The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below. Most Japanese Americans oppose Abe administration's attempt to whitewash Japan's wartime history. The head of the festival organizers said he was "deeply ashamed of a decision that may result in pressure on freedom of expression" but cited concerns from local officials as well as worries about the "security" of volunteers staffing the festival. Did they have the freedom to leave?
Were they forced to continue even if paid and if at all? Not allowing them the freedom to quit is the issue of slavery overlooked by the decision to be employed often used to distract. A friend of mine who was in the Japanese army in Manchuria at the time described to me exactly the same scene quote by AgentX above. Every three or four days the women were sent in rota to sick quarters to recuperate.
Tired of seeing S. Korea always pulling this issue out from time to time and whacking Japan over the head with it, but at the same time I'm against censorship. Let the people decide and make up their own minds about it. In Japan, unfortunately, if you do happen to own a movie theater showing such a film, the fear of being attacked by right-wing groups has to be taken quite seriously. Some of the people interviewed in the film , by Japanese-American director Miki Dezaki, have filed suit against him, claiming they were not aware the interviews would be used in a movie for public release.
It's not about censoring 'big bad Japan recruiting sex slaves', it's about an individual's right to give permission to use video of themselves in a public capacity or not. If they were not aware they were being filmed for use in a documentary and are suing the creator, then the film shouldn't be released. They did the same crap when "The Cove" came out about 10 years ago. Then it got very limited release. If they were not aware they were being filmed for use in a documentary and are suing the creator, then the film shouldn't be released As i understand permission WAS given and director Miki Dezaki has spoken at length about this on the internet.
He has openly shown the original agreements with the appropriate clauses. What apparently has happened is they never, ever, expected a "non-famous student film maker" to actually produce a documentary of this quality and credibility and that anyone let alone a cinema would ever give him screening rights.
