Japan NHK Boss Under Fire for Comfort Women Remark - ABC News
Momii said he had no opinion about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's inflammatory visit to the Yasukuni war shrine last month but suggested NHK might step up its coverage of Japanese claims in territorial disputes with China and South Korea.
His remarks have raised concerns about a possible right-leaning shift by the country's public broadcaster to reflect Abe's views, after it reportedly faced criticism from his nationalist government for having programs that were deemed too liberal.
Abe is thought to be pushing a more nationalist agenda since taking office in December 2012, and NHK's recent appointments were seen as reflecting his ideological bias. The government oversees NHK's public service content, and its chairman is picked by parliament-approved advisers. One of them, a best-selling author reportedly favored by Abe, is known for remarks defending Japan's wartime actions.
His visit to the Yasukuni war shrine last month and his World War I analogy last week comparing Japan-China tension with that of Britain and Germany a century ago were seen as signs of his belligerence.