Arab News Japan

TOKYO:  Japan’s state defense minister Yasuhide Nakayama “leaked” the controversial Holocaust mocking video of the sacked Tokyo Olympics’ opening ceremony director Kentaro Kobayashi to the Los Angles-based  Jewish lobby Simon Wiesenthal Center leading to firing the former Japanese comedian, Japanese local media reported.

Nakayama, also a member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and House of Representatives, denied today that he informed the center, claiming he just discussed the matter with them.

‘Josei Jishin’ weekly magazine reported that after 1 a.m. on July 22nd, an ordinary person reported Kobayashi’s remarks to Nakayama on Twitter, and immediately after 2 a.m., Nakayama posted, “I immediately contacted Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC)and talked about it.” After 3 a.m., Nakayama, known for his statement “my heart is with Israel” during the latest Gaza war,  posted a comment saying he got a comment from the Jewish center.

When asked if the SWC learned about the case firsthand from Nakayama, Seiko Hashimoto, President of Tokyo 2020 Olympic Committee, denied it and said, “I think it was a matter of our sharing information.”

However, according to local media in Tokyo, Nakayama reported a piece of sensitive information directly to an overseas human rights organization before he informed the Olympic organizing committee, which is at the forefront of Olympic management. “This behavior is questionable.” one report said.

“Why did Mr. Nakayama, who is Japan’s deputy defense minister, jumped over the Japanese authorities and rushed to report Kobayashi’s case to SWC?” one comment on social media asked. “How come that our state minister of defense who belongs to the ruling party reported information to an overseas organization?” asked another. “Is this what you do as a high-ranking Japanese government official? Is it okay to skip the Japanese government? It seems that our Deputy Minister of Defense is too risky to have,” people commented.

The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee said Thursday that it has dismissed Kentaro Kobayashi as show director of the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies over his “anti-Semitic” remarks.