There has been a sharp increase in video clips released on Chinese social media in the run-up to a military parade scheduled for September 3 to mark 80 years since Japan’s surrender ended World War II.
In one video, the wartime emperor transforms into a uniformed schoolgirl, while in another he is depicted as a dog under the title, “Valuable footage of General MacArthur training his dog. I am a big Japanese dog”. Douglas MacArthur was the commander of the Allied occupation forces after Tokyo’s surrender.
On Tuesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi described the short clips as “inappropriate” and confirmed that representations had been made to Beijing through diplomatic channels for measures to delete the footage.
“The videos are inappropriate,” Hayashi told a press conference in Tokyo. “Considering their negative impact on Japan-China relations, we have requested quick and appropriate measures.”
Guo Jiakun, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, was quoted by Kyodo News as saying that Beijing was “still checking information” on the matter.
