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A Japanese artist who was arrested after making a kayak shaped like her vagina has gone on trial in Toyko.

Megumi Igarashi, 43, created the bizarre vessel by scanning her genitals into a 3D printer.

She was arrested last year on suspicion of distributing obscene materials after sending the 3D scans to 30 people who offered to pay for the project.

Ms Igarashi, who works under the name "Rokudenashiko" meaning "good for nothing girl”, now faces up to two years in jail and a fine of up to 2.5 million yen (£14,000) if found guilty.

At the opening of her trial today, The Japan Times reported her as saying: "For all these years, I have continued to proudly say aloud the word 'manko' [Japanese slang for vagina] because that is an important part of my body.

"But in Japan, female genitals are somehow treated as something disgusting. And I think that’s terribly wrong.

"Our society is for some reason more accepting of mentions of male genitals, which you can see all over ads on trains or the internet."

Ms Igarashi has fashioned other vagina-shaped items including a teddy bear.

Her case has triggered debate in Japan over women's rights and artistic freedom.

While images of female genitalia are largely taboo in Japan, representations of penises are shown at shrines and in some festivals, where giant phalluses are paraded openly through the streets.

Igarashi's lawyer, Takashi Yamaguchi, said he was confident of winning.

"Her means of expression don't incite desire at all," he said.

"She is just using one part of the body that happens to be genitalia to express her own message."

The trial is expected to continue for some months.

Additional reporting Reuters.