Japanese Hotel CEO Pens Anti-Semitic Article For In-House Magazine
(JTA) — The inhouse magazine for guests of a Japanese hotel chain contained an article with anti-Semitic statements written by the chain’s CEO.
An article by Toshio Motoya of the APA Group in the February edition of Apple Town, the magazine for guests staying at the chain’s Canadian hotels, says that “Jewish people control American information, finance, and laws, and they benefit greatly from globalization because they move their massive profits to tax havens so they don’t have to pay any taxes,” according to reports.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver complained about the article, the French news agency AFP reported.
“It is very unfortunate that my writings gave you an erroneous impression that I hold anti-Semitic beliefs,” Motoya reportedly responded.
It “is not an apology,” the hotel told AFP on Wednesday in response to questions. “It was issued to resolve the misunderstanding because [Motoya] was being stigmatized as an anti-Semite.”
The essay has been removed from the website of the company. Its Canadian hotels are known by the Coast Hotel brand.
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
