Hillage, one of the original members of the British prog rock band Gong, has released a statement explaining why the video was removed from the streaming site.

"The video was initially taken down in connection with the use of original Hinotori images from the Manga animation pioneer Osamu Tezuka, who has been a huge influence on the Phoenix Rising project," says Hillage.

"Tezuka Productions, the Japanese company that manages the Tezuka creative legacy, demanded a change in the precise wording of the copyright notice after the end of the video. This has now been resolved. Our Japanese video production company wish to apologise for the temporary YouTube removal."

The Hinotori promo video is a taster from a collaboration between System 7 and Japan's leading progressive rock band, Rovo, culminating in the new studio album Phoenix Rising (released in the UK on 23 September).

The album, produced by Steve Hillage and Rovo, is followed by concerts at Manchester Ritz (March 7) and London o2 Shepherd's Bush Empire (March 8).