Japanese Embassy Protests to BBC

[Mulboyne]

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Mainichi: Japan protests to BBC over treatment of 'double A-bomb survivor'
The Japanese Embassy in London lodged a written protest against the BBC and a TV production agency, arguing that they insulted a deceased Japanese man who survived both the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, embassy and other sources said Thursday. In a comedy quiz show broadcasted by the BBC on Dec. 17, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, whose international profile has been raised as a double hibakusha and who died at age 93 last January, was introduced as "The Unluckiest Man in the World," with pictures of his face and atomic clouds presented in the studio. A producer of the popular quiz show, "QI," has already apologized to people who sent protest e-mails, noting "we greatly regret it when we cause offence" and "it is apparent to me that I underestimated the potential sensitivity of this issue to Japanese viewers"...more...

[Tobacco Taro]

<sighs> lost in translation.

Man, the Japanese should just stick to watching programmes with celebrities looking at food because this is obviously way above their heads.

They would've probably enjoyed the show if Stephen Fry was blacked up ...

[Yokohammer]

Just saw the news about this on TV. The offended are bristling with righteous indignation. Much anger.

This is really unfortunate, particularly because it falls squarely in the "cultural misunderstanding" category. I mean, the Brits routinely take the piss out of themselves. It's part of the culture. Consider all the off-color humor that went around when Diana was killed ... and continues to go around, actually. The Japanese don't see it that way though. They just see that someone made light of hibakusha, and immediately fly into a rage.

I suppose the QI team should have been aware that they might offend someone, and in that sense perhaps they were a bit insensitive, but it is interesting to note how the indignation in this case compares with the way things go when the shoe is on the other foot.

[Kanchou]

How dare you, you know that Japan is purely a victim... we dropped the bomb on them just because we thought it would be fun to watch.

[eddie]

Just saw the news about this on TV. The offended are bristling with righteous indignation. Much anger.

This is really unfortunate, particularly because it falls squarely in the "cultural misunderstanding" category. I mean, the Brits routinely take the piss out of themselves. It's part of the culture. Consider all the off-color humor that went around when Diana was killed ... and continues to go around, actually. The Japanese don't see it that way though. They just see that someone made light of hibakusha, and immediately fly into a rage.

yeah, but japan is not britain. they can be ticked-off if they want. doesn't mean either side's 'right'.
i believe there's no real 'legal implication' to protesting. they're just saying they don't appreciate it. good for them.

[eddie]

it's also just not a clever joke. i'd protest anyone laughing at that.

again, i don't care that the joke aired and i don't mind japan whining. i do think it's crap humor. didn't the bbc give the world the office and little britain?!

[Yokohammer]

yeah, but japan is not britain. they can be ticked-off if they want. doesn't mean either side's 'right'.
i believe there's no real 'legal implication' to protesting. they're just saying they don't appreciate it. good for them.

I didn't say either side is right.
I said the situation is unfortunate and pointed out shortcomings on both sides.

But to clarify, I did imply that I think it's ironic that Japan can be so shrill in demanding that other nations understand and show respect for their culture while showing contempt for others on a number of important issues (historically as well as currently).

In this particular case it's not Japan as a nation that's protesting (yet), just a few individuals, so my comment is more of a general observation that you're welcome to ignore. It is, however, an observation that I stand by.

[Yokohammer]

In this particular case it's not Japan as a nation that's protesting ...

I take this bit back ... since the Japanese Embassy has lodged a protest it is Japan as a nation that's protesting.
The rest of my comment stands.

[Mulboyne]

[BigInJapan]

[Mulboyne]

Stephen Fry, the programme's quizmaster, has just mentioned on Twitter that, by chance, he is due to visit Japan the week after next.

@5thstar I'm coming to Japan the week after next as it happens, and I'll certainly let my regret known (if they let me in!) x

He hasn't commented on the matter much on Twitter except to send a message in reply to the Japanese translator mentioned above by BiginJapan:

@YukoAndHerCats Thank you for your blog. I think you put it amazingly well. Much appreciated. And sorrow for the upset...

[AML]

Wow japan. Quick to point out when some one says something about you (good or bad) But when you do something fucked (like kill whales and dolphins, and allow kidnapped children to hide here) you complain of Jap Bashing!

I recently started watching "Mad Men" (set in the 50s for those who dont know) and I realized that America in the 50s is exactly what Japan is like now!!

[Catoneinutica]

[dimwit]

Hiroshima and Nagasaki seem to invoke the same Pavlovian response in Japanese (especially Japanese-Americans/British/Canadians) that garbage bags invoke on my dog.

[Mulboyne]

[Yokohammer]

[Mulboyne]

...I wonder if anyone in Japan is complaining about the insensitivity of publishing Tatsuya Ichihashi's book, for example.

Quite a few, actually. A quick look at the web commentary, including Amazon customer reviews, shows a number who find the idea of the book distasteful.

I was interested to see Philip Brasor's comments on how Japanese victims often "own the commentary" in Japan. (he expands on his thoughts here).

I take some issue with his idea that "the average person, regardless of what he or she thinks, will be solicitous to victims, and by extension their loved ones, simply because of the pain they experienced." because I think he is only describing how Japanese treat other Japanese. It's quite clear that there are Japanese people who often aren't prepared to extend that courtesy to Asian victims of WWII.

In this context, the Ichihashi case is something of a red herring. Despite talk of Ichihashi having some kind of macabre fan club, it seems to me that the general public wanted him caught, and is pleased he will now go to trial. I don't see any real evidence that they regard Hawker as anything other than an innocent victim and her family deserving of sympathy.

Even the police investigation was characterized by simple incompetence rather than indifference. I have no time for people who claim that the police had little interest in pursuing Ichihashi. They are confusing the Hawker murder investigation with that of Lucie Blackman. The police may at times have thought that the chance of catching Ichihashi was low, and regretted the way they carried out their hunt in its earliest days, but they did continue to look for him and seem relieved to have finally got their man.

[Yokohammer]

Quite a few, actually ...

Well that's good to know (I'm guilty of not keeping my ear to the ground on that one). But it's obvious that there are also those who don't see it as a problem, otherwise the book would never have been published. So now if, for example, the British Embassy in Japan lodged a formal complaint, mirroring the actions of the Japanese Embassy in GB in the BBC case, would the publisher apologize and withdraw the book? Of course I realize there's a difference in scale, but I think it's a worthwhile comparison simply because both issues are current news.

Brasor's JT article and blog comments are interesting (thanks for the links). I hadn't seen those particular write-ups but I had heard of the Tahara case and found it very troubling in the way he was essentially strong-armed into backing down, as though bringing up a possibility that contradicts the accepted view is some kind of crime.

As for Ichihashi and the police (and the public), I don't doubt for a moment that they're relieved he's been caught. And I'm sure part of that is a sincere interest in upholding justice, but I'm just as sure that another part of it is a sincere interest in maintaining face.

[Mulboyne]

...So now if, for example, the British Embassy in Japan lodged a formal complaint, mirroring the actions of the Japanese Embassy in GB in the BBC case, would the publisher apologize and withdraw the book?...

Part of the reason for the complaint is that the programme was broadcast by the BBC, which is funded by the state, rather than a private company. Another BBC programme, Top Gear, is currently facing complaints from Mexico.

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[Greji]

It's quite clear that there are Japanese people who often aren't prepared to extend that courtesy to Asian victims of WWII.

That's a very good point and I think where the survivors of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki obviously did go through a tremendous ordeal, it occurred during a time of war when their country was the aggressor on all fronts. I think there has been a lot of use of this theme by certain fronts in Japan, not to call attention to the plight of those survivors, but rather to cloud the circumstances surrounding the onset of the war and Japan's actions therein. It has since become an unofficial, yet integral part of Nihonjinron to describe how victimized "poor Japan" has been.

[Samurai_Jerk]

The BBC apologised to the Mexican ambassador to London on Friday for remarks made about him on a top television show -- but defended its jokes about the country as being part of British humour.

Ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora had written to the BBC earlier in the week about comments made by presenters of the motoring show "Top Gear" describing Mexicans as "lazy", "feckless" and "flatulent".

The BBC said in a statement that the executive producer of the show had "written to the Mexican Ambassador and apologised for the comments made about him during the show."

But it added: "On the broader issue of comments about Mexicans as people, the show has explained they were making comic use of a stereotype; a practice with which regular viewers of Top Gear will be familiar."

In the show, during a discussion about a sports car made by Mexican firm Mastretta, presenter Richard Hammond said vehicles reflected national characteristics.

"Mexican cars are just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent, overweight, leaning against a fence asleep looking at a cactus with a blanket with a hole in the middle on as a coat," he said.

The presenters then described Mexican food as "sick with cheese on it".

Chief presenter Jeremy Clarkson later said "we won't get any complaints about this because the Mexican ambassador's going to be sitting there with a remote control like this" -- before slumping in his chair and snoring. ......

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110204/wl_uk_afp/britainmexicotelevisiondiplomacy_20110204123415

[TOKYO JOE]

I talk about it in my first podcast IE EPISODE NUMBER ONE for those of you who don't speak English. You can find it on my channel - somewhere. Good luck finding it Shochu drinking TTTokolios