 International response to the film was highly critical owing to concerns of historical revisionism, and Crow suggests that China and Korea – both of which had suffered under Japanese rule during World War II – viewed the film as "deliberate provocation" in light of Japan's unwillingness to recognise its past human rights abuses.Complaints included that the film whitewashed Tojo's role in the war, or that it justified the actions taken by Japan.Response in Japan was more positive, with CBS News recording only a single protest, although similar concerns of revisionism were echoed.