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Controversial art exhibition in Nagoya closed after threats

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zichiJuly 9  07:35 am JST

No use in the post of the usual word "Comfort Women?" The show cancelled in Oska too. Who gets to decide when an exhibition is allowed-censorship isn't very healthy.

All nations must recognize their history - good, bad and ugly. Like the US, Japan needs to own up to its past abuses. Germany certainly has. Spain finally has been dealing with the Falangist past as well.

AttilathehungryJuly 9  03:11 pm JST

People who try to censor art are bell-ends (love that expression, thanks British people). All you do is draw more attention to it and defeat your own purpose.

I remember a few years back a group of angry protestors stopped a museum in Boston from having a 'try on a kimono' exhibition because it was racist and all that. Funny thing was, the local Japanese community had no trouble with it. The protestors were all 'Asian but not Japanese' types who had been educated far beyond their intelligence.

In both cases, the only answer is for the gallery/museum to tell the protestors to.... how can I say without getting removed.... go away? If you don't like the exhibit, don't pay money to go see it. Get on with your life.

In the 80s there was a movement to censor books they didn't like incl. 'Huckleberry Finn' and 'A Hero Ain't Nothing But a Sandwich'. And the lippy loudmouth Tipper Gore and the PMRC howled about music they didn't like and/or were too ignorant and stupid to understand. That led to a backlash reaction, I refer you to 2 Live Cru as an example. If you don't like something, don't spend your money to patronize it and it will go away.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

-11( +1 / -12 )

In some contexts and some responders, a negative vote is the highest praise they can give...you're generally poking at their 'bad' places and asking them to THINK rather than respond from their brainstems as usual, and it's the asking them to THINK rather than the particular subject which elicits their ire...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The left leaning cancel culture comes to Japan. Pitiful.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Anything that upsets the scummy right wing should be celebrated.

-9 ( +0 / -9 )

Yeah ART is the great, Mr.&Mrs. Kim stealing motif from a Japanese coal miner to create a Korean wartime laborer and THIS, stealing again from the poor girl run over to death by US armored car near base in South Korea to create what everyone call a comfort woman.

Yeah ART is indisputable, Mr.& Mrs.Kim have been making fortune an fighting to protect their patent on these statues and look what happened at South Korean court? They had lost the case!!

Shame on them. Shame on ART!!

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Self-reflection. That's something we lack. Self-reflection here automatically equals criticism, self-hatred, hatred of Japan. What we can do, however, is point to others. It's time to grow up and stop playing the wronged snot all the time.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

By the way, I am not a leftist, but I support the exhibition.

Freedom of expression and speech should be protected.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

A right-wing organization affiliated with the Yamaguchi-gumi was running a campaign to criticize the Aichi governor for supporting the exhibition. The head of the organization is Takayama, the No. 2 Yamaguchi-gumi member, but according to a column by a prominent Japanese yakuza expert, Takayama is a Korean living in Japan.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

This is ironic considering that many of the right-wing organizations in Japan are run by Korean yakuza.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Of course, the main stimulus to the reflexive hostility of the nationalist here is the presence of an exhibit STRONGLY suggesting that Japan was WRONG. Wrong about anything would be good enough for these sorts but here we have the issue of SEX which is like adding methamphetamine to a psychopath. BUT, the main question I do not understand is why we never hear of the many JAPANESE WOMEN who were also conscripted into this horrific sexual slavery. We never hear of them except in books like "Sandakan Brothel No. 8" by Yamazaki Tomoko. What has Japan done for them? What reparations were given to the Japanese victims, if any was offered? Were they commensurate with what Korean women received? Why are they so quiet? Has the government shamed them into silence? Perhaps a staff writer for JT could look into this and give us a review of the history of WWII Japanese sex slaves and, perhaps, when these crazed nationalists understand that it could have been, maybe was, THEIR OWN GRANDMOTHERS, they might discover they contain a little Humanity after all.

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

A ridiculous decision— now every time some nut bag disagrees with anything they can just threaten to bomb it and then wait for the government to shut it down.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

What kind of sick japanese person enjoy looking at art that features anti-japan messages? And buring picture of the emperor?

If this was any other country in asia that does these things in their own nation, that person would have been executed/jailed already for being disloyal to one nation. These kind of thing just invite problems and instability. It might be ok in the west that they want to destroy their own nation in the name of freedom, but there are nations in the rest of the world that does not do this.

Downvote all if you want, but i love my nation and even if it has problems, it doesn't mean i agree that people show these kind of thing as art. There are limits. People from outside come and goes when they want, but for people like us who spend our lives here in our nation, to show us burning picture of our emepror is not ok.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

snowymountainhellToday  09:39 am JST

These so-called “***Cancel Cultures” *done J-Style!**

Couldn't Japan have imported something more fun from the dems?

Nose rings?Purple hair? Unwashed hair?

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

So scared and insecure about real history they resort to the same sort of threats of violence that it has on display. I guess nothing says Japan more than that.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

FreeDamn in expression, Good Job. They are sick men

5 ( +6 / -1 )

A package containing firecrackers was sent to a gallery in Nagoya where the exhibit titled "After Freedom of Expression" was being held, the city government said.

Firecrackers !

Someone should send the JOC and Koike a 3-day-old bento.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

All major dictionaries online exemplify prostitution with the word comfort women, as acclaim to the reality of what it is and was throughout the history of war. Shameful yes, but it is what it is. No art shows should be censored nor canceled.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Zaphod has got and expressed the point of it. I agree.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Well, they may be able to hold it in Osaka, on the 16th. Osaka District Court has decided to allow an injunction on Osaka's decision to stop the exhibit and allow it to go ahead.

https://digital.asahi.com/articles/ASP794CDDP78PTIL04W.html

2 ( +3 / -1 )

People who try to censor art are bell-ends (love that expression, thanks British people). All you do is draw more attention to it and defeat your own purpose.

I remember a few years back a group of angry protestors stopped a museum in Boston from having a 'try on a kimono' exhibition because it was racist and all that. Funny thing was, the local Japanese community had no trouble with it. The protestors were all 'Asian but not Japanese' types who had been educated far beyond their intelligence.

In both cases, the only answer is for the gallery/museum to tell the protestors to.... how can I say without getting removed.... go away? If you don't like the exhibit, don't pay money to go see it. Get on with your life.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

" Artists and their works are neither soldiers nor bullets to protect a specific civil movements"

This person who resigned from the committee meant

" Do not disguise and protect your political propaganda with other ordinary artists and their works"

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Both sides are stupid. It is stupid to label the political propaganda as art, and it is stupid to react with bomb threats.

1 ( +11 / -10 )

"Controversial art exhibition in Nagoya closed after threats"

I do not see this as anti Japanese. This exhibition is only a reminder of what happen in the past.

If you see it as anti Japanese, that's your response.

If you see it as a historical reminder of what not to do ever again, that's your response.

Your response to this exhibition is what matters but it's not your freedom to make threats to the exhibition organizers.

That makes you a clear loser.

-7 ( +7 / -14 )

Japan happily will stop truths of WW 2 and will continue a lack of transparency to their own people.

So one exhibit relates to comfort women of Korea, and some one wants this to not be shown because it is a lie? No, because it's true. Distasteful? Could be or not, I haven't seen it, but it is what it is, a form of expression that shouldn't be stifled.

And an exhibit of Hirohito burning is wrong?

It's expressing an anger toward an emperor who was either gaslit or convinced the war was good for Japan and let the militaristic forces wreak havoc and death throughout Asia and into the Pacific. It isn't a burning of the emperor because he was a great emperor, it is a symbolic burning of weak integrity, enabling evil and knowingly approve suffering with murder of many people. His reign allowed for human vivisection and experimentation on living people used as guinea pigs. It allowed for great suffering for innocent people in China and throughout Asia.

HIrohito could have tried to prevent the military from what they did. He may have failed, but he didn't try. He was a coward, and a lasting symbol of Japan. He knew he could do something about it, but turned away when it mattered most.

The Japanese do not want this transparency of thought. They refuse to believe the evil that lies beneath and their actions of continued censorship and revisionist historical actions of Japan will always patronize their own, and of course, other countries' intelligence by dissing truths, and they choose to ignore it. Shoganaideshou? Cowardice to the world who would like Japan to fess up to their own people first, what happened.

Because they lack integrity, it causes a lack of courage for continued generations. They are too stubborn and weak to admit their role in the most horrid historic actions by a country in this hemisphere and unbeknownst to their ignorance, it hurts their development as a people and the continued guilt wracks their souls.

-7 ( +8 / -15 )

You mean to tell me that if I too shout in the streets from my car I cam get what I want? Sign me up!

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

I'm personally critical to the exhibition but also believe it's within the range of free speech.

Most badly affected are non-related third party groups who are also to hold some events in the facility now forced to shut down.

It’s sad that right wing historical revisionists are able to silence others so easily.

Don't rush to be judgmental while the inquiry is underway. In some cases, right-wings are also scapegoated. Just last year an ordinary citizen (activist?) got arrested on vandalism at Yasukuni Shrine. He aimed to frame "netouyo" right wing.

「ネット右翼に一矢を報いよう」33歳男、靖国神社のトイレに武漢を誹謗中傷する落書きをして逮捕

https://news.nicovideo.jp/watch/nw7383876

BTW, many media outlets including JT initially reported it with critical comments on the right wings, but then NEVER updated, followed it up as the truth went the other way. SHAME.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

These so-called “**Cancel Cultures” done J-Style!**

Correction: There is NO “culture” to any of these subversive anarchists, who attempt to induce a ‘group-think’, “lynch-mob” mentality toward anything tha threatens their “agendas”.

These groups are the ‘real’ threat to individual expression, perhaps tolerated (*for now**) *& fueled by governments through their media “puppets”.

(Fortunately, these groups are increasingly dividing into smaller, more divisive & exclusionary groups yet, progressively ‘eating their own”. Let’s hope that trend continues so societies and people can return to a natural equilibrium.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

The exhibition had to close because of terrorism. Not the physical act but the threat of the physical act. Threats are violations of the law. Are the police investigating? Ha.

These right-wing thugs have a violent legacy. Behind their violent clown shows is a vast right-wing Japanese dystopia that Is doing it best to keep freedom of expression down.

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

The j-gov tried to censor a similar exibition with the same Korean sexual slave -confort woman- in Germany.

But Germany didn't ably.

-9 ( +8 / -17 )

An executive committee of the same exhibition in Tokyo resigned and mentioned

" Artists and their works are neither soldiers nor bullets to protect a specific civil movements"

Call it art/freedom of expression or all you like. Even among the committees, some know what these really are.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Censoring art. Great move for a free society.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

They must’ve known that there were going to be some backlash when they agreed to do the exhibition. That was sort of the point right? If you are going to be brave, you stay the course. You don’t shutdown after two days with a packet of firecrackers. That’s a win for the goons right there. Weak.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

The exhibit, including a statue of a girl symbolizing Korean women who worked in wartime Japanese military brothels, was to be held through Sunday.

What exactly is an "anti-Japan" message about this exhibit?

1 ( +15 / -14 )

No need to Exhibit, everything and anything can be found online, so what is the point in having an exhibition?

2 ( +11 / -9 )

It is sad that the organisers have given in to terrorism so easily.

1 ( +14 / -13 )

I bet some oyaji in Nagoya is sitting alone in his little rabbit hutch apartment spitting on the floor, sucking his teeth, slugging on one cup, and laughing his back side off.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

This is how they walk the line.

They didn't want it opened and were waiting for any excuse to shut it down.

Wonder how much time will be spent on finding the person who sent firecrackers in the mail.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

ToraToday 07:41 am JST

This would be the second time (that I know of). Stop trying to hold the damned thing for god's sake. These bureaucrats never give in do they?

You've got the wrong end of the stick here - ultra-nationalist uyoku scum are threatening violence against the organisers of the exhibition. Freedom of expression good, rightwing thugs bad.

8 ( +21 / -13 )

This would be the second time (that I know of). Stop trying to hold the damned thing for god's sake. These bureaucrats never give in do they?

Who do bureaucrats have to do with an art exhibition exactly?

0 ( +9 / -9 )

This would be the second time (that I know of). Stop trying to hold the damned thing for god's sake. These bureaucrats never give in do they?

2 ( +11 / -9 )

Cant beleive they bowed to these cowardly losers in their lame trucks. So what? They drive around yelling stuff out that no one cares about. But it’s noisy isn’t it... and it might disturb the peace for a few minutes until you get inside the museum and can’t hear it anymore.

Apart from their black trucks and speakers, what else can these wimps do?

2 ( +15 / -13 )

Unfortunate, freedom of speech.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

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