Oasis confronted a backlash on-line this week after sharing a video that includes a rising solar, which followers in Asia mentioned carefully resembled a logo of Japanese imperialism and Second World Struggle militarism.
On 8 August, the band shared a video on their social media accounts for his or her track “Morning Glory”, which accommodates a stylised solar motif with radiating rays recurring over varied scenes, from graphic landscapes to city backdrops.
South Korean followers have been fast to level out the resemblance to the Rising Solar Flag and have been upset on the video’s launch simply days forward of South Korea’s Liberation Day on 15 August, a commemoration of the nation’s independence from Japanese colonial rule.
Oasis are scheduled to carry out in South Korea and Japan later this yr. They’ve a present set for 21 October on the Goyang Sports activities Advanced in Gyeonggi province, adopted by two exhibits on 25 and 26 October on the Tokyo Dome.
The Rising Solar Flag, referred to as the “Kyokujitsu-ki” in Japanese, encompasses a pink solar with 16 rays extending outward and was utilized by the Imperial Japanese Military and Navy from the late nineteenth century till Japan’s defeat in 1945.
Although nonetheless used in the present day by Japan’s Self-Protection Forces, the flag is broadly regarded in nations corresponding to South Korea, North Korea, and China as a logo of militarism, colonial aggression and wartime atrocities dedicated throughout Japan’s imperial growth.
Critics of its use argue that it evokes painful historic recollections just like the symbolism of the Nazi swastika in Europe.
“In case you plan to maintain disrespecting Korea and by no means set foot right here once more, then follow this one. In any other case, hearth them and get another person,” commented one individual on X, previously Twitter.
“Good. Nothing says rock n roll like slapping a logo of imperial violence right into a video. It’s 2025, lads — thought we’d left this colonial throwback within the historical past books, not on monitor visuals. You may’t plead ignorance endlessly. Sooner or later, it’s not a mistake. It’s a selection,” wrote one other.
“Don’t you wish to sincerely apologize for the Rising Solar Flag and delete the video? Many Korean followers, together with myself, are very upset,” one other fan wrote on the group’s Instagram.
On the time of writing, the video was nonetheless up on the band’s social media accounts.
The Impartial has reached out to representatives of Oasis for remark.
This isn’t the primary time Oasis has encountered controversy within the area. In July, frontman Liam Gallagher got here underneath hearth for posting a racially offensive time period on social media, one broadly recognised as derogatory towards East Asians.
After public criticism, Gallagher finally deleted the publish and wrote: “I’m sorry if I upset anybody. I really like all individuals and don’t discriminate. Peace and love.”
