Gamba Osaka fined Y2 mil over fans hoisting banner resembling Nazi symbol

People are talking about swastikas

because their display in Japan is more evidence of Japanese ignorance of what such Nazi regalia stand for / symbolize.

I don't know why many people are commenting about swastika, the article says the flag is similar to the SS symbol (as per Raw Beer's link). To me, it looks exactly like the stylized SS symbol used by the nazis. Which doesn't make any sense of course: nazis believes that non-aryans are sub-human, and Japanese are obviously not aryan. It's kind of like if ISIS started waving flags with the star of david on them. Weird.

One of the decorations of an apartment building lobby in Gotokuji, Tokyo, is a framed swastika.

Agreed with "Dango bong"... the Himawari is still flown by the Armed Services within Japan:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rising_Sun_Flag

It would have been useful to have seen pictures of the symbols/flags that these supporters used, though the crooked cross is historically used by Buddhists:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35349619

As for why anyone would wish to show off either at an internal (Japan vs Japan) Soccer match is a bit confusing.

Even my gf wears a decent Totenkopf mark on her sheer underwear, this insignia smiles so cute.

two spectators raised a rising sun flag

yet this flag is on every Japanese vessel.

Blank here, the SS used armanen runes.

Does anyone know what reason or excuse the have to use this symbol? Is there anything in the name of the team, city ... that would require two S's?

Somewhat looks like Schutzstaffel(SS) insignia.

The banner, which resembled a symbol derived from the SS of Nazi Germany

I Googled it see what it looked like, found this:

http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2017/05/11/japans-gamba-fined-17500-over-nazi-flag/

It's not the swastika...

I really don't agree with fining the team for this.

Japan uses the Manji/Swastika, Nazis used the Hakenkreuz.

Manji rests on an arm(both facings), Hakenkreuz is rotated 45 degrees to rest on a point/corner.

Similar easily mistaken like the rising sun flag. IJA had the sun centered, IJN is off-centre towards the lanyard.

Don't know if this is the same story but the one I saw had two Z's intertwined which is the symbol for many Japanese temples - the Swastika is two S's intertwined, not two Z's...

@Jimizo: +10 for ya ;)

What is it with football supporters and nationalistic or "right wing" symbols?

Depends on the club. Some clubs are notorious for this kind of thing. Most aren't. I get the sense it's idiots inspired by watching other idiots do it at other games.

What is it with football supporters and nationalistic or "right wing" symbols?

Told you guys. I went to every home Game in 2015-16, and there were some interesting characters there.