"Fear Eats the Soul..."

 

HIV Awareness Billboard In Tokyo’s Red Light District Censored For Indecency
But Barely-dressed Fembots In Public Are OK.

Connor Ke Muo
March 18, 2014


On March 14, cartoonist Poko Murata wrote online that his HIV awareness billboard received public decency complaints in Ni-chome, Tokyo’s biggest gay district.

The billboard was commissioned by ViiV Healthcare, which defended Murata and said he didn’t break obscenity laws. Fellow artist Yuji Kato applauded the ‘upbeat, warm, inclusive’ depiction of Tokyo’s gay male community in the drawing.

Modified version still unacceptable

In March, the modified version was rejected again by the Shinjuku district office because it “showed underwear.”

“They told me that residents in Ni-chome [Tokyo’s gay district] were uncomfortable with my drawing,” Murata wrote online. “And that I should edit it if we plan to continue running awareness campaigns.”

The irony, as GayManga points out, is that Shinjuku district contains some of Tokyo’s most blatant sex establishments.

Much of Shinjuku are known as red light districts, and beloved local institutions like the Robot Restaurant parade around its famous fembots to advertise its cabaret shows.

GayManga further points out that staff at Ni-chome’s gay bookstores are still periodically arrested by Tokyo police for selling ‘obscene materials.’

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It seems to me that our Japanese cousins have far more important things to address than the depiction of a few men in their underwear to call attention HIV/AIDS awareness.  The Fukushima nuclear disaster is on-going with millions of gallons of radioactive waste water still pouring into the sea. 

"Fear Eats the Soul"