 NHK chairman's resignation was necessary Japanese public broadcaster NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) Chairman Katsuji Ebisawa resigned on January 25 amid growing criticism of alleged political intrusions into programs as well as a series of scandals involving staff allegedly misusing funds. The resignation was announced after the Japanese Communist Party's Diet Policy Committee Chair Kokuta Keiji in parliament criticized the ruling party politicians' intervention in NHK. Asked by reporters to comment on Ebisawa's resignation, Kokuta said, "This resignation was necessary. The task now is to find the truth of the allegations about the political intervention. It is important for NHK to establish a management policy and structure capable of staving off such misconduct." He also said, "It is also necessary to look into the responsibility Ebisawa might have to accept for the political intervention in NHK." "NHK executives' account of affairs concerning the alleged forced alteration of the program (of a mock tribunal on the former Japanese Army's use of the sex slavery system) is far from convincing the public," he added. Genichi Hashimoto, an NHK executive, will be the new chairman. (end) |