'Comfort woman' exhibitions must go on despite threats
A Japanese court ruled that it was unfair not to allow a "comfort woman" exhibition in Osaka to go ahead on the grounds of public safety. In the ruling last Friday, the Osaka District Court permitted the exhibition to open as scheduled, stating that the exhibition hall was allowed to showcase a "statue of peace" symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery. With the decision, the exhibition's executive committee will open "After 'Freedom of Expression?'" Friday.
It is fortunate to see the exhibition open in Osaka, given that a similar exhibition in Nagoya was suspended Thursday following a small explosion at the gallery. A package was delivered to the gallery by mail, and something like a firecracker went off inside when a staff member tried to open it, according to press reports. No one was injured, but the organizer of the exhibit, which began last Tuesday for a five-day run, decided to close it over safety concerns.
We welcome the Osaka court's decision to defend freedom of expression and hope that such exhibits will never be halted again by violence. It is a fair and proper decision, considering that restricting freedom of expression must be considered very strictly even in the name of public safety. Japan's attempts to evade and distort historical facts is nothing new. A similar exhibition was held in Nagoya in 2019, but it was suspended after three days because of terrorist threats and complaints. Of course, Japan's right-wing nationalists should be blamed severely for the string of exhibition suspensions.
For that matter, however, the Japanese government cannot avoid criticism, either, for its seemingly irresponsible attitude. It's no secret that the Japanese authorities have not faced up to what happened in the past and confronted intimidating right-wing forces strongly enough. Given that comfort woman exhibitions have been suspended so often, the latest ruling in Osaka must give a valuable lesson to Japan at large: Violence should not be tolerated for whatever reason.
A Japanese court ruled that it was unfair not to allow a "comfort woman" exhibition in Osaka to go ahead on the grounds of public safety. In the ruling last Friday, the Osaka District Court permitted the exhibition to open as scheduled, stating that the exhibition hall was allowed to showcase a "statue of peace" symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sex slavery. With the decision, the exhibition's executive committee will open "After 'Freedom of Expression?'" Friday.
It is fortunate to see the exhibition open in Osaka, given that a similar exhibition in Nagoya was suspended Thursday following a small explosion at the gallery. A package was delivered to the gallery by mail, and something like a firecracker went off inside when a staff member tried to open it, according to press reports. No one was injured, but the organizer of the exhibit, which began last Tuesday for a five-day run, decided to close it over safety concerns.
We welcome the Osaka court's decision to defend freedom of expression and hope that such exhibits will never be halted again by violence. It is a fair and proper decision, considering that restricting freedom of expression must be considered very strictly even in the name of public safety. Japan's attempts to evade and distort historical facts is nothing new. A similar exhibition was held in Nagoya in 2019, but it was suspended after three days because of terrorist threats and complaints. Of course, Japan's right-wing nationalists should be blamed severely for the string of exhibition suspensions.
For that matter, however, the Japanese government cannot avoid criticism, either, for its seemingly irresponsible attitude. It's no secret that the Japanese authorities have not faced up to what happened in the past and confronted intimidating right-wing forces strongly enough. Given that comfort woman exhibitions have been suspended so often, the latest ruling in Osaka must give a valuable lesson to Japan at large: Violence should not be tolerated for whatever reason.
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