Japan hotel chain boss faces book backlash

Tokyo, Japan – 19 January 2017
1A fast-growing Japanese hotel chain is facing criticism over a book penned by the hotel’s owner that says the Rape of Nanking was fabricated.

A fast-growing Japanese hotel chain is facing criticism over a book penned by the hotel’s owner that says the Rape of Nanking was fabricated. APA Group, a Tokyo-based land developer and operator of 400-plus hotels, drew fire for spreading the revisionist views of company president Toshio Motoya by putting the books in hotel guestrooms and also selling them, Associated Press reported.

The issue is the latest flap between the Asian neighbors over unhealed wounds from Japan’s aggression before and during World War II. It follows a diplomatic row with South Korea over a statue representing the “comfort women” who were used for sex in military-linked wartime brothels. China has lodged a complaint, but APA says it stands by its owner’s views.APA said in a statement that the book is meant to help readers learn “the fact-based true interpretation of modern history” and not aimed at criticizing a specific country or its people.