Japanese Minister Regrets Moves Not to Screen Shrine Documentary
Text of report in English by Japan’s largest news agency Kyodo
Tokyo, April 1 Kyodo – Japan’s culture minister Kisaburo Tokai on Tuesday expressed regret over the recent moves by some cinemas to decide against screening a contentious documentary on the war- related Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo set for release in mid-April.
The minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology told a press conference, “It is too bad if pressure and harassment resulted in this kind of situation (the cessation of the film).”
By Monday, a total of five cinemas in Tokyo and Osaka decided not to show the film by Chinese director Li Ying on April 12 against their original plans.
Following the preview given for lawmakers on March 12 by Argo Pictures, one of the distributors, some political groups across Japan started pressing cinemas to stop screening the film, according to sources close to the matter.
Asked if the Cultural Affairs Agency’s request for the preview by the distributor might have been the cause for the screening rejections, Tokai said, “We only conveyed lawmakers’ requests to the film maker, and the company sent out preview invitations at its own discretion.”
The preview was conducted at the request of some of the members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, questioning if the film maintains a politically neutral position. The film was granted state subsidies.
“Yasukuni” tells the stories of people involved with the Yasukuni Shrine who hold different views about the war and the shrine, and focuses in particular on a swordsmith who manufactures “Yasukuni Swords.”
The 123-minute documentary won a best-documentary award at the 32nd Hong Kong International Film Festival. It was also shown at international film festivals in South Korea, Germany and the United States.
Originally published by Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0419 1 Apr 08.
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