The Tokyo High Court on Monday expanded on a lower court ruling and ordered NHK and two production companies to pay damages to a women's rights group for altering the content of a documentary on a mock tribunal over Japan's wartime sexual slavery.
The lawsuit demanding 20 million yen was filed in July 2001 by the nongovernmental organization Violence Against Women in War-Network Japan (VAWW-NET Japan). It targets NHK, subsidiary NHK Enterprises 21 Inc. and subcontracted production firm Documentary Japan Inc.
The suit has been closely watched because the NGO claimed NHK censored or otherwise altered part of the 2001 program after being pressured by heavyweights in the Liberal Democratic Party, including Shinzo Abe, who is now prime minister, and Shoichi Nakagawa.