'Japan apologizes, then another controversy': Shock over 'Toyotomi Photo Zone' — "A nation that glorifies war criminals should no longer host international sporting events," stern warning [Aichi Nagoya AG]

*This content was translated by AI.

Japan, which caused controversy by featuring Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the mastermind behind Japan's invasion of Korea, at the welcome event for athletes at the 2026 Aichi·Nagoya Asian Games, is now facing further backlash after deciding to operate a photo zone themed around Toyotomi.

Seo Kyung-deok Seong Sin-yeo-dae (Prof.) announced on the 21st that "after receiving and verifying a report from an internet user residing in Japan, we confirmed that a 'Warrior Role-Play Photo Zone' is scheduled to be held at Mizuho Park in Nagoya City on the 22nd."

According to Professor Seo, this program is officially listed as an event on the Aichi·Nagoya Asian Games cultural program website and is hosted by Nagoya City.

The photo zone was designed for visitors to stand behind large acrylic panels shaped like armor featuring Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Oda Nobunaga, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, allowing them to take commemorative photos as if they were warriors.

Earlier, at the welcome event held on the 15th, a celebratory performance featuring Toyotomi Hideyoshi drew strong backlash from countries across Asia, particularly from the Korean delegation and public opinion.

As the controversy spread, the Asian Games organizing committee explained that "the purpose was solely to introduce local culture and tourism, with no intention of glorifying specific historical figures."

It also acknowledged that the event could be perceived differently by different audiences and bowed its head, promising to operate programs suitable for future international sporting events.

However, despite an official apology and a pledge to prevent recurrence, less than a week later, another Toyotomi-related experiential event was placed prominently on the agenda.

Professor Seo criticized, "This was merely an insincere explanation," adding, "If Japan truly possessed a correct historical consciousness, it would not have featured Toyotomi again in this manner."

He further stated, "Japan, which is using the Asian Games — a festival for 4.9 billion Asians — to glorify war criminals, should no longer host international sporting events," and sternly warned, "Japan must wake up."

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*This content was translated by AI.