On August 11, 2026, South Korea's Newsis reported that "A giant Rising Sun Flag being displayed at a mountain hut on Mt. Fuji, a representative tourist destination of Japan, is causing controversy."

Professor Seo Kyoung-duk of Sungshin Women's University, known as a Korean public relations expert, revealed on his SNS that he "recently received information" and that "(the Rising Sun Flag) is prominently displayed at a mountain hut on Mt. Fuji." He pointed out that Mt. Fuji is a place visited by many foreign tourists, and it is a major problem for tourists to take photos and videos, viewing the Rising Sun Flag as a symbol of Japan without knowing its history.

Additionally, among Mt. Fuji's souvenirs, there are wooden walking sticks that can be stamped at each mountain hut, known as a particularly popular item. These sticks, which can be purchased even without actually climbing, feature the Rising Sun Flag and have been criticized in South Korea previously. Professor Seo strongly criticized, stating, "Such a situation is tantamount to a complete denial of past war crimes and the history of aggression."

Furthermore, Professor Seo reportedly plans to produce a multilingual video to spread awareness about the "Mt. Fuji Rising Sun Flag issue," using photos and videos provided by Korean tourists. He stated, "We will utilize various platforms to widely disseminate it to Mt. Fuji tourists worldwide."

In response to Professor Seo's post, angry voices from South Korean netizens were received, stating, "If a country that was invaded feels uncomfortable, it's common sense not to use it. Are you proud of, nostalgic for, and praising Japan's power at that time? It's truly hideous and malicious behavior, and very unpleasant."

Another netizen also pointed out, "Japan continues to use the Rising Sun Flag that it used in World War II. Meanwhile, in Germany, another defeated country in the war, possessing the Nazi flag is even illegal." They reportedly criticized, "There's a reason why they are told not to use it. It's regrettable that they seem to show no remorse or shame."

Comments were also received on this article, such as "It's not the Rising Sun Flag, it's a war criminal flag. Shame on you," "A nation that doesn't know the truth of history will perish," and "There's not enough public relations activity to widely communicate that this flag is 'a symbol of a war criminal nation'."

On the other hand, comments such as "Anti-Japan incitement has begun. The government is on the verge of collapse now, isn't it?" "I think we should distinguish between using it for traditional cultural or historical reasons and using it to promote militarism or provoke other countries," "It doesn't matter if Japanese people wave the Rising Sun Flag or anything else. If you dislike it so much, stop grumbling and defeat them with your own power," and "Many people probably don't even know what this flag is" were also seen.

후지산 산장에 욱일기 게양…서경덕 "전쟁범죄 부인하는 꼴"https://t.co/DCCFxbhiwA

— 연합뉴스 (@yonhaptweet) August 10, 2026