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Japan's NHK Chairman Red-Faced after Embarrassing Censorship Incident
Anti-Japanese propaganda broadcast on NHK International Radio Service's Chinese-language program by a deceitful contract employee.
What’s new: At 1:00 p.m. on August 19, 2024, a 48-year-old Chinese national contract employee reading a transcript of a Chinese-language news program live on NHK International Radio1 made an off-the-record remark for about 20 seconds after reporting the news of graffiti found at Yasukuni Shrine.
"Don't forget the Nanjing Massacre. Don't forget the comfort women." - Unauthorized announcement on Japanese International Radio by a Chinese national who was not an employee of NHK
This personal editorial content was not in the script and contradicted the official position of the Japanese government. The same overtly political message was also repeated in English.
Go deeper: On September 10, NHK released a report on an investigation into the incident, which stated that a key staff member and others were present during the broadcast and noticed that the statement was not in the transcript but were unable to take any action such as stopping the audio.
The report also stated that this contract worker had a habit of complaining about Japan's "claims" to the Senkaku Island chain, a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. They are known as the Diaoyu Islands in China and the Tiaoyutai Islands in Taiwan. Japan claims sovereignty over the islands based on their discovery and administration since the late 19th century.
The report also states that NHK's response after the incident was inadequate in terms of making corrections to the broadcast and providing a timely explanation to the program's listeners and the general public. It also criticized a corporate environment in which not enough precautions were taken to prevent this kind of embarrassing crisis from happening in the first place.
State of play: The repercussions of this incident were swift.
NHK switched to pre-recording Chinese-language news broadcasts as a measure to prevent a recurrence.
"This is an extremely serious situation that can be called a 'hijacking' of the broadcasting industry and a violation of the international programming standards we have established." - NHK Chairman Nobuo Inaba (稲葉延雄) apologizing for the incident
To signify just how serious NHK considers this incident to be and clearly identify where responsibility lies, Chairman Inaba, Vice Chairman Tatsuhiko Inoue (井上樹彦), Executive Director Hiro Yamana (山名啓雄) and Director Taichi Nakajima (中嶋太一) will voluntarily return 50% of their executive compensation for one month, and Director Kenji Sobata (傍田賢治), who is in charge of international broadcasting, will resign on January 10, 2025.
In addition, the Representative Director of NHK Global Media Service and two others who had concluded outsourcing contracts with the company that dispatched the underhanded Chinese national contract worker to NHK will voluntarily return 30% of their executive compensation for a period of one month.
Meanwhile: A lawsuit has been filed with the Tokyo District Court seeking 11 million yen (approximately US$77,200) in damages on the grounds that the actions of the outside staff seriously damaged NHK's credibility and constituted an illegal act.
Commentary: In the era of fake news, this incident is not just another case of “drowning in a glass of water.” It is a serious matter.
When I first heard about the story while watching television news on NHK last night, I immediately thought of how the creepy twin censors would cut out just about all of the proposed content for Adrian Cronauer (played by the late Robin Williams) in the classic 1988 film Good Morning, Vietnam. Known for his irreverent humor and willingness to challenge authority, Cronauer frequently clashed with the censors. He often found ways to undermine their censorship efforts and deliver his own message to the troops.
The NHK incident is, however, no laughing matter.
There is no doubt that an honest discussion is needed about the tortured legacy of World War II, including the flashpoints of the Nanjing Massacre (also known as the "Rape of Nanking") and the use of so-called "comfort women" who were essentially sex slaves for Japanese soldiers. It does not help that Japanese politicians continue to make annual pilgrimages to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japanese soldiers and civilians who died in the service of their country, including 14 convicted Class A war criminals such as those responsible for the Nanjing Massacre and the Bataan Death March.
The problem with what this Chinese national did was that his actions were not appropriate. He took advantage of the trust that NHK placed in his employer to read their approved news transcripts in Chinese accurately and without personal editorial content.
The appropriate time and place to promote his own political views, which may be at odds with the Japanese government, would have been on his own time and in a forum where free speech is encouraged.
While I can imagine that some of my friends and colleagues from countries conquered by Japan during World War II will never accept an apology, such an intransigent position will only exacerbate tensions between Japan and its neighbors. China's frequent passive-aggressive incursions into Japan's sovereign territory of the Senkaku Islands are the equivalent of "poking the bear" rather than an operation that could lead to a serious discussion of territorial disputes. They are not constructive and only serve to instill fear, frustration, and hostility in Japan. While a thorough and accurate understanding of historical events is critical, it's high time to put aside these differences and move forward.
What’s next: NHK is now considering using an "AI voice" to read official news transcripts in languages other than Japanese. It is only a matter of time before this kind of automated approach with full control over content becomes the norm.
What do you think? What do you think about how NHK's top management handled this issue? All responses are completely anonymous, even to the author.
Links to Japanese Sources: https://www.sankei.com/article/20240910-LJNPRPWVOBIRFOPFTDYU4GZBAE/ and https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20240910/k10014578201000.html.
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Japan's equivalent of the Voice of America, produced by the viewer- and taxpayer-funded National Broadcasting Agency (NHK) in Japan.
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Unveiling the Real Japan: An American Expat's Inside Look | Hot takes, commentary, and unfiltered insights on life as a foreigner in Japan.
Japan has allowed Chinese and Korean inside the beltway in the most stupid way……decades of soft invasion allowed by lax laws.
Interesting and well-made piece, thank you Mark. The Nanjing massacre cannot be, must not be forgotten. In my home town, Århus in Denmark, there is a statue of Bernhard Arp Sindberg (1911-1983) who saved thousands of lives during that attack on humanity. He was site manger at a Danish cement plant in Nanjing and opened the gates of the compound for civilians, mainly women and children seeking rescue. When the Japanese soldiers came at night, drunk, to demand women, he went to the gate with the Danish flag and told them, this place is under Danish protection and you cannot enter. He saved 6-10,000 lives according to official Chinese records. And the statue in Århus was donated by China in 2019. He did not consider himself a hero, just did what had to be done. https://aarhuswiki.dk/mediawiki/images/thumb/e/e0/Bernhard_Sindberg%2C_Nanjing.jpg/675px-Bernhard_Sindberg%2C_Nanjing.jpg