Chinese staff at Japanese public broadcaster fined $75,000 over falsifying statement on disputed islets

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Japanese court fined a Chinese employee of the public broadcaster NHK $75,000 for making unscripted remarks on an overseas radio broadcast, describing the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands as Chinese territory.

The incident occurred while the former contract worker was translating a Japanese official's remarks on the disputed islands for a Chinese language radio news bulletin, on Aug. 19 last year, NHK announced.

The contract worker, in his 40s, went off-script for approximately 20 seconds, claiming Senkaku Islands belong to China, while also referencing Japan’s wartime history, urging listeners not to forget the Nanjing Massacre of 1937 or the issue of wartime "comfort women" procured for Japanese military brothels.

The Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands in China and the Tiaoyutai Islands in Taiwan, are a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. The two countries are locked in a decades-long controversy over sovereignty of the disputed islands.

NHK later filed a lawsuit, on the basis that his comments obstructed its operations.

The former contractor did not appear in court, nor did he refute NHK's claims.

On Monday, Tokyo District Court ruled that the incident was illegal due to interfering with NHK's international broadcasting operations and tarnishing its credibility.

The judge decided the act severely undermined public trust in the broadcaster's objectivity and accuracy, while saying the act was malicious.

NHK, on the other hand, welcomed the ruling, saying its claims have been accepted.