Wald9 Cancels Yasukuni Screening

The Yasukuni shrine, the subject of Ying Li’s documentary Yasukuni, had long proven to be a bone of contention: former enemies criticised its glorification of the country’s militaristic past, especially as it honoured 14 Class A war criminals, including wartime prime minister Hideki Tojo.

Director Ying Li spent 10 years researching and filming the documentary, and claimed he had taken pains to present a balanced view of the controversy that surrounded the shrine.   The film contains no commentary and includes interviews with critics and supporters of the shrine as it focuses on the craftsmanship of an elderly swordsmith who manufactures the weapons traditionally sported by the Japanese military.

Describing the threatening phone calls he had received at his office, Li told the Kyodo news agency, ‘The threats started after press previews and one of the callers said he would barge into our office to confront us if we released the film.‘

Explaining that it had taken the decision to cancel the screening of the film to prevent placing neighbouring businesses in the firing line of protests from ultranationalists, a spokesman for T-Joy, the operator of the Wald9 cinema said, ‘[It] has been talked about so much that it may create trouble and we don't want to inconvenience other building tenants.’ [ADD]

Yasukuni Cancelled

Further Reading:

2008

Japan: 2008