Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion is navigating a cultural storm after a now-deleted social media post featured Japanese footballer Kaoru Mitoma and a youth player holding cards depicting Hiroo Onoda, a WWII Japanese officer linked to civilian deaths in the Philippines. The post, part of a celebration for the U12 team's upcoming 'Christmas Truce Tournament,' drew fierce criticism from Chinese social media users this week.
Why It Matters 🚨
Onoda, who continued guerrilla attacks for decades after Japan's 1945 surrender, remains a deeply divisive figure in Asia. Brighton's Academy apologized specifically to Chinese fans, calling the image choice a 'mistake,' but the backlash quickly spread to South Korea and the Philippines—nations also impacted by Japan's wartime actions.
Regional Reactions Explode 💥
While the club stressed neither they nor the Premier League approved the photo, critics highlighted broader sensitivities:
Chinese netizens flooded platforms with calls for accountability
South Korea's Chosun Ilbo noted colonial history was overlooked
Filipino users questioned why their country wasn't addressed in apologies
Football Meets History ⚖️
The incident casts a shadow over the Christmas Truce Tournament—an event honoring WWI soldiers who famously paused fighting to play football. As clubs balance sports education with historical awareness, this controversy shows how quickly old wounds can resurface in our connected world 🌐.
