A pub which flew a Japanese flag in support of Celtic ace Kyogo Furuhashi is to take it down after a string of bizarre complaints to the council.
The Cross Keys hung the flag outside the premises in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, 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 council 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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