Clearly, The First Cubs' Japanese Player

Because we're hankering for baseball already and need something to get our dander up, here's the new marketing campaign the Cubs have put together for Kosuke Fukudome. Looks great, right? Well ... that image is a rather offensive one for millions of people.

On 205th explains (via Wikipedia):

The Rising Sun Flag is the military flag of Japan. It had been used as the ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army until the end of World War II. It is also presently the ensign of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the war flag of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. This flag is often considered offensive in countries which were victims of Japanese hostility, particularly China, Australia, United States and the Koreas, where it is seen as alarming, nationalistic and hostile. (Wikipedia)

As if Australia had not suffered enough.

Lest you think we're doing an anti-Cub thing, we remind you of this image, far more terrifying and offensive than anything the Cubs marketing department could come up with.

Chicago Cubs Have No Problem Offending People [On205th]

(By the way, Fukudome and Josh Beckett have actually faced each other before.)