Snapping over Tokyo red tape
Hong Kong journalists at the Tokyo international film festival got a glimpse of the strange ways of Japanese bureaucrats when they tried to cover a segment featuring movies from the territory.
Kept outside the lobby of the Shibuya Pantheon pending an 11pm opening, five managed to barge their way past the glass doors as cameras flashed at the arrival of actors Ekin Cheng and Jordan Chu.
Two others lagging behind were told the press was not allowed in until the allotted time.
When they pointed out that five other journalists were already snapping away happily in the lobby, Japanese officials shook their heads and repeated the ban.
When one of the other photographers offered to take the left-out journalist's camera to snap some shots for him, both were told cameras were not allowed in before the allotted time either, ignoring the fact that the other five - plus several other Japanese press members - were still taking pictures of the actors.
We've heard of selective hearing, but this appears to be an amazing case of selective sight as well.
