[LAUREN TAYLOR]
JAPAN’S GOVERNMENT IS FACING CRITICISM AFTER ADMITTING TO EDITING AN OFFICIAL CABINET PHOTO TO TIDY UP ITS MEMBERS’ APPEARANCES.
PRIME MINISTER SHIGERU ISHIBA AND DEFENSE MINISTER GEN NAKATANI —
HAD THEIR UNTUCKED SHIRTS DIGITALLY CORRECTED IN THE IMAGE.
THE CORRECTIONS CAME AFTER PEOPLE ONLINE MADE FUN OF THEIR UNKEMPT APPEARANCE.
SOCIAL MEDIA USERS QUICKLY SPOTTED THE ALTERATIONS, LEADING TO WIDESPREAD MOCKERY —
WITH SOME SUGGESTING THAT IF EDITS WERE BEING MADE, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE ALSO SMOOTHED OUT THE CREASES IN THE SUITS.
A JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON ACKNOWLEDGED THE PHOTO EDITING, SAYING THAT MINOR ADJUSTMENTS ARE FREQUENTLY
MADE TO IMAGES INTENDED AS LASTING MEMORABILIA ADDING THAT THIS PRACTICE IS ROUTINE FOR GROUP PHOTOS TAKEN AT OFFICIAL EVENTS.
THE CONTROVERSY COMES AS ISHIBA’S NEWLY FORMED CABINET — FACES BACKLASH FOR ITS LACK OF GENDER REPRESENTATION —
WITH ONLY TWO WOMEN AMONG THE 19 MEMBERS.
THOUGH SOME DISMISSED THE UPROAR, CALLING THE EDITS HARMLESS — THE INCIDENT HAS FUELED ONGOING GLOBAL DISCUSSIONS —
ABOUT THE ETHICS OF ALTERING OFFICIAL PHOTOS, A PRACTICE SEEN NOT ONLY IN JAPAN BUT IN OTHER NATIONS
AND ROYAL CIRCLES, INCLUDING BRITAIN’S ROYAL FAMILY.
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