Japan's government admitted Monday manipulating an official photo of the new cabinet to make its members look less unkempt, after online mockery of their sagging trousers.
Images taken by local media showed what appeared to be an untidy patch of white shirt under the morning suits of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani.
In the official photo issued by Ishiba's office, these blemishes had mysteriously disappeared, but not quickly enough to stop a barrage of mockery of the "untidy cabinet" on social media.
"This is more hideous than a group picture of some kind of a seniors' club during a trip to a hot spring. It's utterly embarrassing", one user wrote on X.
"Minor editing was made," top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters on Monday, while seeking to deflect criticism of the manipulation.
"Group photos during official events of the prime minister's office, such as the cabinet reshuffle, will be preserved forever as memorabilia, so minor editing is customarily performed on these photos," he said.
© 2024 AFP
40 Comments
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TaiwanIsNotChina
We should probably just be happy that they are wearing pants.
CrashTestDummy
Much ado about nothing.
Asiaman7
To me, the undoctored photo appears to show the bare belly of PM Ishiba instead of “an untidy patch of white shirt.” But the photo is not terribly clear.
A better examination of the two photos can be found at the following link:
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20241005/p2a/00m/0na/011000c
Some dude
I thought this was going to be an admission that the women were photoshopped in and there are in fact no women in the new administration at all.
wallace
No official photo should ever be photoshopped.
earsay
Oh the diversity...
Fighto!
Those old fashioned European style suits never look good on short, stocky men.
Why do J-politicians always dress up in them specifically for these cabinet shots?
Dave Fair
Well, if they had more cabinet members wearing skirts, not pants it may have been less notable! Out of 24 just two women? There goes the governments diversity push down the pooper!
Brian Trout
And then there are the apologists who ridiculously blame the suits.
Lame.
kurisupisu
Plenty of manipulation going on, not just photos…
Garthgoyle
If the photographers shoot in RAW, which most do, it has to pass thru Photoshop or any other editing software.
Moonraker
Is there a posse of LDP supporters on Japanese social media going around downvoting critical Japanese comments too?
wallace
Judging from my comment four people think it's alright to photoshop official photos.
Bobby Franks
There is an entire governmental department!
JeffLee
Why do they wear those old-fashioned European suits? The Europeans don't. LOL. The men-only attire also always makes the tiny number of women stick out like they don't belong, which I guess is the idea.
shogun36
I can guarantee you, no one cares about the pants on a line up of 60-70 year old dudes.
As long as their little Tatsu's and Tama's aren't hanging out, we are good.
Sum
People get their photos doctored all the time.
Moonraker
I often wonder...
burgers and beers
I thought this was going to be an admission that the women were photoshopped in and there are in fact no women in the new administration at all.,
Lol, good one and almost plausible too.
We should probably just be happy that they are wearing pants.
Brownies for not falling off the stairs though.
Martimurano
If only the new PM had a very wealthy benefactor who could bung him some seriously big brown-envelopes to replace his entire wardrobe......
SapperJon
That's a bit risky to have all those old pensioners standing on the stairs like that, if one at the back fell over they'd all go down like nine pins!
That's got to be one of the oldest groups of politicians in the world.
Big
The youthful vibrant energy is just jumping out of the picture! Japan is in good hands.
BertieWooster
Why do they wear these European style suits? For the same reason that this kind of oyaji does anything. Because that's the way it's always been done!
WoodyLee
So Hilarious to say the least.
wallace
Sum
Judging from my comment four people think it's alright to photoshop official photos.
Not official ones and not ones published by the media.
purple_depressed_bacon
Such a diverse group...and in outdated penguin suits too. It's not flattering, the lack of diversity or the outdated penguin suits.
Peter Neil
the government still operates with the meiji period mindset that japan should emulate england to the world - small island, powerful navy, monarch, colonialism (which didn't work out well), parliamentary system, drive on the left, formal dress and british english is taught to bureaucrats and the royal family, etc.
thus, the morning coats.
WoodyLee
2 Ladies and 22 Men, just about right.
Bobby Franks
That unnatural amount of downvotes compared to other posts indicates the dudes got upset by being outed.
Mark
Or maybe it indicates exasperation of people's conspiracy-mongering and obsession with downvotes.
Ai Wonder
The disheartening thing is to see so many out of touch old people holding high office. A younger generation needs to come through and these ancient people should clear off and retire.
Aoi Azuuri
Japanese Govt who had repeated "doctoring" public document since Abe regime, it's photo this time.
Bret T
People are upset that the photo was changed because they trust that everything in the media is 100% factually accurate. They feel betrayed. I feel betrayed 8-).
Seriously, I don't understand why it's wrong since it's only clothing that was altered. Changing the faces to make them look younger would be wrong.
Abe234
If it wasn't for the internet, this wouldnt even be on the news. LOL
SDCA
I guess I should be happy about this news. Slow day I presume? Let's keep the peace
Speed
Touched up or not, this is a pretty sorry looking picture.
Not only that, many seem to be looking in different directions.
The guy at bottom right looks like he's birdwatching.
Bobby Franks
Well, it’s a conspiracy that the government itself has confirmed. I guess you just didn’t know. Or couldn’t fathom would be true.
dan
The guy on the front right looks comatose.
Jonathan Prin
Welcomz to the gerontology club and their two daycare workers ;)
Sagging trousers is the worst way to wear otherwise gentlemen’ suit. It is supposed to be appealing and with a smiling successful face, not the opposite.
theFu
The guy in the lower right looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. Perhaps he was going for "thoughtful" in his look, but nailed "dumbfounded" instead?
The guy behind him look a little too happy to be there. Get a blood sample and test it!
Couldn't they just take the photo and run it through some A.I. photo engine to "clean up" the issues? At a minimum, they need to fix that crooked tie. Pet-peeve of mine.