Korea files official complaint for highlighting Japanese warlord in ceremony

NAGOYA, Japan - The Korean National Sports Federation has lodged an official complaint with the Nagoya organizers of the Asian Games, alleging they displayed a Japanese warlord who once invaded Korea during a recent welcome ceremony. The Korean Sports & Olympic Committee (KSOC) forwarded the same grievance to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) a day following a costume-clad representation of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the opening festivities of the cruise ship Costa Serena, home to thousands of athletes and officials.

The ceremony featured Hideyoshi, Oda Nobunaga, and Tokugawa Ieyasu, three influential warlords from the Nagoya region. Hideyoshi bears primary responsibility for the Japanese invasions of Korea between 1592 and 1598, also known as the Imjin War. While Nagoya capitalizes on the historical presence of these figures to bolster local heritage and culture, the portrayal of Hideyoshi sparked widespread public outrage in South Korea, particularly given the ongoing Asian Games motto of "Imagine One Asia." KSOC President Ryu Seung-min expressed regret over the incident and subsequent developments.