Brighton Apologizes for Controversial Social Media Post
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club has issued an apology for any offense caused in China due to a recent social media post featuring an image of a Japanese World War II soldier.
The post, shared by the club's academy, depicted Japan international Kaoru Mitoma alongside a youth player holding a football card of Hiroo Onoda.
Lieutenant Onoda was the last Japanese soldier to formally surrender, doing so 29 years after Japan's defeat in the war.
The post sparked controversy in China, where Japan's wartime actions have left a painful legacy.
Fans expressed their anger and disappointment on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
Onoda remained in the Philippine jungle for nearly three decades, believing that World War II had not ended. Upon his return to Japan, he received a hero's welcome, despite having killed 30 people on Lubang Island, whom he mistakenly identified as enemy combatants. The Philippine government later pardoned him.
In response to the backlash, Brighton's academy stated on X, "The club sincerely apologises for any offence caused in China by a recent post about our academy's participation in the Premier League Christmas Truce Tournament. We greatly value our fans in China and had no intention of causing any offense."
The post also announced that Brighton's under-12 boys team had won the Premier League Education Project and would travel to Belgium to compete in the Christmas Truce Cup.
The Premier League described the tournament as an opportunity for U12 academy players to showcase their football talent against top European clubs while learning about the historical events that have shaped our world.
The tournament is named after the spontaneous ceasefires that took place around Christmas in 1914 between British and German soldiers during World War I, during which football matches were held in various locations.
Brighton officials have clarified that the post was a genuine error, and the club and the Premier League were unaware of the controversy surrounding Onoda.
It is also understood that the Premier League, which co-judged the winners of the Education Project, was not informed about the individuals involved in the post.