There are tensions between South Korea and Japan. South Korea's government has asked Japan to ban the Rising Sun flag at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Japan's Olympics organising committee said it sees no problem with the flag. It said: "The Rising Sun flag is widely used in Japan and it is not considered to be a political statement, so it is not viewed as a prohibited item." South Korea said: "The Japanese know full well that their neighbours regard the Rising Sun flag as a symbol of Japan's militaristic and imperial past. Japan needs to be more humble and own up to its historical legacy."
Relations between the two nations have taken a downturn recently. They are currently in a bitter trade war. People in Korea are burning Japanese products and boycotting Japanese beer, clothing and other goods. Many South Koreans are shunning Japan as a tourist destination. Japanese airlines had to cut the number of flights to Korea. Last month, Japan removed South Korea from its "white list" of trusted trade partners. This led to delays in the exports of items like car parts and household electronics. The tensions pose a threat to the global supply chain of semi-conductors.