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JFA poster promotes the Samurai Blue... and the Korean flag?

Published: 13 Nov. 2025, 16:38

A promotional post for ″JI Blue″ released by the Japan Football Association on Nov. 10 [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The Japan Football Association (JFA) is facing backlash over an image promoting its national football team that has been accused of resembling Korea’s national flag, according to a report by Japan's Sankei Shimbun on Thursday.

The JFA introduced a new ambassador unit on Monday called "JI Blue," composed of 12 members from Japanese boy bands JO1 and INI who are known for their love of football. The group was created to promote the Japanese national team.

In the promotional image released by the JFA, the members wear the national team's signature blue and white kits. Behind them is a large red circle resembling the Japanese flag. In the corners are sets of three stripes similar to those used by Adidas, the manufacturer of the team’s uniforms.

The design quickly stirred debate online, with some internet users pointing out that the color scheme and layout strongly resembled the Korean flag.

Critics cited the use of red, blue and black, saying the overall composition was “almost identical” to the Korean flag. Others questioned why the JFA would choose a design that evokes another country's flag.

In response, the JFA told the Sankei Shimbun that there was “no intention” to reference the Korean flag when creating the design.

The association added that the concept was the same as a previous image released in March 2025, which featured portraits of Japan’s national team coaches and players.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]