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South Korea wants 2020 Olympics Rising Sun flag ban

Rising Sun Flag - Level 4

There is tension between South Korea and Japan. South Korea asked Japan to ban the Rising Sun flag at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Japan's Olympics committee said the flag is no problem. It said the flag, "is widely used in Japan and it is not considered to be a political statement, so it is not viewed as a prohibited item". South Korea said the flag is, "a symbol of Japan's militaristic and imperial past. Japan needs to...own up to its historical legacy".

Relations between the two nations turned bad recently. They are in a bitter trade war. Koreans are burning Japanese products and boycotting Japanese beer. They are avoiding Japan as a holiday destination. Japanese airlines had to cut many flights to Korea. Last month, Japan removed South Korea from its "white list" of trusted trade partners. This led to delays in the exports of many items. It also threatens the global supply of semi-conductors.

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Rising Sun Flag - Level 5

There are tensions between South Korea and Japan. South Korea's government has asked Japan to ban the Rising Sun flag at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Japan's Olympics organising committee said it sees no problem with the flag. It said: "The Rising Sun flag is widely used in Japan and it is not considered to be a political statement, so it is not viewed as a prohibited item." South Korea said: "The Japanese know full well that their neighbours regard the Rising Sun flag as a symbol of Japan's militaristic and imperial past. Japan needs to be more humble and own up to its historical legacy."

Relations between the two nations have taken a downturn recently. They are currently in a bitter trade war. People in Korea are burning Japanese products and boycotting Japanese beer, clothing and other goods. Many South Koreans are shunning Japan as a tourist destination. Japanese airlines had to cut the number of flights to Korea. Last month, Japan removed South Korea from its "white list" of trusted trade partners. This led to delays in the exports of items like car parts and household electronics. The tensions pose a threat to the global supply chain of semi-conductors.

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Rising Sun Flag - Level 6

Amid escalating tensions between South Korea and Japan, the South Korean government has called on Japan to ban any displaying of the Rising Sun flag at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This follows a statement by Japan's Olympics organising committee that it sees no problem with the flag. The committee said: "The Rising Sun flag is widely used in Japan and it is not considered to be a political statement, so it is not viewed as a prohibited item." A South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said: "The Japanese know full well that their neighbours regard the Rising Sun flag as a symbol of Japan's militaristic and imperial past. Japan needs to be more humble about owning up to its historical legacy."

Relations between the two east-Asian nations have taken a downturn in the past few months. They are currently embroiled in a bitter trade war that has seen people in Korea burning Japanese products. Many South Koreans are shunning Japan as a tourist destination, leading to Japanese carriers slashing the number of flights to South Korea. Last month, Japan removed South Korea from its "white list" of trusted trade partners. This led to delays in the exports of items like car parts and household electronics to South Korea. In retaliation, Koreans have been boycotting Japanese beer, clothing brands and other products. The spat poses a threat to the global supply chain of semi-conductors.

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