“Foreigners” on Japanese TV
As Korean netizens and expat bloggers are up in arms about a racially offensive TV segment in which a black woman is mocked by a Korean man wearing an Afro wig, a Japanese TV program that similarly makes humor out of the stereotypical features of another race continues to enjoy immense popularity. If you’ve been reading Japan Probe for a while, you’ve probably seen my previous posts on the rotating sushi segment of “Haneru no Tobira”. If not, here is a recording of last night’s segment:
Part 1:
Part 2:
As you can see, comedians dress up as foreigners and try to pick up pieces of sushi with chopsticks. The food items chosen are particularly difficult to grip, causing contestants to occasionally fail to pick them up. Is the reason they are dressed as foreigners is because it is generally assumed that foreigners cannot properly use chopsticks? I can’t confirm this, but it seems that way.
Anyway, allow me to introduce the “foreigners”:
A “Chinese” girl
A “Mexican”
An “American”
A “Russian”
And an “Arab” (not a regular character, but the celebrity guest needed a nationality and I guess they had a particularly huge “Arabic” rubber nose lying around.)
I don’t really find the Mexican or the Chinese costumes to be racist, since they only involve hair styles and “national” clothing of their countries. When it comes to the other costumes, however, I do find them to be irritating. I am not at all cool with mocking the stereotypical facial features of a racial group. Sure, you could say that Caucasians and Arabs usually have bigger noses than Japanese people, but does that doesn’t make it OK for Japanese comedians to put on huge rubber noses and say “Hello my name is Yakmal and I am an Arab. LOL!”
When I asked readers if they found this racist or offensive in my earlier posts, there were quite a few people who posted saying it was perfectly harmless and not at all offensive. Some of them didn’t think it was racism because the targets of mockery were whites. Sure, whites have been on the top of the global power structure for a long time, and their racism was responsible for the suffering and death of huge portions of the world. It’s a terrible thing, but it has nothing to do with this situation. In Japan the Japanese have the power, and they are in a position to discrimnate against non-Japanese. Mockery of another race’s physical features is not a positive thing, and I agree with Shari’s article about my “gaijin nose” post in which she declares that this is a negative stereotype. Even if you don’t agree with me on the racism against whites issue, this week’s program has proven that they can make fun of “Arab” noses too, does that offend you? If they had a “Jew” with a hooked nose or an “African” with blackface and big fake lips, would that offend you?
Official complaints can be filed to the Broadcasting Ethics and Program Improvement organization at this link, which requires some Japanese writing ability. Even if a few dozen foreigners wrote in complaining that it was offensive, would FujiTV pull one of the “best” segments from a very popular comedy show? I doubt it. Perhaps we could write to Nissan Motor Company and demand an explanation for why they used these racial caricatures in an ad campaign? Since Nissan also sells its products in other countries, I think they might be more receptive to complaints from foreigners. Would writing to their investor relations section be appropriate? I can’t seem to find an official complaints contact address.
Let me close this post be clarifying that I do not think that this comedy segment is the result of malicious racism. I guess that this is a result of ingorance. The non-Japanese population in Japan has always been very small, and most Japanese people are simply unaware that putting on a rubber nose, wearing blackface make-up, Black Sambo could possibly offend anyone. I am hoping to spread awareness of the fact that foreigners are offended by such things in the hope that comedians stop unknowingly reinforcing offensive racial stereotypes. I don’t hate Japan and I don’t think that the other segments on “Haneru no Tobira” are bad, I just want to make things better. And if Japanese people start to realize that such things can offend foreigners, maybe, just maybe, the next time I go to Japanese elementary school the children will realize that it isn’t cool to make jokes about how the foreign teacher’s nose is bigger than theirs….
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I complettly agree with you.
I talked this issue with japanese girlfriend and her answer was that they enving “big nose” or something like that.
I don’t know if it is envy or not but I complettly agree that this is result of ignorance and not being enough educateed about awareness of being different than yourself.
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I dunno. It’s offensive, certainly, the way these comedians make fun of foreigners. But then I wonder why we are tolerant of movies like “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” and various racist caricatures from SNL, Simpsons, etc. etc. Aren’t we being hypocritical?
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Mo, I think Borat is different. Sascha Baron Cohen is Jewish I think which makes him white. Though I think that is a point of contention. He is also english and was also funny. That being a big difference
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I am not angry actually of the comedians, including the movie “Borat.”
It only shows how we are ourself not open minded enough about ourself.
Actually, I find “Borat” funny not because of the “Borat’s” actions instead the reactions of the people who are “his” targets.
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Of course it’s racist. But I don’t know why Korean netizens would be upset about it since they’re more racist than Japanese.
Also, this show looks like it’s the same every single time.
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Would you care to support that comparison with some objective data?
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Surely though the difference is that Borat and the Simpsons use cultural caricatures to make a point, within an entirely satirical premise. The caricatures on this program are there for no other reason than pointing and laughing at something different. It’s born entirely from lowest common denominator assumptions and is obviously a sign of the entrenchment of deeply ingrained racial and social stereotypes in Japan.
That said, I think people might be condemning Japan without picking up on the same kinds of tendencies within films and TV from their own countries. The bespectacled Chinese kid, paragon of all things geeky, is a stereotype found in a large percentage of American high school films, the image being that Chinese kids are socially inept and unfashionable. Take Japanese Hiro from new American drama Heroes – the cast is full of your stereotypical image of handsome, strong-jawed, dark haired Western men, so it comes as no surprise when their Japanese character is imbued with the characteristics most Westerners (with their limited knowledge of what Japanese people are actually like) associate with Japanese men: small, nerdy, good at computers. (I laughed out loud when he later turns out to be quite hard – naturally dressed as a Samurai.) Or take Takeshi’s castle in the UK: Craig Charles actually refers to them at times as ‘happy Jappys’, and the whole tone of the program is one of condescension, ‘look at how silly these funny Japanese people are’.
I’m aware these examples are slightly different to those in the main post above, what with people dressing up etc, but the attitude behind it all is surely the same.
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If I may, I would like to point out that American ignorance is still way more hurtful, despite our ‘progressive’ multi-cultural society.
For your viewing pleasure… none other than ROSIE O’DONNELL: http://thesuperficial.com/2006/12/rosie_odonnell_still_an_ignora.html
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I completely agree with noahT!!
Not only Americans, but Arabs too! I live among arabs, and only god knows how they picture Japanese people in their minds!
Stereotypes are everywhere!
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No, I wouldn’t get offended by a jew with a hooknose, or an african or whatever. I think you are overreacting a bit here. People do tend to stereotype foreigners or other people that they see as belonging to certain groups. So what if they do it for a bit of fun?
The program with the chopsticks isn’t that funny, but that’s not because of the stereotypes….it’s just because it’s a silly show.
Personally I couldn’t care less. If people want to make fun of others, fine by me. I find other things more important, for instance when politicians take stereotypes seriously. Now THATs a problem. I think that most people are able to see that the figures in that show are caricatures and that it doesn’t depict real people. If they can’t, well, then it’s more of a stupidity problem than anything else.
Thanks for a good blog, that I enjoy reading.
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People just need to lighten up and learn to laugh at themselves. Sure Japanese discriminate against other nationalities in their country, but then it’s their countrie. If you don’t like it don’t go there.
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Oh ok, well then I guess since I’m a white male its cool if I discriminate against women, blacks, jews, Mexicans and anyone else I can think of right? I mean it is my country right? Don’t like it, then don’t come here.
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Actually, by Troy’s standards, the only people who would probably be allowed to discriminate against others in the US are the Native Americans
If you’re from the US, that is!
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Interesting points made here. Personally I don’t feel offended by the big nose-stereotype. I’m half japanese and have a bigger nose than most Japanese. Isn’t it because western people are bigger in size on average that japanese comedians use the big nose? It would be harder to make themselves taller. I think the way Bobby Olegon and Bob Sapp let themselves willingly get used on tv was much worse. Though I usually enjoyed their appearances on tv, I wondered what kind of image these two black persons gave to the japanese public about blacks, or are they generally smart enough to see through it(which could also be asked about the big nose-issue)?
When Lost in Translation was released many of my japanese friends didn’t like it because they felt it was making fun of japanese people (probably they were just repeating other peoples’ opinions though to use another stereotype LOL). I would then point at the fake big noses used in tv-shows to remind them they did kind of the same thing.
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The existence of racism in America, while a terrible thing, basically has nothing to do with this topic. If you think racism in America is bad, you should complain and fight against it. I think the widespread anger at Rosie O’Donnel’s “ching chonging” is a good sign that many people are aware that such a thing is idiotic and offensive. Racism exists everywhere, but that’s no excuse to simply ignore it and let comedians say or do whatever they want regardless of whether it mocks the physical appearance of non-Japanese races.
As for the Simpsons/Borat:
Borat doesn’t put on a fake nose to change his racial appearance. On the Simpsons just about every character, regardless of race, is a satirical caricature. As adam pointed out, those two shows use ethnic caricatures for satirical purposes, rather than simply dressing-up as another race to look physically “funny.” If someone were to make a similar remark on Japanese TV, I doubt there would be any anger in the media.
Troy:
So by that logic, I guess every ethnic minority should get the fuck out of America as well? Maybe the muslims and Africans who face discrimination in Europe should just “go home”?
Rather than just accept ignorance as something ok and “learn to laugh” at how my racial appearance differs from Japanese people, I’m trying to spread awareness of this issue and make a few Japanese people less ignorant. I think it’s better to let people know that something is racially insensitive rather than shutting-the-fuck up simply because I wasn’t born in the country I now live in.
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Right or wrong, They are insensitive. I think it is for the benifit of Japanese to be aware that there are people who think it is racism.
I want people reading this post send the message.
https://www.bpo.gr.jp/iken/youth/form2.html
I think Egnlish is okay.
Thanks
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Rip wrote
“Of course it’s racist. But I don’t know why Korean netizens would be upset about it since they’re more racist than Japanese.”
Why Korean netizens would be upset? Simple, they know that the racism is wrong and want to get an apology from broadcasting company. It’s not question of who is more racist rather it’s question of who are more willing to vioce up against and change the attitude towards it.
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I agree with you guys about many or the majority of japanese being insensitive and ignorant and racist. I just wanna let you know:
Allthough Borat doesn’t put on a fake nose to change his racial appearance, but he does tell that people from Kazakhstan like to fuck animals and treat their women even worse than animals and a lot more stuff that might offend people.
The gouvernment of Kazakhstan ran four-page full-color ads in the New York Times and other newspapers to inform Americans that Kazakhstan is not like in the movie.
Still think Sacha Baron Cohen is a funny comedian. His next movie might be somewhere in Asia I figured. Since he is now too well known in the US. And what would Japan’s reaction have been if he had used Japan?
Just asking: Would anyone like the US or EU to run ads in the Yomiuri Shimbun to inform the japanese public? Would be funny. An official statement that not all gaikokujin have big noses. My guess is the japanese will think al those people had cosmetic surgery.
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Meh, I don’t see why you should advocate impinging on their freedom of expression. You can change the channel.
Also, what are you implying by using the word “ignorant”? Exactly what are they ignorant of? Do you have evidence to disprove the implicit claim that European noses are larger than Japanese noses? Post it if you do. Otherwise I think that the term “ignorant” is appropriate. Unsavory yes, ignorant no.
You have the moral high ground by not viewing, but you lose the moral high ground by trying to suppress the expression.
Oh and I am a full blooded American, but I feel the need to defend free speech no matter how offensive. Fascist propaganda in all its forms is disgusting.
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James, can you find a car or Nissan blog in the US/UK and ask them what they would think if Nissan pimped their new car with white guys with blackface, buck teeth and glasses, etc? I’d be inclined, in fact, to contact Nissan’s customer relations in the US/UK and tell them you find that advertising unacceptable and won’t buy another car from them, etc, etc.
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Even the so called positive stereotype of big noses is a bad idea.
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At least the comedian should have played a Japanese with buck teeth in addition to an American with a big nose and real buck teeth.LOL
Just send the message you don’t like it.
https://www.bpo.gr.jp/iken/youth/form2.html
The more complaints, the better.
（※） …… required.
宛先（※） An address
（人権……………………..broadcast and human right
青少年委員会,,,,,,,,,,,,,broeadcast council for Youth program
その他放送一般……….broadcast council for quality programing
ＢPOへの意見………..BPO
放送局名…………the name of the broadcastin station
番組名……………the name of the program
放送日……………the date of the air
放送時間帯………the time of the air
ご意見…………….your opinion (Write in English)
400字程度で
お願いします。
氏名(name) 性別（※）(sex) 男性(male) 女性(female)
年齢（※）(age) 歳 E-MAIL
郵便番号 〒 – 都道府県（※） (prefecture)
住所 your address
TEL – -
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You may (not) be surprised to learn that the Nissan commercial you referred to was the most popular one on TV for three months straight.
http://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/f-et-tp0-20061215-130726.html
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Your comments show that you are one of the many who think American culture and ideas ought to apply to Japan. The US has a big problem with political correctness to the point that everyone is afraid to make a joke if it might offend someone. Japan isn’t the US, and that is probably why you and many others are living there. Just appreciate it and let them have their own culture.
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James Blarmo:
You’re a cultural relativist. That’s great. So, when is it appropriate for a non-Japanese person to criticize something that is prevalent in Japanese society? Never?
This isn’t some treasured part of Japanese culture. Most Japanese people have had little or no interaction with people who are not racially “Japanese,” so they simply do not know that mocking the physical appearance of other races is insensitive and can offend people of those races. The world is becoming increasingly globalized, and Japanese people are going to have more contact with foreigners. I think it’s better that they learn now that making fun of a white person’s big nose or telling a black person that they look like a gorilla is going to offend people of those races.
Oh, and what a shame that political correctness has become such a problem in America. Now whites can’t tape their eyelids and wear bucked teeth to impersonate Japanese, or paint their face black and become “colored” people. Even adults are no longer allowed to use “CHING CHING CHONG” when childishly mocking Asian languages! When will the horror end?
Korean Netizen:
I completely agree with you. Perhaps Koreans who have visited other countries, or kyopo who lived abroad and have returned to Korea were able to observe how things like that can be very offensive in multi-ethnic countries, and spread those ideas around?
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I personally do not feel it much offensive that someone in the US jokes with buck teeth, speaking incomprehensible Japanese.
But when a comedian joke about a specific nationality on TV, that is influential. In particular kids do watch this TV program and commercial. What will happen when Japanese kids make fun of a kid whose parent come from other culture. It would be unbearable to see it.
The argument from the freedom of expression might hold true to some extent, but, just as hard porno is restricted in place and time, I think the expression of this kind should be strictly restricted.
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So if you have a kid in Japan or you consider it offensive, you might want to send a complaint.
https://www.bpo.gr.jp/iken/youth/form2.html
Here is a template. You can add your own opinion in English.
ご意見送信フォーム
「※」印の項目は必ずご記入ください。※ required.
宛先（※） 青少年委員会
放送局名
番組名 日産コマーシャル
放送日
放送時間帯
ご意見
400字程度で
お願いします。
http://www.fujitv.co.jp/hanetobi/nissan_cm.html
滑稽な外国人をテレビで演じることで、他文化の背景を持つ親を持った子供のいじめを助長する危険があります。
早急に放映禁止することを望みます
(Acting out the funny foreigners on TV, it might help bullying a kid whose parent comes from other culture at school. I hope the air will be stopped soon.)
And/or your own opinion.
氏名 性別（※） 男性 ○女性
年齢（※）８２ 歳 E-MAIL
郵便番号 〒 – 都道府県（※） 東京
住所
TEL - -
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Frankly I dont find any of this offensive at all. And I’m a mexican of jewish decent so I could be twice as offended. Some years back I would have been up in a riot over this but Ive learned that all of this political correctness is, to a point, absurd.
Insult comes from intention and offense comes from the reaction you CHOOSE to have. This is humor, there’s no insult here. Is it ignorant? It sure as hell is, but is it offensive? Only if you want it to be.
Take it from someone who has faced international ignorance and misconceptions about his nationality all his life. As a mexican I’ve had to explain why Im not wearing a sombrero and taking a siesta more times than I should have.
Here in Mexico when someone’s really tanned or black we call him negro and its taken as a nickname, a friendly way to refer to them. In the US you cant get away with doing that, does that make Mexico racist? No. It just means that the US has turned physical traits into taboo.
Ignorance can be fun too, even when the joke’s on you.
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I agree with noah T and James Blarmo.
I just immensely enjoy these stereotypical shows.
Everywhere have stereotypes.
Japan is a 99.2%homogeneous country, probably the most racially homogeneous country in the world, not the multi-ethnic countries like USA, Canada or Australia, NZ etc.
Why Japanese have to care about a small handful of too sensitive gaijins??…coz the main target audiences are JAPANESE
They have the full rights to making jokes and enjoy on their own ways, the unique way of hilarious entertainment that other countries never dream of such shows happen in their countries.
So that’s why the Japanese World of entertainment is the funniest on Earth and unparalleled to others.
The entertainment world is fantasy, not the real world that’s stressful enough for Japanese.
As the old proverb said, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
So “When in Japan, enjoy weird TV programmes as the japanese do.”….LOL
I think I’m another cultural relativist…not (^C^)…big-nose gaijin.
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Quite frankly, the racial insensitivity of these shows is at the same time completely offensive, and completely understandable. This sort of stereotyping and racial insensitivity is no different than when the United States makes cartoons that gentrify Asian or “Oriental” culture, and puts them on FoxTV at 9AM every saturday morning. Something is “foriegn” and “interesting”, and it’s only natural to play up people’s perceptions of these people (misguided or not) for laughs.
That being said, this kind of behavior is inexcusable, no matter if the producer is NHK or NBC.
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Is it offensive? let’s find out! Simple test. The next time a Japanese person laughs at the big-nose \ blackface Uncle Tom (thanks Bob Sap! You the man! Malcolm would be proud!) \ “all viruses come from China” – etc. etc. take your pick – jokes, pull your eyes all slitty and say: “Harro! I flom Japan! sankyu berry muchy! I am geisha-girl sumo wrestler karate bonsai brack belto!”
They’ll love it, I’m sure.
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Thsi is very offensive to me. I can not stand how the “chinese” bitch speaks fucked up Japanese on purpose. Foreginers who speak Japanese well, are very good and do NOT sound that screwed up, but even the best speakers of English in Japan sound liek complete arses. I hate this program, it just just plain stupid. And I have no problem using chopsticks, and neither does any other foreigner I know who has stayed here more than 3 days.
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Wow, “but even the best speakers of English in Japan sound liek complete arses” is SO funny, on SO many levels. Level 1: Hypocrite – he gets mad at them poking FUN at gaijin, but directly offends Japanese who speak English. Level 2: Not only questionable grammar, but spells like “liek”, and this page has SPELLCHECK LOL!!! Level 3: Calls Abu-chan a b*tch, I mean REALLY?! … Wow, really, wow!
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Well, well, well.
After years of taking a mick of “japs” you all are suddenly shocked they they can actually fight back.
Can’t take what you dish out perhaps?
It’s all very well excused in the west, isn’t it? Like “But this is satire!” and “Freedom of speech!” and “We don’t mean to offend!”
Just look at Southpark, wonder how many japanese they offended in the Chinpokomon episode.
By the way, I have been treated like a foreigner wherever I have been (originally from Belarus) – UK, Sweden, USA, France. But only in Japan I was treated with due respect. All this makes me really want to laugh at foreigners complaining in Japan.
You know what we “immigrants” are being told? “If you don’t like it here, we are not keeping you!”. I think you should apply the same to you in exactly the same manner.
Keep on laughing at Borat by the way, next time Kazakhs will retaliate.
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New to the site. This is my first post. IMO a charicature of a race is only as offensive as a member of that race may find it. This isnt to say that any reasonable person cant look at any given mock-up of anothers race and cry foul. Im simply suggesting that unless you are actually a member of the race “being portrayed” then I might suggest that self-righteous indignance is not the correct tack.
As an Black American man who spent his first year in Japan appearing on a local TV show, I think I’m highly qualified to speak on the subject. Not because of my work experience (which was incidental), because of my academic experience (over 16 years of exposure to the language and culture), but because of my social experience here. (being loved by fans when I went about town, but after I refused to lower my work ethic to that of a Bob Sapp, or a Bobby Ologun… I was replaced by a Japanese actor in blackface, red lipstick and an afro wig).
Yeah…literally…black shoe polish on his face.
Japan clearly has a number of social issues they have yet to sort out. But, understanding what I do about the social structure and history of my own country, Im not convinced the US is the country to cry foul.
Still… a guy in BLACKFACE?
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Japanese people aren’t really taught about racial segregation/slavery too much in school, and the concept of blackface is probably not offensive at all to most people there because they don’t know the history behind it…Kind of like how people from the Netherlands not finding Zwarte Piet offensive…
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god I hope Japan never gets as PC as the US or EU.
oh how I wish Japanese TV wasn’t watched by the western world, then these stupid debates wouldn’t even be an issue.
Also in the US/EU non-specific east asian people are by far the most stereotyped minorities in media. *shrug*
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Thanks for posting this. Yeah, this sort of depiction of foreigners is inexcusable. I think it’s important for foreigners in Japan to explain to Japanese people why we find this offensive and why it is not appropriate. Getting angry isn’t going to help anything.
And also saying that there are offensive depictions of foreigners in other countries doesn’t discount this being inappropriate. What’s the problem with saying that all racists depictions of foreigners in any culture is wrong and this is one example of the problem?
Anyone else wanna jump on the understanding and moderation train with me?
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As an American from an ethnic group known for our large noses and as a friend of a number of Mexicans, I have to say that I found this funny and not offensive. So, some westerners can’t use chopstick? So what? The costumes were over the top, not to be taken seriously. Was that an Arab or a Persian, by the way? Who knows? This is Japanese comedy, not a political or social debate.
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Reading through these posts, I either missed or didn’t read anyone pointing out that this group, Haneru no Tobira makes fun of Japan/Japanese as much as it does any other culture or race. Everything from ottaku, school-girls and countless other Japanese “stereo-types”.
EVERYTHING deserves to be made fun of, its a basis of comedy. To be honest, I’ve been watching Hane Tobi with my wife almost religiously and I never even picked up on the gaijin/chopstick correlation – which makes me feel retarded. However, it only makes it funnier.
How about Bush telling the Japanese PM it was a “good thing” that we dropped the bomb on them and they should thank us for progressing their country, like we’re doing in Iraq??? Thats sick and wrong (he also has said The Constitution is “just a g*d-d*man piece of paper”, great guy). But your crapping on THIS, COME ON! I digress, but whats the point of dawging this? Its COMEDY, its SNL for Japan – even better, its FUNNY and its fair. Is it inappropriate for kids? Yes – IF their parents are useless parents, otherwise… well, you get the point.
PC is conformity, censorship, ignorance, avoidance and a hindrance to creativity and free speech. Oh, and when I used the term “retarded”, I know some PC hearts skipped a beat, but try a dictionary and see just how well it fits
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