The Japanese government admitted on Monday to having retouched an official photo of the new executive to make its members’ clothing appear less slovenly, after mockery on social networks about their sagging pants.
Photographs taken by local media showed what appeared to be a scrap of white shirt peeking out from under the suits of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani. However, in the official photo released by Mr. Ishiba’s office, these imperfections had mysteriously disappeared, but not quickly enough to end a flood of mockery pinning the “neglected government” on social media.
“It’s naughtier than a group photo of a senior club on a trip to a hot spring. This is totally embarrassing,” one user wrote on X.
“Minor modifications were made” to the photos, government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi agreed to journalists on Monday, while seeking to put the scope of the manipulation into perspective.
“Group photos taken during official events organized by the Prime Minister’s Office, such as the cabinet reshuffle, will be kept forever as souvenirs, so minor editing is usually done on these photos,” he said. -he declared.
In March in the United Kingdom, Princess Kate apologized after retouching a photo showing her with her children, the first official photo taken after a serious abdominal operation she underwent in January.
Instead of providing reassurance about his state of health, this altered photo raised many questions. “Like many amateur photographers, I sometimes try my hand at editing,” explained the Princess of Wales in a press release, presenting “her apologies for the confusion caused.”
