Korea’s soccer governing body expressed regret Wednesday over Japan’s criticism of a politically charged banner displayed by local supporters at a recent soccer match in Seoul.

During the East Asian Cup game against Japan on Sunday, a group of Korean supporters brandished a banner that read, “There is no future for people who have forgotten their past,” an innuendo against Japan’s reluctance to acknowledge its militaristic and colonial past.

“The rising sun flag is a symbol that reminds Koreans of the painful history (of Japan’s colonial rule),” the Korea Football Association said in a statement.

“Japanese fans waving the large rising sun flag right after the beginning of the match had incited South Korean supporters,” the KFA said, stressing its efforts to deter the fans here “for the sake of the integrity of soccer.”

The football association also expressed “deep regret” over the involvement of Japan’s senior government officials in the case.

On Tuesday, Japan’s Education Minister Hakubun Shimomura expressed discomfort over the banner, saying it “calls into question the nature of the people in the country,” while a day earlier, Tokyo’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called the move “extremely regrettable.” (Yonhap News)