Protests Continue in Osaka Following Tokyo
Facility Manager EL Project Unilaterally Cancels
Executive Committee Files Complaint in Court "Freedom of Expression Must Be Guaranteed"
On the 30th (local time), according to the Mainichi Shimbun in Japan, the executive committee of the civic group "Exhibition of the Non-Freedom of Expression · Kansai," which has been promoting an event showcasing the Girl Statue and others in Osaka, filed a lawsuit on the same day at the Osaka District Court against the facility manager "L Project," demanding the withdrawal of the cancellation of the exhibition hall usage permit. The photo shows a right-wing woman protesting at the exhibition site in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, where "Exhibition of the Non-Freedom of Expression · Tokyo" was scheduled to be held on the 10th. Photo by Yonhap News.
[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] A Japanese civic group’s exhibition of the Statue of Peace in Osaka is at risk of being canceled. The facility manager revoked the venue usage permission, prompting the organizers to take legal action.
According to Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun on the 30th (local time), the executive committee of the civic group "Hyogen-ui Buyujeon Kansai," which has been promoting an event showcasing the Statue of Peace and other exhibits in Osaka, filed a lawsuit at the Osaka District Court on the same day against the facility manager "L Project," demanding the withdrawal of the cancellation of the exhibition hall usage permission.
The executive committee had planned to hold "Hyogen-ui Buyujeon Kansai," an exhibition featuring the Statue of Peace and other items, from the 16th to the 18th of next month at the exhibition facility "L Osaka." The Statue of Peace symbolizes the victims of the Japanese military’s wartime sexual slavery.
However, amid ongoing protests against the event, the facility manager L Project initially approved the use of L Osaka on March 6 but unilaterally canceled it on the 25th of this month. L Project cited "disruption to facility management" as the reason for revoking the exhibition hall usage permission.
The executive committee has submitted a complaint to the court. They argue that "preventing the use of the venue violates Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression," and constitutes "an abuse of discretion." They also stated that opposition to the event consisted of three propaganda activities and about 70 email and phone protests, with no cases involving threats or requiring police reports.
Considering the limited time before the exhibition, the executive committee also filed a provisional injunction request to suspend the effect of the cancellation of the facility usage permission before the main judgment. Previously, a similar Statue of Peace exhibition was planned in Tokyo but was postponed after the venue manager withdrew the offer, citing concerns about causing inconvenience to the surrounding area.
The exhibition was originally scheduled to be held at "Session House Garden" in Shinjuku, Tokyo, but was relocated due to interference from right-wing groups. The new exhibition venue is reported to be located in central Tokyo. The executive committee stated, "We will announce the venue just before the opening."
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