Tokyo Printing Company President Arrested After Producing Leslie Kee’s ‘obscene’ Photography Book

Tokyo printing company president arrested after producing Leslie Kee’s ‘obscene’ photography book

Feb 22, 2013 Adam Westlake National 1

The ongoing investigation/crackdown on photographer Leslie Kee and his art book that contained uncensored images of male nudity has led to two arrests at the Tokyo printing company that produced the “obscene” material. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police revealed on Thursday that they took Hakkou Art’s 71 year old president Koichi Kodama, along with his second son, Takeshi, a 34 year old sales department chief, into custody for printing 4,000 copies of Kee’s Super series, where each book had roughly 50 pages of uncensored photos that violate Japan’s laws against obscenity.

February 4th saw the arrest of Kee, along with two employees from the book’s publisher, after police found out seven copies of the 6,000 yen (approx. $65) book had been sold at the artist’s gallery in Roppongi only a few days earlier. Hakkou Art is said to have received 17 million yen ($183,000) since December 2011 for printing 20,000 copies of the books. Both Kodama and his son have admitted to the charges, with Takeshi stating that they didn’t want to publish photographs with nudity, however since Kee is such a big name, he couldn’t refuse, also believing it would be beneficial for the company’s future. A Singaporean native residing in Tokyo for many years, Kee is a well-known photographer in the world’s fashion and music industries, taking pictures of Japanese pop stars like Ayumi Hamazaki, Yumi Matsutoya, and Kumi Koda, as well as international stars like Lady Gaga.

Article 175 of Japan’s Penal Code states that the distribution, sale, or public display of obscene writings, pictures, or other materials is strictly prohibited, however there is no clear definition of what is regarded as “obscene material,” leaving many frustrated at what turns into a blanket censorship of artistic expression. Kee’s arrest sparked protest from Japan’s fashion industry and internet users alike, with many calling the charges unnecessary and unjust. The penalties Kee and the others face if convicted include a fine of up to 2.5 million yen (approx. $27,000) and/or two years in jail.