Judge Orders Nikon to Hold ‘Comfort Women’ Photo Exhibit

[homasse]

Judge Orders Nikon to Hold ‘Comfort Women’ Photo Exhibit

A month after camera company Nikon Corp. cancelled a photo exhibit on wartime Korean “comfort women,” a judge has ordered the exhibit to open Tuesday as originally planned.

Comments

[myrrhmade]

Heartbreaking. I'm still horrified that there are deniers and/or apologists for this atrocity.

[mirhanda]

This. They need to own up to it, teach it in schools, and make damn sure something like this can't ever happen again.

[robintheshrew]

Yeah, obviously we're "foolish leftists" because we don't deny that such a horrible thing happened. Those commenters are just as bad holocaust deniers.

[shukivengeance]

These poor women. What they suffered should never be swept under the carpet or forgotten.

[flcadam]

I don't understand how the court could rule that Nikon has to continue on with the exhibition. If the public finds the display offensive, Nikkon should have the right to take this into account. I don't know anything about Japanese law, but from an American perspective, it seems weird that a court can force a company to host an exhibit that might ruin the company's reputation with the public.

[shukivengeance]

Presumably because there was a contract and the judge decided it wasn't a good enough reason to let them out of the agreement.

[imnotasquirrel]

I figured that even in the event of a breach of contract, the courts would simply impose a fine instead of forcing them to hold the exhibit. Shows you how much I know!

[roh_wyn]

Yeah, when I first read the article, I was confused as well. But I'm guessing that the photographer alleged breach of contract, and fear of political and or reputational costs wasn't a legitimate reason for Nikon to rescind the contract.

Also, I don't know if Japanese law imposes moral obligations on parties to honor their contracts even in cases of serious "loss of face" for one or both parties.

[zemi_chan]

I feel ashamed that this is the first time I've ever read anything about these Korean comfort women... I'm glad the judge ruled in the way that he did, though.

How many other critically acclaimed photo exhibitions and galleries would have never existed if this "NO POLITICS, PLZ" resolve was shared by more people? I hate it when people use that excuse to avoid dealing with or examining important issues like this.

[poetic_pixie_13]

Jesus Christ, that photo. You can see more of them at Ahn Se-hong's website. They're absolutely heartbreaking. I hope that this sparks actual dialouge about what they were subjected to and the organized involvement of the Japanese military.

[carmy_w]

Wow; thanks for the link.