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South Korean protesters tear Japanese rising sun flags during a rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. South Korea has formally asked the International Olympic Committee to ban the Japanese "rising sun" flag at next year's Tokyo Games, calling it a symbol of Japan's brutal wartime past and comparing it with the Nazi swastika. South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on last Wednesday said it sent a letter to IOC President Thomas Bach expressing "deep disappointment and concern" over Japanese plans to allow the flag in stadiums and other facilities during the 2020 Olympics. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)