South Korea’s Olympic committee has lodged a complaint with Asian Games organisers in Nagoya after a Japanese warlord was featured during a welcoming ceremony, an official said on Friday.
A person dressed as Toyotomi Hideyoshi appeared at Tuesday’s event, triggering a backlash in South Korea. Hideyoshi led Japan’s invasions of Korea between 1592 and 1598, making the episode a particularly sensitive part of the countries’ shared history.
The ceremony was held to welcome a cruise ship that will be used as a floating hotel for thousands of athletes during the Games. Three characters portraying Japanese warlords were present at the arrival event.
The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee (KSOC) responded by raising the issue with both the local organising
committee and the Olympic Council of Asia. KSOC president Ryu Seung-min sent a letter “expressing regret and calling for measures to prevent a recurrence”, a KSOC spokeswoman told news agency AFP.
Japan’s colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945 has also remained a major source of tension in relations between Seoul and Tokyo.
Addressing the criticism, organisers said the performance was “not intended to praise specific historical figures or convey historical messages”.
“We recognise that the Asian Games bring together a diverse group of athletes and officials from many countries and regions, and that ceremonies and other forms of expression may be interpreted in various ways,” they said.
“We will continue to ensure that our programs and content are appropriate for an international competition, and we wholeheartedly welcome the athletes and officials from Asian countries and regions.”
The history of Japan’s rule over Korea remains particularly contentious. Seoul data says about 780,000 Koreans were conscripted into forced labour during the colonial period, excluding women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.
