South Korean and Japanese nationalism on display at East Asian Cup Finals

Japanese media outlests expressed their displeasure over a banner put up by South Korean supporters during the 2013 East Asian Cup Finals match between Japan and South Korea held in Jamsil Stadium on the 28th.

"South Korean fans raised a banner that read that there is no future for a nation that forgets history, using the Korean Hangul alphabet," stated Jiji Press. "Although the banner was removed at half-time, it was apparently criticizing Japan over the perception of its wartime history.

The global soccer governing body, FIFA, bans political slogans from being expressed during matches."

Mainichi Shimbun also commented on the banner stating, "The banner may have violated FIFA regulations which prohibit political statements of any kind during games." Regarding the hoisting of large black-and-white portrait of Korean independence activist An Jung-geun, who assassinated Japan's first prime minister Ito Hirobumi, "When a large portrait of An Jung-geun who is regarded as a national hero for assassinating Japan's first prime minister Ito Hirobumi was unfurled, South Korean fans roared. However, South Korean officials were quick to restrain the Japanese Rising Sun Flags from being waved."

These reports are in stark contrast to a Reuters report that states South Korean opposition party representative An Min-suk launched a broadside at the KFA for allowing Japanese fans to display the 'Rising Sun' flag, which South Koreans associate with Japan's militaristic past.

"It is outrageous that they (KFA) let them hoist the flag and only cracked down on the banners prepared by the Red Devils," An told Reuters by telephone.

 "The flag symbolizes all the heinous war crimes committed by the Japanese during the colonial times when they were trampling us. The Korea Football Association is walking on eggshells and trying to curry favour with its Japanese counterpart while doing a poor job in protecting the interest of our people."

The Red Devils, a South Korean soccer cheer squad, held banners that read "A nation which forgets its history has no future" and portraits of Korean independence activist An Jung-geun and general Yi-Seun Shin. When the banner and portraits were removed by the Korean Football Association, the supporters stopped cheering momentarily in the second half. The Japanese supporters also waved their the Rising Sun Flags but were quickly restrained by the officials.