An Aberdeenshire brewing giant has come under fire in Asia for launching a beer called Kamikaze that features a picture of the Japanese Rising Sun.
The name and images are controversial in much of the continent due to associations with the Imperial Japanese military, which was allied with Nazi Germany in WWII.
Ellon-based Brewdog launched the new beverage called Kamikaze Knitting Club in their online store but has since withdrawn it from sale and issued an apology.
Online condemnation was swift, with Jeong Min Kim raging in one comment: “Are you crazy? The kamikaze and Rising Sun symbols are not welcome in Asia. They have the same meaning as the Nazi pattern”.
Another social media user, Hung Woon Kim, wrote: “I’ll never drink one of their Punk IPAs again.”
Kamikaze pilots initiated suicide attacks on allied warships during the 1939-45 conflict.
A spokesman for Brewdog said: “We recognise artwork for Kamikaze Knitting Club contained symbols that were inconsiderate of historical events in Asia.
“We’re sorry and doing everything we can to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
