Although this work has been shown in 20 countries, the Japan Foundation of the organizer rejected it when a curator offered us exhibiting at a biennale in a certain country. We are so sorry for showing this work including the details of the reason that the staff told us secretly, but In short, “ since the Abe Administration took the reins of government, the government checks business for overseas strictly. They don’ t send any notification in paper, but there are forbidden words, like radioactive, Fukushima, sex slaves, north Korea etc., and if we use those words, a man from a department close to Abe sends us complaints about it directly.” Although we suggested re-editing to beep those words, we agreed to exhibit something else after all. This time we are showing the suggested version. We felt a nostalgic ring like the times before war in the words of a staff who said disappointedly, “We just have to grin and bear it”.

©Chim↑Pom, Courtesy of the artist