Li Ying, the Chinese director of an award-winning documentary on Yasukuni Shrine, said Thursday he was perplexed to hear that a key figure in the film, sword smith Naoji Kariya, has reportedly asked that his appearance be entirely deleted.
Liberal Democratic Party House of Councilors member Haruko Arimura reported the decision at the chamber's March 27 Cabinet committee meeting.
"Mr. and Mrs. Kariya do not accept at all that his image will be included in this movie, and are hoping his image will be removed entirely from the film," Arimura told the committee, according to her Web site. Arimura said she confirmed this request with Kariya personally on March 25.