Korea's Flag Fails to Rise at the Asian Games

Why This Topic Landed in Japan

The Games had been dogged by trouble since before the opening — lodging (no athletes' village, with container housing and cruise ships used instead) and transport — and had drawn criticism from overseas media. Governor Omura had long skipped regular press conferences, so distrust had been building, and then came a failure at one of international sport's most symbolic moments: the champion's flag failing to rise at the soccer medal ceremony. What stood out was that even users who usually hold strong anti-Korea feelings landed on "this one is on Japan," and the governor's upbeat "success" summary at the close poured fuel on the fire.

Key Reaction Themes

• An indefensible "this is Japan's failure and shame" led the thread — Most common; even users usually hard on Korea agreed Japan owed an apology.
• Distrust of organizing competence and accountability — "A grade-schooler could do this," "no one's in charge," "worst-run Games ever."
• Disbelief and political pressure over the governor's "success" summary — "How can he show his face," "his next election just got harder," "wartime-style propaganda."
• A few technical guesses — A small group speculated the rope caught in the pulley, or noted the flag crew were Self-Defense Force members.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

Champion Korea's flag fails to rise at the soccer medal ceremony

During the anthem, Korea's flag stopped partway up the pole, the supporters booed, and an indefensible "this is Japan's failure" reaction erupted.

Sources: Sports Hochi

Comments:

• "No exaggeration, I was genuinely appalled."
• "Even I have to say — sorry, Korea, this one's on us."
• "Wait, is this actually on purpose?"
• "Sorry, but maybe this country doesn't even have the ability to host international events anymore."
• "I never thought the day would come when I'd feel sorry for Korea. Why can't you do something an elementary schooler can pull off at a sports day? Seriously, cut it out."
• "At this point you start to wonder if it's deliberate. What are they doing?"
• "This Games' operations are the worst ever — maybe they'll medal in that."
• "I wonder if they'll even be able to win bids for other international events."
• "What kind of people are even running this? It makes no sense."
• "Get it straight: they're not harassing Korea, they're humiliating Japan."
• "Omura, stop hiding and come out here."
• "The rope on the man's side looks taut but won't pull, so it looks like the rope snagged on something at the pulley up top."
• "Apparently it's the Self-Defense Force doing the flag-raising."

At the close, Governor Omura sums up the Games as "wonderful"

Omura, who had skipped press conferences amid a troubled Games, praised it at the closing as "pulled off at a scale beyond the Tokyo Olympics," drawing disbelief and demands for accountability.

YouTube

Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch, Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

• "A success?"
• "Isn't there something else he should be saying…?"
• "'An Asian Games larger in scale than the Tokyo Olympics' — no matter how many times I read it, I can't make sense of it."
• "Worst hospitality ever. Aichi should never host an international event again."
• "No one will praise him, so he praises himself."
• "His next election just got tougher, huh."
• "They spent less than the Tokyo Olympics — in that sense, a success? Hmm, low bar."
• "So you lot are going to carp at the official line, are you?"
• "The incompetence of the operation will be a laughingstock for generations — and that's putting it mildly."
• "Strange — 300 billion yen and it's this shabby. Where did the money go?"
• "Field: 'This is bad.' Middle management: 'It's bad but it'll finish.' Top: 'No problem.' Okay then."
• "Worse than the Osaka Expo."
• "I hear the athletes' living conditions were awful too. Seriously, where did the money go, lol."