CHAPTER 5: THE ANTI-NHK PROTEST CAMPAIGNS
5.3 T HE “J APAN D EBUT ” P ROTEST C AMPAIGN
On April 5, 2009, NHK aired the first in theJapan Debutseries of
documentaries, a subsection of Project Japanthat was meant to explore Japan’s modernization and quest for great power status from the opening of the port of Yokohama in 1859 to the end of the Pacific War in 1945.271 This documentary, entitledA First Rate Asian Power[Ajia no Ittou Koku], focused on Japan’s colonization of Taiwan. Utilizing historical documents, interviews with
international scholars, and the personal testimony of Taiwanese people who had lived under Japanese rule, it explained the motivations that led Japan to become a colonial power and the effects its policies had on Taiwanese people.
The documentary’s portrayal of the negative aspects of colonialism – political suppression, racial and ethnic discrimination, the treatment of indigenous peoples, military conscription, and policies that suppressed local culture and religion – angered Japanese conservatives and pro-Taiwan independence groups. A coalition of groups, including Channel Sakura, launched a protest campaign against NHK, accusing the public broadcaster of violating its legal obligation to produce politically neutral programs. They accused NHK of selectively editing interviews, intentionally using incorrect or misleading terminology, and presenting false information as if it was factual. In their judgment, NHK’s “biased and fabricated” documentary was created with the
271「シリーズ・JAPANデビュー 第1回「アジアの"一等国"」に関しての説明」
<http://www.nhk.or.jp/japan/announce/090617.html>（2010/12/01アクセス）
intent of convincing viewers that Japanese rule of Taiwan was evil and that the Taiwanese people feel deep resentment towards Japan.272
The first group to become involved was the Friends of Lee Teng-Hui Association in Japan, a chapter of a network of organizations that support former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-Hui. As Lee is often regarded as one of the most Pro-Japanese leaders of Taiwan and a friend of Japanese conservatives, the Japan chapter counts several prominent conservative figures among its members. The Association’s president in 2009 was Odamura Shiro, a vice-president of the Nippon Kaigi as well as a head of Meiseisha, a publishing company that specialized in nationalist literature and had published a version of Tsukurukai’s history textbook.273 Included among the Associations
vice-presidents and directors are Okazaki Hisahiko of Tsukurukai and Kase Hideaki of the Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact. According to Wikipedia, it had 20 chapters in Japan and a membership of about 1,500 people.274 Its e-magazine, which was sent out about three times a week during the protest campaign, had over 2,900 e-mail subscribers.275 The Association sent a protest letter to NHK on April 10, five days after the program aired. It was also joined by the Taiwan Research Forum, an organization headed by Nagayama Hideki.
272「A Sinful Broadcast of NHK」<http://loader.offmatrix.net/nhk/src/up_029.pdf>（2010/12/11アクセス）
273 One example of this nationalist literature is this Nanking denial book:「竹本忠雄・大原康男 再審「南京大虐殺」―世界に 訴える日本の冤罪」< http://www.meiseisha.com/eng/nanking/e-nam1.htm>（2010/12/10アクセス）. Membership information retrieved from「役員名簿«日本会議」< http://www.nipponkaigi.org/about/yakuin>（2010/12/10アクセス）and Okumura, Jun. "Most of You Have Not Heard of Nippon Kaigi," GlobalTalk 21 Blog, January 02, 2008, Accessed December 10, 2010. http://son-of-gadfly-on-the-wall.blogspot.com/2008/01/most-of-you-have-not-heard-of-nippon.html 274「日本李登輝友の会- Wikipedia」
<http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E6%9D%8E%E7%99%BB%E8%BC%9D%E5%8F%8B%E3%
81%AE%E4%BC%9A>（2010/12/10アクセス）
275「メールマガジン日台共栄」<http://www.melma.com/backnumber_100557/>（2010/12/10アクセス）
Nagayama was also a member of the Friends of Lee Teng-Hui Association in Japan.276
As mentioned in previous chapters, pro-Taiwan independence groups have aligned themselves with Japan’s assertive conservative right because both groups benefit from a view of history that shows Taiwan as a separate entity from China. By highlighting Japanese colonialism as a period of improvement for Taiwan, rather than as a period of Japanese invaders taking over a piece of Chinese territory, Taiwanese independence activists can emphasize that Taiwan has developed an identity that sets it apart from China. This view is in harmony with the Japanese assertive conservative right’s favored view of history. Thus, the membership and leadership of organizations such as the Friends of Lee Teng-Hui includes many Japanese who support the assertive conservative right.
It is particularly noteworthy that Kase Hideaki is a director for the association. As was mentioned in Chapter 3, Kase helped bring together the original founders of Channel Sakura. It was in Kase’s office that Mizushima Satoru, president of Channel Sakura, was introduced to co-founders Matsuura Yoshiko and Tagata Takeo. Just one day after the friends of Lee Teng-Hui Association in Japan sent their protest letter to NHK, Channel Sakura began making programs attacking the documentary.277 From the very start there was cooperation against NHK.
276 “1/4【永山英樹】ＮＨＫ「ＪＡＰＡＮデビュー」が削除したこと[桜H21/4/14]”日本文化チャンネル桜(2009年4月14日).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiO93BoNT1A
277 “1/2【ＮＨＫ・アジアの一等国】日台分断工作！？繰り返される”日本文化チャンネル桜(2009年4月11日).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aMHMTTjx9E