Japanese Far-Right Group Mocks 'Statue of Peace' in Tokyo Performance

Balloon Installation Similar to 'Statue of Peace'... Inflated with Pump
Fake Bird Made of Fake Currency Placed on Shoulder Instead of 'Symbol of Freedom and Peace' Bird
Forced Claim That Comfort Women Were 'Engaged in Prostitution and Received Payment' Expressed

In a video uploaded on the 23rd, Sakurai Makoto, the leader of the Japanese far-right group "Nihon Daiichito," is seen inflating a balloon doll resembling the Statue of Peace. Photo by Sakurai Makoto, YouTube capture.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Joo-eun Lee] The Japanese far-right group with anti-Korean sentiments, ‘Nihon Daiichito’ (Japan First Party), held an event in Tokyo mocking comfort women victims, and a video of the event was uploaded to YouTube, sparking controversy.

In the video posted on the 23rd (local time), event organizers including Sakurai Makoto installed balloons resembling the ‘Statue of Peace,’ which symbolizes comfort women victims, on chairs and shamelessly made remarks and actions mocking the victims.

As of 10 a.m. on the 27th, the YouTube video has recorded 8,646 views, 839 likes, and 0 dislikes.

Sakurai Makoto, the leader of Nihon Daiichito, who appeared wearing a black hanbok skirt and a white jeogori, live-streamed the event on YouTube. Sakurai is a far-right figure who founded and served as chairman of the ‘Citizens’ Group Against Special Privileges for Zainichi (Koreans in Japan),’ which led anti-Korean protests.

They also performed an act of inflating a doll with a bicycle pump attached with an Asahi Shimbun newspaper article related to comfort women.

This was interpreted as expressing the claim that progressive Japanese media exaggerated the comfort women issue.

Additionally, a bird made of fake Japanese yen was placed on the doll’s left shoulder. Horikiri Sasami, a party member, stated, “The actual Statue of Peace had a parakeet sitting here, but this bird is made of play money,” and claimed, “This means it was never forced conscription and that proper compensation was received.”

The video and photos of the event quickly spread on social networking services (SNS) such as Twitter and Facebook. Some Japanese netizens donated money to them and left supportive comments.

In August 2019, when the Statue of Peace was exhibited at a planned exhibition (Exhibition of the Unfreedom of Expression and After) held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Nihon Daiichito threatened to “destroy the statue,” causing the exhibition to be temporarily suspended. Since then, they have held anti-Korean exhibitions under the name ‘Exhibition of Freedom of Expression for Japanese People.’