Rightist Groups Don’t Like Yasukuni Documentary
The Japan Times reports on the reaction from rightists given a special preview screening of Chinese director Li Ying’s documentary about the Yasukuni Shrine:
“Speaking straight, (this is) an anti-Japanese film. There is no doubt,” Seishuro Nakao, an executive of a rightwing group, told the audience after the preview, which was held at the Loft Plus One live music club in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
“Let many people see this film. . . . We need to let people know such an anti-Japanese film was produced with their tax money,” he said, referring to the film’s partial funding by an organization affiliated with the Cultural Affairs Agency.
The movie shows festive scenes of the shrine recorded on Aug. 15, the anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.
In the film, some people shout “Tenno heika banzai” (Long live the Emperor!). An American stands holding the Stars and Stripes. Some youngsters protest the war dead commemoration ceremony and are beaten up.
One in the audience suggested he and his like-minded colleagues should sue the agency and the state, demanding the return of the film’s subsidy.
Another said the movie should not be shown in Japan because it would give the impression that the war Japan waged was an act of aggression.
“This is no good,” he said. “I absolutely do not want this movie to be screened.”
Other rightists stated that it would only be fair for them to be given millions of yen in government grants to make a pro-Yasukuni documentary, since the Japanese government granted Li Ying millions for an anti-Yasukuni film.
The added hype and controversy will probably result in more ticket sales for the movie, assuming that the theaters that have agreed to air it do not back out under pressure from angry rightists.
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