Maroon 5 has removed a controversial Japanese flag from its website after it sparked angry reactions in South Korea. South Korean media report that the flag has been replaced with a photo of the band.
The flag of the Rising Sun was featured on the logo of the new world tour that Maroon 5 announced Monday. The American band will give many performances in Asia this fall. The flag consists of a large red circle from which, against a white background, elongated red stripes.
The image is controversial because it was an important symbol during the Japanese Empire. This is especially painful in South Korea: the country was annexed by Japan from 1910 to 1945. Also in the Netherlands, especially by Dutchmen who were in Japanese camps during the Second World War, the flag is still associated with the Japanese aggression from that period.
Maroon 5 is popular in South Korea, where the image caused a lot of commotion. Fans argued online that the use of the flag was an insult to Korean fans. Korean scientists even wrote a letter to the group asking for the image to be removed. The American band will play in Seoul on November 30, in a stadium with 30,000 seats.
Critics in recent years have called for the flag of the Rising Sun to be banned. Some South Korean politicians even compared the symbol to the Nazi swastika.
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