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Published on Taipei Times http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2007/02/28/2003350446 Japanese government wants apology over book 日本政府要求道歉 Wednesday, Feb 28, 2007,Page 15
The Japanese government has demanded an apology from the Australian author of a new book accused of defaming the imperial family. "Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne," written by Ben Hills, was released by Random House in December and is billed as a biography of the 43-year-old diplomat-turned-royal, who has suffered long-standing stress-induced health problems. In official letters to the publisher and author, Japan's Foreign Ministry condemned the book as containing "disrespectful descriptions, distortions of facts and judgmental assertions with audacious conjectures and coarse logic." Japanese media traditionally handle the Imperial family with gentle care, using honorific terms and avoiding subject matter that could be construed as inflammatory. Criticizing the emperor, who was revered as a god before World War II, was regarded as serious crime in the first half of the 20th century. The letter demanded an apology and unspecified "prompt measures," adding that the biography contains "irresponsible citation of rumors" and "highly contemptuous descriptions." The Imperial Household Agency also sent a similar letter of objection. The author said the government's accusations were an attempt to pressure Kodansha, which plans to publish a Japanese edition of the book, not to issue it. Kodansha officials were not immediately available for comment. "The book is highly critical of the Imperial Household Agency and their role in persecuting Princess Masako, causing her to suffer severe depression," Hills wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "This had not been honestly reported in Japan, and the government is obviously afraid it will lead to criticism." Random House refused to comment on the controversy, but said it supports Hills.(AP)
日本政府指控一名澳洲作家的新作破壞日本皇室名譽，要求這名作家道歉。 蘭登書屋在去年十二月出版由班．希爾斯所著的「太子妃雅子︰菊花王朝的囚犯」，號稱是雅子的傳記。雅子現年四十三歲，曾任外交官，如今貴為太子妃，卻長期因為壓力而健康狀況不佳。 在發給出版社和班．希爾斯的官方信件中，日本外務省譴責書中「無禮的描述、扭曲的事實，和藉由妄自揣測及粗糙邏輯做出的批判性言論」。 日本媒體在傳統上會溫和處理皇室消息，尊稱家族成員，避開可能被認為是煽動性言論的題材。二十世紀前半，批評日本天皇曾被視為嚴重罪行，因為天皇在二次世界大戰前一直被尊奉為神。 這封信要求道歉，並且立即採取適當措施，至於何種措施並未具體說明。信中補充指出，傳記的內容含有「不負責任地引述謠言」和「極度輕蔑的描述」。宮內廳 也發出類似的抗議信函。 作者表示，日本政府企圖以這種指控對講談社施壓，阻止日文版發行的計畫。 講談社並未立即對此回應。 「這本書強烈砲轟宮內廳以及他們迫害太子妃雅子，導致她深受重度憂鬱症所苦，」希爾斯在一封給美聯社的電子郵件中指出，「日本沒有忠實報導這件事，日本政府顯然害怕遭致批評」。 蘭登書屋拒絕評論這項爭議，但表示支持希爾斯。 （美聯社／翻譯︰鄭湘儀）
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