A diving shop in Okinawa Prefecture has apologized after a photograph surfaced online showing some of its customers posing on the shipwreck of a U.S. warship from World War II, sparking protest from a member of an organization comprised of friends and family of the former crew.
Divers off the coast of Okinawa were seen posing on the remains of the Emmons, an American destroyer sunk in a Japanese kamikaze attack during the war. Posing for pictures was seen as disrespectful, and incited disapproval from the member of the group, who resides in Okinawa.
The image has since been deleted, while the shop promised to prevent similar incidents.
The picture showed three people, including young women, sitting side by side on the ship's cannon, striking poses such as spreading their arms, and was uploaded to the shop's social media website in late June.
A male member of the USS Emmons Association, which commemorates the warship and honors the memory of 60 shipmates who perished in the sinking, objected to the photograph, noting in a statement on June 27 that the act was disrespectful.
The shop should instruct its customers on the importance of commemorating those who lost their lives for their country, he added.
"We shared (the photo) in the hopes that it would show the appeal of the diving spot," a representative of the diving shop said. "We did not expect any protests."
Aside from their apology, the shop has since instructed divers to avoid causing any damage to the vessel.