A popular Wishaw pub has been ordered to remove a Japanese flag flown in support of Celtic ace Kyogo Furuhashi after a string of complaints to the council.
The Cross Keys hung the flag outside their Stewarton Street premises in the town earlier this month.
But they came under fire on social media from some who have branded the flag an “insult” to British people who died fighting the Japanese in World War II.
In a statement, the pub said: “We tried to show a welcome to some new arrivals to Scotland.
"To suggest that the Japanese flag is an act of anti-British sentiment is nothing short of ludicrous.”
The pub, which is popular with local Celtic fans, had insisted they would not be removing the flag through “fear or intimidation” because of online criticism.
However, it later emerged that the licensee had told North Lanarkshire Council that the flag would be taken down.
The cou ncil said they had received a “number” of complaints over the flag.
Celtic signed Kyogo last summer and he was joined by Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Yosuke Ideguchi in January.
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