Key Facts
• July 13: Gunma mascot’s official X account posts image with orange jackets.
• Post caption: “What’s wrong with loving this prefecture?!” sparks political association claims.
• Orange linked to a political party, leading to public criticism in comments.
• Post deleted at 9:20 PM on July 13 after backlash.
• July 14: Apology issued, citing unintentional political misunderstanding.
• Gunma officials clarify orange is their image color for over 10 years.
• Photo was taken in June specifically for X platform use.
• Officials admit poor judgment during election period, vow to improve.
• No political intent confirmed by Gunma’s Entertainment and Content Division.
Summary
Gunma Prefecture’s mascot, Gunma-chan, faced controversy after a July 13 social media post was perceived as politically suggestive. The post featured staff in orange jackets, a color associated with a political party, and was captioned, “What’s wrong with loving this prefecture?!” Public criticism led to its deletion the same evening. On July 14, officials apologized, explaining the misunderstanding and emphasizing the absence of political intent. They clarified that orange has been Gunma’s image color for over a decade. The photo was taken in June for social media use, but officials admitted poor timing during the election period and pledged to avoid similar issues in the future.
