The official photo of the new cabinet is causing a stir in Japan. Because even if it’s just about two details: the image was manipulated.
The Japanese government manipulated an official photo of the new cabinet to make its members appear more neatly dressed. In photos taken by the Japanese media of the introduction of the new government team, pieces of their white shirts peeked out from under the tailcoats of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, and both were also wearing noticeably wrinkled trousers. In the official cabinet photo, these blemishes had mysteriously disappeared – but not quickly enough to prevent a wave of online ridicule about the “disorderly” cabinet.
“This is worse than a group photo of a pensioners club on a trip,” wrote a user on the online service X: “This is totally embarrassing.”
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi admitted on Monday that there had been “minor” retouching of the cabinet photo. Group photos from the head of government’s official events would be kept “forever as a souvenir,” he emphasized. Therefore, it is “common to make minor edits.”
Image editing is not only controversial in Japan
British Princess Kate caused a stir in March by retouching an official Mother’s Day photo that showed her and her three children beaming in the garden. After news outlets withdrew the retouched image, Kate admitted that “like many amateur photographers,” she occasionally enjoys experimenting with image editing programs.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
