militaristic symbol such as a war crime flag is not merely a mistake." In particular, countries such as Korea, China, Singapore, and Russia, which have directly experienced Japanese invasions, either legally prohibit or regulate the use of the war crime flag.
The Sun also drew attention to this issue. It noted, "Newcastle used a war crime flag symbolizing Japanese imperialism in its uniform promotional video," adding, "This flag is strongly prohibited in places like Korea and China. Furthermore, Newcastle is preparing for its preseason schedule visiting Korea and Singapore this summer."
As the controversy spread, Newcastle quickly responded. The club announced, "As soon as we received fan reports about the scene, we deleted the problematic scene and edited the video," stating, "We sincerely apologize for causing discomfort."
In fact, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) also prohibits the use of symbols with political messages, and the war crime flag is banned from stadiums. However, efforts continue within Japan to frame the war crime flag as a non-political cultural symbol, similar to what occurred during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. When the Korean government raised issues about the flag's entry into the Olympic venue, the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee allowed its use, claiming "there is no political intention."
British media stated, "While the video could be a mere mistake, it is regrettable that no one involved in the video production process recognized the problematic symbol. Especially from the perspective of Asian fans, scenes reminiscent of the war crime flag cannot be taken lightly."
[OSEN]