Japanese 'vagina artist' released after week in jail

Tokyo, July 20: A Japanese artist who distributed digital data that recreated her genitals with a 3D printer, has been released after spending a week in jail.

"That was an unjust arrest. I don't think my genitals are obscene," artist Megumi Igarashi said in a statement after her release Saturday.

"My body is mine. It's not acceptable that something is determined to be 'indecent' from a purely male point of view," Igarashi said.

Igarashi, 42, is a sculptor and illustrator who launched a "crowdfunding" initiative online in order to raise money to construct a kayak in the shape of the female genitalia, and till now she has managed to collect one million yen ($9,865).

Igarashi works under the alias of Rokudenashi-ko (Absurd Girl), sent 125 donors digital data that would allow them to reproduce her genitals with a 3D printer.

However, Japanese law prohibits the distribution of "obscene" material, including the practice of recreating human genitals in print and audiovisual media.

Her arrest, as well as her art projects, have won the attention of media around the world over the past week.

More than 21,000 people signed a petition online urging Japanese authorities to free Igarashi, whom the media have christened as the "vagina artist".

Igarashi's attorneys has dedicated many of her projects to breaking the taboo surrounding female genitals in Japanese society.

The attorneys have said that Igarashi will defend her innocence if she is arraigned for the crime of distributing "indecent" material.

Should she be found guilty, she could be sentenced to as long as two years in jail and a fine of 2.5 million yen ($24,655).

IANS