Japanese museums shun video artwork on wartime atrocities acclaimed abroad

A video installation created by Japanese contemporary artist Meiro Koizumi, titled "The Angels of Testimony," is set to be displayed in London in October, despite the artist's ongoing difficulties in securing a museum to exhibit the work in Japan. The installation features the testimony of the late Hajime Kondo, a former Japanese soldier who participated in the killing of civilians and sexual assaults during the Sino-Japanese war.

Koizumi's work, which has received international acclaim, including the Artes Mundi Prize in 2021, aims to confront the often romanticized portrayal of Japanese soldiers and the realities of war. However, Koizumi has found Japanese museums hesitant to exhibit the work, which confronts a painful chapter in Japanese history. Koizumi believes the piece will only be complete when viewed in Japan, where it could provide a more honest representation of the country's wartime past.

The exhibition will run from October 1 to November 20 at the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in London, which promotes cultural exchange between Japan and Britain. Exhibition organizer Nana Ota expressed support for Koizumi's determination to address this difficult history, emphasizing the importance of confronting wartime violence and its lasting impact.

Despite potential protests, Ota stated that the exhibition will not be canceled, as the work serves as a crucial reminder of the profound emotional and psychological scars left by war.