Since Brighton got promoted to the Premier League in 2017, they have been the favorite for neutrals. The feel-good story about the owner Tony Bloom, his Moneyball transfer strategies, the attractive style of football, the impeccable scouting, and unearthing gems, selling them for huge profits, and unearthing their replacement immediately, what’s not to love about Brighton?
Unfortunately, Asian fans have a reason to dislike Brighton. The Seagulls find themselves in the middle of a controversy that has them apologizing to Asian fans for their lack of historical awareness.
The English club posted promotional material for the Christmas Truce Tournament, and it featured Japanese player Kaoru Mitoma and a few U-12 players. In the post going viral, Mitoma and an academy player are holding up FC26 Ultimate Team cards featuring an image of a member of the Japanese Imperial Army.
The person on the FIFA card is Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda. On Football Twitter, he is known for being the “Japanese soldier who kept fighting even when the war was over” reaction meme. However, he was actually a member of the fascist establishment, serving in the Japanese army between 1942 and 1974.
This isn’t the first time Brighton have faced the wrath of Asian fans. In July, they received major backlash from Korean fans after they announced Yoon Do-young’s loan move to Dutch club Excelsior with a post written in Japanese instead of Korean.
At the time, many fans criticized Brighton’s poor understanding of Masian marketing. Now, their inability to manage Asian communications has come under fire yet again.
Brighton’s careless post has sparked massive backlash in China as the post spread rapidly on Weibo, among the 10 million Chinese fans.
The Chinese have vehemently criticized Brighton for glorifying a war criminal. Japan’s Imperial Army was an aggressor in the Pacific region among the Axis powers and committed several atrocities in China and other countries, which is why the Chinese fans had such a reaction to the post.
As criticism exploded, Brighton immediately took down the post, and the club was forced to issue an apology on Friday, albeit on the social media account of their Academy.
“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 hugely value our fans in China and had no intention of causing any offence.”
Despite the apology, football fans weren’t having it, as several fans quote-tweeted, calling it half-hearted, especially since it was made on Brighton’s Academy account instead of the club’s official account.
You apologized for offending fans in China. Just that? This man you commemorated was also involved in killing Filipino civilians during and after WWII for 30 years. What a club. Brighton.💀 #BHAFC https://t.co/7DdAuIvizr pic.twitter.com/RJeOwEpYsr
— Yichen Peter Zheng (@HolmesdaleChina) November 29, 2025
Many are also pointing out the mention of just China in the apology and no mention of other countries that had suffered at his hands as well.
Meanwhile, some Chinese fans felt that there was no going back for Brighton in China, as this photo has forever tarnished the reputation of the club in the eyes of the Chinese fans.
