Touching bodies with a 'click'... Controversy over 'Innocence Destroying' Photo at Japanese Theme Park

"Request for Recurrence Prevention at Theme Park"

Since its opening last November, a theme park in Japan has been embroiled in controversy as some male visitors have been taking inappropriate photos.

According to multiple local Japanese media reports on the 14th, at 'Ghibli Park,' a theme park that brings to life the works of Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki's 'Studio Ghibli,' some male visitors were seen touching the chest of a girl character from the movie 'Tales from Earthsea' or secretly filming under the skirt of a child character from 'Whisper of the Heart' with their smartphones, and even pretending to cover the child's mouth with their hand as if attempting a kidnapping.

[Photo source below=Online community capture]

The original photos posted by these male visitors on Twitter have since been deleted, but their inappropriate behavior has sparked outrage among netizens both domestically and internationally. Some have expressed anger, calling it a criminal act beyond just 'destroying innocence.'

Some netizens at home and abroad argued that "Do 2D characters have human rights?" and "This is an overreaction," denying that the male visitors committed inappropriate acts.

However, the majority of netizens criticized the behavior, saying, "This is a place where children visit, so such actions are very inappropriate," "If such behavior is shown publicly without sanctions, it could lead to actual crimes," and "The characters appear as children. It looks like pedophilia and crimes such as kidnapping minors."

As the controversy grew, the issue was also raised in Japanese political circles.

Hideaki Omura, governor of Aichi Prefecture where Ghibli Park is located, said, "It is very regrettable that such an incident occurred, but we will respond calmly," and added, "Since this is a place where children and adults come together, we ask those who cause discomfort to others not to visit."

He also promised to make efforts to prevent such incidents from happening again and said he requested measures from the theme park.

Meanwhile, Ghibli Park, located in Nakakude, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, opened last November. It is a theme park that recreates the world of Hayao Miyazaki's representative works such as 'My Neighbor Totoro,' 'Howl's Moving Castle,' 'Kiki's Delivery Service,' and 'Spirited Away,' allowing people of all ages to enjoy the animations in a real-world setting.