Nikon censoring photographer's work

jon ryan

jon ryan

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Korean Photographer Ahn Sehong has been documenting the lives of former 'Comfort Women' - women who were forced to work as sex-slaves during World War 2. It is a sensitive issue even in modern Japan as it concerns war crimes committed by the Imperial Japanese Army and the establishment would prefer it was not discussed.

He was being sponsored by Nikon & due to have the work shown at the prestigious Nikon Salon in Tokyo, whose mission statement is - "To pursue the meaning of photography: the expression of ideas".

However after protests from certain extremist political groups within Japan the exhibition has been cancelled and funding ceased.
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Until now, I have always said I don't care what make of camera I use. This has rather changed my mind.
 
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Do you think Canon would have behaved any differently?
 
Sadly I doubt many commercial concerns would put moral values above business sense, so though regrettable, not really very surprising or a reason to specifically avoid buying Nikon.

Going to have to stop responding it's getting pointless!
 
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Well you are suggesting the blame lies with Nikon. In fact it lies within the strict codes that still underpin society in Japan today.

They haven't censored the the photographer just chosen not to assist him. He is getting plenty of attention and press elsewhere.

The ramifications though for any Japanese corporation washing the "dirty linen" from World War II though would not be something any company in Japan would seek to be partnered with.

The Loss of Face would be immense for the Senior board members to the Government and the Emperor.
 
PsiFox said:
Well you are suggesting the blame lies with Nikon. In fact it lies within the strict codes that still underpin society in Japan today.

They haven't censored the the photographer just chosen not to assist him. He is getting plenty of attention and press elsewhere.

The ramifications though for any Japanese corporation washing the "dirty linen" from World War II though would not be something any company in Japan would seek to be partnered with.

The Loss of Face would be immense for the Senior board members to the Government and the Emperor.
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I'm sure Nikon will be delighted in your support for their action. Perhaps you Should start a counter-petition in favour of continued refusal to admit to the truth of what happened to these women.

They haven't censored the the photographer just chosen not to assist him. He is getting plenty of attention and press elsewhere.
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So that's OK then. What would they have done differently had they wanted to censor him?
 
gramps said:
Sadly I doubt many commercial concerns would put moral values above business sense, so though regrettable, not really very surprising or a reason to specifically avoid buying Nikon.

Going to have to stop responding it's getting pointless!
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"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)
 
If I was a Nikon user I would be asking the question was this a decision made to censor part of Japan's history that they wanted swept under the carpet,in fact I think that question needs asking whatever brand of Japanese camera you use because as said earlier its likely that the same would have happened were the event sponsored by Canon,Sony etc etc.
 
I was aware of these events many years ago.

I didn't say I was supporting their action anywhere in my post. I was just informing you how Japanese companies think and work.

Whilst I do not agree with what they did, I worked closely with Japanese Corporations for over 20 years.

Japanese corporations do not rock the boat, it's bad for business.

No business owner is going to cause a backlash on their own business.

Perhaps we should get a British Company to sponsor an exhibition on the 27,000 people killed by Britain in Concentration camps during the Boer War.

Perhaps we should complain about Animal Farm being censored and banned from publication by Parliament until after VE day, as nothing was allowed to be printed in books or press about Stalin and Russia, that might offend that bastion of free will.

So that's OK then
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Yes it is, they are free to make their own choice.

Bottom line is no censorship has taken place or we would not even be discussing this.

My posts are in response to that not the horrific acts carried out by Japanese Military during the war.
 
The make of the camera is not the point. The censorship is. The question has been raised many times, and some people in Japan - and here, it seems - refuse to confront it. In this instance, a protest aimed at embarrassing Nikon may just go a little way in finding some justice for these women.

But I suppose it depends if you think they are entitled to justice.
 
jon ryan said:
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)
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CNN have done something though haven't they?
 
jon ryan said:
The make of the camera is not the point. The censorship is. The question has been raised many times, and some people in Japan - and here, it seems - refuse to confront it. In this instance, a protest aimed at embarrassing Nikon may just go a little way in finding some justice for these women.

But I suppose it depends if you think they are entitled to justice.
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Just as people in other countries refuse to acknowledge or talk about past atrocities committed by their country.

Japan is not alone in this.

RE he make of camera you made it part of the point in your opening post.

If you only wanted to discuss the issue you didn't need to say it could influence what you purchased.
 
PsiFox said:
CNN have done something though haven't they?
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Indeed they have, as have some of the braver Japanese journalists, and other journalists around the world. And it's a small thing, but may just help that a growing number of photographers have added our names to the list of those who object to Nikon's actions.

Are you going to?
 
jon ryan said:
Indeed they have, as have some of the braver Japanese journalists, and other journalists around the world. And it's a small thing, but may just help that a growing number of photographers have added our names to the list of those who object to Nikon's actions.

Are you going to?
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Perfectly happy to.

Will I stop using Nikon though, no.
 
simonblue said:
Very bad judgement from Nikon,they should not have caved in :shake:
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A classic example of how people will not "stand up and be counted" to make a difference or to bring a particular topic to the attention of Joe public simply because of how the repercussions may affect them ( finacially, politically or otherwise)

I do feel that Nikon being so large a company and such a big name within the photography world could have easily stood strong and showed their support for Ahn Sehong and more so those women who will have suffered dreadfully during wwII.

I am only one person, however i will be adding my name to the list of others expressing discontent at Nikons decission to back out.
 
Bad move on Nikon's part. The outrage over this lack of help would be far more than a few others getting their knickers in a knot over them doing it. Considering they're generally the brand I'd associate with journalism it's a double foot shooting situation.

One of the other manufacturers may step in and make good PR with it. 'X is the camera brand of truth'.

If nothing else it is entertainment. I'm sure they'll do a volte face.
 
Stratman said:
Someone ought to point Nikon in the direction of The Streisand Effect
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It's nothing to do with that. Nikon are not hiding anything. It is reported in the press it is on the www.

I knew about this over 30 years ago.

It is just them not supporting it, incorrectly as we see it ( and it is incorrect) but not as Japanese culture does.
 
Its not different anywhere else, its not just a Japanese thing.

You don't see a Stop the War protest sponsored by WH Smith, Barclays never sponsored the Greenham Common protests and Vodafone as far as I know won't put money into support of the Animal Liberation Front.

Big business is by its nature conservative (with a small "c") and usually does not want its name associated with anything that can be deemed "political" as politics is about differences and division and the last thing they want is to divide their customer base.

(as an aside and without dragging down the serious nature of this topic, It does surprise me that some of these companies choose to put money into football team sponsorship on the same basis)

The whole "comfort women" issue is a political one as much as a human rights one. It perhaps shouldn't be after all this time, but it is. Japanese company or not, this is why Nikon corp have run away from this - but clearly due to recent agitation against the artist and themselves as the artist has been working on documenting "comfort women" since at least 2004, so it wasn't a surprise with the exhibition's contents.

I guess they thought it was "edgy" but "edgy" turned into a full on political and physical fight and that was too much.
 
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If Japan is unwilling to accept its past,it will never come to term with it :(

Plus Japan,is part of a global market,and if the project had been about Atom bomb victim,of WW-2 ?
 
Not really the same, as what we are talking about in this thread is basically State Organised Sex Slavery. This isn't individuals but the Japanese State (or at least the Imperial Army) that committed this crime.
 
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