Major daily Asahi Shimbun Co. apologized Wednesday for tweets by one of its veteran reporters that featured a photograph of a rightists' rally along with text saying that the participants — some holding flags bearing the rising sun and swastika — were supporters of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, without sufficient confirmation.
The tweet sparked outrage from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which Abe heads, saying that it gives the impression Abe is supported by the likes of neo-Nazis. The party demanded an apology from the Asahi Shimbun on Tuesday.
On his official Twitter account, Tadashi Tominaga, the paper's senior staff writer, posted a photograph Sunday of an ultranationalist rally, saying they are Abe's supporters.