Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2010

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The Asahi Shimbun earned itself a visit from the black bus brigade after running an editorial criticizing attempts to block the release of controversial documentary The Cove. A group of nationalists congregated outside the Asahi’s Yurakucho office on June 16 to register their dissent. “Despite the strong objections, people need to come face to face with sets of values drastically different from their own,” said the editorial, published two days earlier. “This continuous habit of ‘self-restraint’ in film screenings is shameful if Japan considers itself a free society. We must raise our voices and not leave the movie theaters out in the cold.” Though the paper’s critics seemed only to understand the “raise our voices” bit, other influential groups have also weighed in on the debate. On the same day as the protest, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations issued a statement supporting the release of the film, and called for a more vigorous defense of freedom of speech.

See Don Morton’s review of The Cove