Japan's Nagoya City Sends Letter to Germany Demanding Removal of 'Berlin Statue of a Girl'

Kawamura Nakashi Nagoya Market Official Letter
"Damage to Japan-Germany Friendly Relations"

▲Statue of Peace installed in Berlin [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] On the 5th, Kyodo News reported that Nagoya City, Japan, sent a letter to the mayor of Mitte District in Berlin demanding the removal of the 'Statue of Peace' installed there.

According to the report, the letter sent under the name of Takashi Kawamura, mayor of Nagoya, stated that "the Statue of Peace, symbolizing the victims of Japanese military sexual slavery, is not an artwork but a political statement, and leaving it as is will negatively affect the friendly relations between Japan and Germany."

Furthermore, Nagoya mentioned that the statue installed in Berlin is the work of the artist who created the statue exhibited at the Japanese art festival 'Aichi Triennale 2019,' and that many citizens protested at that time.

In August last year, when the Statue of Peace was exhibited at the Aichi Triennale special exhibition 'After the Non-Freedom of Expression,' Japanese right-wing groups threatened the organizers, leading to a temporary suspension of the statue's display.

This incident was pointed out as revealing the true face of Japanese society, where 'freedom of expression' is not guaranteed due to the suspension of the statue's display.

Takashi Kawamura, a right-wing-leaning mayor of Nagoya, strongly criticized the organizers' decision to exhibit the statue at the art festival at that time.

In the letter, Nagoya also referred to a project underway to restore a German steam locomotive, expressing concern that the installation of the statue might provoke opposition to such efforts, thereby pressuring Berlin's Mitte District.

Regarding the Berlin statue, discussions are ongoing between Mitte District, which issued but then suspended the removal order, and the local civic group Korea Council, which organized the statue's installation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.