The controversy swirling around NHK shows no sign of simmering down, with Chairman Katsuto Momii reportedly playing down the explosive nature of the remarks he made at his first news conference in January over the wartime brothels used by the Imperial Japanese military.
Some media outlets reported Wednesday that during an NHK board of governors meeting Feb. 12, Momii said, "What's wrong with my comments and I have already recanted them. . . . You would understand my intention if you read the transcript" of his first news conference, when he said all countries in wartime have had systems similar to Japan's forced prostitution.
The media reports said Momii's comments at the board meeting were in response to a governor who asked how he would deal with the situation if more viewers refuse to pay their NHK fees, which are supposed to be paid by everybody who owns a TV.
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