Japanese Broadcaster Fined Over Story

TOKYO -- A court ordered public broadcaster NHK and two production companies to pay damages to a women's rights group for altering a news program on Japanese sex slavery during World War II after alleged pressure from politicians, officials said Monday.

The Tokyo High Court acknowledged claims by the women's group VAWW-NET Japan that NHK altered a program about a mock international tribunal on Japanese sex slavery after protests from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was then deputy chief Cabinet secretary, and ruling party heavyweight Shoichi Nakagawa, a high court official said on condition of anonymity, citing protocol.

The defendants were ordered to pay $16,420 to the women's group.

The court spokeswoman refused to provide other details of the ruling.

Abe and Nakagawa have acknowledged that they found the program biased and complained about the content, but denied pressuring NHK to change it. NHK also denied that the changes were made because of pressure.

"The ruling today is extremely unjust and regrettable, and we immediately took steps to appeal to the Supreme Court," NHK said in a statement. The broadcaster said the ruling infringed upon its independence and editorial rights by making it beholden to outside parties.

Judge Toshifumi Minami said Monday there was no clear evidence of direct political interference, but NHK misused and gave up editorial control over the program, Kyodo News agency reported. The court also said the broadcaster betrayed the plaintiffs' expectations and trust.

"The ruling was clearly handed down that no politicians intervened," Abe told reporters Monday evening.

The Violence Against Women in War-Network Japan, or VAWW-NET Japan, had initially sought $165,000. The program in question had been about a mock tribunal that the group organized in December 2000.

During the trial, judges found the late Emperor Hirohito guilty and demanded the state compensate and apologize to victims of government-backed sex slavery in the early 20th century.

Historians say Japan forced about 200,000 women to work in military brothels throughout Asia in the 1930s and 1940s. Tokyo has admitted that this was the case but refused to provide compensation or an official apology to individuals.

The edited program omitted such elements as the tribunal's "guilty" verdict on Hirohito, soldier testimony and the name of the event organizer, the group said in a statement.

NHK is operated by viewer subscription fees but its budget requires parliamentary approval. The broadcaster is also subject to government orders and receives funding for international shortwave radio broadcasts.

The communications minister caused a stir in November when he ordered NHK to place more emphasis on its international shortwave radio broadcasts on North Korea's past abductions of Japanese citizens.