Film too rude and crude for Asian tastes

But to prohibit discussions on leaked material or to say it is the equivalent of a bomb that incurs financial damage without killing anyone, which is to say, a kind of terror, is entirely specious reasoning. By that logic, the financial loss that Wall Street inflicted on US citizens and people of other countries in 2008 was a terror attack of far greater magnitude.

Akio Morita, the legendary head of Sony who built a world-class company from scratch on the principles of quality and prudence, thrift and innovation, would be horrified to see his legacy at risk because of a bloated, inane stoner picture. Morita admired the US and thought the US and Japan had a lot to teach each other, but he also said that American executives were ridiculously overpaid and lacked an understanding of Asia.

Morita emphasized the need for Sony to build bridges with neighboring countries in Asia, an important part of its electronics market. Sony's head office in Japan understands this, which is why Seth Rogen's The Interview was not slated to be shown in the Japanese market or anywhere on the Asian mainland. A film that gloats in depicting the killing of a living leader is simply too rude and crude for Asian tastes.

There's no magic fix for Sony in the face of its own lousy decision-making, but this time it was right to say no. If it does insist on releasing The Interview at some future date it would be prudent, and congruent with the best of the Hollywood tradition to edit out the gratuitous killing and gore and build on the comedy, earning its laughs the old fashioned way.

The author is a media researcher covering Asian politics.