This image shows the Rising Sun flag used to represent Japan at the upcoming FIFA World Cup. (@seokyoungduk, Instagram) A Mexican YouTuber has come under fire for using footage of the Rising Sun flag in a video introducing the 48 countries competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Seo Kyung-duk, a professor of liberal arts at Sungshin Women's University, on Tuesday criticized the YouTuber who runs a soccer-focused channel for using the flag that represented the Japanese Imperial Army.“The report came from a Korean resident in Mexico. The video has garnered more than 1.3 million views and 10,000 likes on YouTube,” the professor, who is known for promoting Korean culture and combating historical distortions by Japan, wrote on his Instagram.The Rising Sun Flag, featuring a red disc on a white background with 16 red rays emanating from it, is controversial in many Asian countries for its connection to the Japanese Empire.The design remains highly sensitive in South Korea, which was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910 to 1945 and continues to grapple with historical grievances stemming from that period and Japan’s wartime atrocities.The controversy echoes a similar incident during the opening of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, when massive digital billboards in Doha showed Japanese supporters with Rising Sun face paint.The professor noted that such incidents often reflect limited awareness of the flag’s historical background and meaning.“Many foreigners mistakenly perceive the flag as a symbol representing Japan because they are unfamiliar with its historical context,” Seo said. “More efforts are needed to discourage the use of the flag, which evokes painful memories of war for many across Asia.”The professor added that he would continue global awareness campaigns against the symbol in collaboration with online users worldwide.