World recognition of history; Japan should recognize as its own history—Film ‘John Rabe’ screening

“NHK has three taboos--the Emperor’s war responsibility, the comfort women issue and the Nanking Massacre,” IKEDA Eriko, former director of Japan Broadcasting Co. NHK and director of the Women’s Active Museum on War and Peace (WAM), said confidently. Ikeda was one of the promoters of the film “John Rabe; the Schindler of Nanking,” which was screened on July 20 in Tokyo.

 She continued to say, “It has been a while since all the descriptions of comfort women were deleted from junior high-school history textbooks. Ignoring these historical facts related to Japan’s wartime aggression has come to create such a war-monger administration. Japanese people should also learn the historical knowledge shared by the people around the world. With such a perspective, I want many people to see the film.”  Other promoters, including GOTO Michio, professor emeritus at Tsuru University, FUJITA Takakage, president of Association for Inheriting and Carrying Statement of Murayama, MATSUMOTO Kozo, president of All Japan Dockworkers’ Union and KIKUCHI Susumu, president of All Japan Construction and Transport Workers’ Union, attended the press conference on July 7, when each of them expressed his feelings about it. (By M)

世界の常識を日本の 常識に～映画『ジョン・ラーベ』大上映会記者会見

 「NHKの3大タブーは、天皇の戦争責任・慰安婦問題・南京大虐殺です」。そう断言するの は、元NHKディレクターで現在「女たちの戦争と平和資料館」館長の池田恵理子さん（写真）。池田さん は、7月20日の『ジョン・ラーベ～南京のシンドラー』大上映会の呼びかけ人の一人だ。池田さんは続け る。「中学の教科書でも慰安婦の記述がゼロになって久しい。こうした加害の事実に眼を向けてこなかっ たことが、いまの戦争推進政権を作りだしてしまった。世界中が知っている常識を日本人も知らなくては ダメ。この映画はその意味でも多くの人に観てほしい」と語った。7月7日の『ジョン・ラーベ』上映に向 けた記者会見には、他に後藤道夫（都留文科大学名誉教授）・藤田高景（村山談話を継承し発展させる 会）・松本耕三（全港湾委員長）・菊池進（全日建委員長）の各呼びかけ人も出席し、それぞれの思いを 述べた。また8日の「日刊ゲンダイ」は大きくこれを報じた。（M） 記事 ・動画（池田さんの発言 5分35秒）・『ジョン・ラーベ』大上映会HP

Plan to screen “John Rabe” starts in Japan

A Germany-France-China co-production film “John Rabe”, which depicts the Nanjing Massacre, has been widely appreciated around the world since its production in 2009, starring some famous Japanese actors, such as KAGAWA Teruyuki, EMOTO Akira, SUGIMOTO Tetta and ARATA. However, due to the controversy of the Nanjing Massacre, it has not been shown in Japan yet. This is about an issue concerning Japan but the film cannot be shown in the country. Some trade union activists challenged this deadlock to screen this film, and their move was supported by many Japanese cultural figures. Finally, the film is going to be screened at the Japan Education Center in central Tokyo on July 20, 2015 in view of Japanese Prime Minister Abe’s discourse on the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II, which will be made in August this year. The first executive committee meeting on the screening was held on April 23 in Tokyo. The campaign for the film screening now starts with the slogan, “Don’t hide! Let’s watch the film first!” (M)

Official websiteof “John Rabe”

* Photo: GOTO Michio (left) and SHIN Sugo (right) who attended the first executive committee meeting on the screening

南京事件・劇場未公開作品『ジョン・ラーベ』大上映会の企画スタート

南京の悲劇を史実をもとに描いた独仏中合作の映画『ジョン・ラーベ～南京のシンドラー』は2009年につくられ、極限下で苦悩する人々の姿を感動的に描いて、世界で高い評価を受けている。香川照之・柄本明・杉本哲太・ARATAも出演している。ところが南京事件をテーマにしていることで、配給会社はつかず未だに劇場未公開だ。日本の問題なのに日本で上映できない。「これはおかしい。自分たちの手で上映しよう」と労働組合活動家の有志が声を上げると、鎌田慧・雨宮処凛・辛淑玉・後藤道夫の各氏をはじめ多くの文化人が呼応した。そして、8月の「70年首相談話」を前に7月20日、日本教育会館で大上映会を行うことになった。4月23日には、第1回実行委員会が院内で開かれ約30人で「作戦会議」。「過去のマズイことにはフタはだめ、まず映画を観てみよう！」の大キャンペーンがいよいよ始まる。（M）