BY NATASHA BARSOTTI – Staff at a Tokyo gay store were arrested for selling a book of photography that includes images of male nudity authorities deemed obscene, Gay Star News reports.
The manager of Lumiere, located in Tokyo’s gay district, was taken into custody along with one employee for selling four copies of Singapore photographer Leslie Kee’s book in 2011, according to the report. Both manager and employee were released.
In February, Kee made an appearance at the store, which sold several copies of the book. The photographer and two other people were arrested Feb 4 for selling his books at an exhibition at a Tokyo gallery. Kee was released two days after the arrest, Gay Star News notes.
Gay Star News indicates that Article 175 of the Japanese Penal Code forbids the sale, distribution or public display of images, writings and other materials that are obscene, but the law does not specifically define what constitutes obscenity.
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