Animal cruelty on Japanese TV
The infamous clip of a bear cub being tormented for amusement on Korean TV network SBS’s “Animal Farm” was shown on Fuji TV this week, so that a studio audience of Japanese celebrities could laugh at the animal writhing in mortal fear:
There are a few expressions of pity for the bear, but it’s mostly laughs from the audience. The bear’s experience is presented as an opportunity for him to “learn” how to be strong. At the end of the clip, we can see the results of one month of “training”: the bear is now able to torment the monkey that it once feared.
According to a post over at Korea blog ZenKimchi, a representative of MoonBears.org reported that the South Korean zoo apologized for ethical violations (a fact conveniently left out of Fuji TV’s broadcast):
Dear All,
I am MD of an organization aimed at preserving bear welfare in South Korea, and I have the privilege of acting as the contact point between SBS, Samsung Everland (the zoo), and WAZA, who regulates zoos worldwide. It is noteworthy that this zoo is a WAZA member. This clip has been acknowledged as disgraceful by the zoo, who admits that the behavior displayed in the clip is unprofessional, unethical and in poor taste. As the zoo is in violation of several WAZA codes of ethics, an inquiry was sent and the zoo responded with an apology. We are requesting a formal written stance be posted on the website of the zoo. For those who see this as ‘educational’: This is a zoo. There is no ecological situation in which a bear and a lion co-exist, and animals in captivity are required (by law), to be treated in a manner that mimics nature. No, there is no relevant training occurring, and assigning a human, emotional characteristic to an animal for the sake of entertainment is both ridiculous and ignorant. We find the zookeeper to be unqualified and we regret the positive reception of the clip in South Korea.
As someone who has the luxury of understanding the Hangul and the context, it saddens me that trained professionals would make such poor decisions.
The Show’s creators are still profiting by re-selling the segment, and Fuji TV is apparently happy to pay them for it.
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Regarding the bear ‘turning the tables’ on the other animals: the bear is still afraid of the other animals (or at best, ‘deeply uncomfortable’ around them). It just realizes it can push them around and act on its discomfort, rather than cower in fear.
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OMG they scared a bear – those bastards.
I’m sure in the wild. young bears encounter many creatures that scared them – it’s called the process of growing up – and it’s how EVERY creature learns what’s safe and what’s not.
As to not running across lions in it’s natural habitat, I’m guessing it doesn’t run across humans, cage walls, artificial flooring, food in a pan, etc. It’s life is already irreversibly changed by the fact that it’s IN A ZOO!
Geeesh, it’s not like their research involved exploding harpoons.
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They didn’t know what was going to happen when they introduced a bear to some lion cubs. This kind of experimentation isn’t OK, it’s cruel. But HEY! That’s entertainment!
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I guess life in general is just one big cruel experiment then…
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If you look at the Korean clip, you see that they show the bear the lions through the glass at first, and even then the bear was freaking out. They knew what was going to happen.
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I don’t think it’s cruel for the animal.
But it’s a very sad demonstration of how people is entertained by the suffering of other creatures including other humans.
It’s very sad, and it’s very true, comedy is based in that, people feign to suffer just to make other laugh, they are called clowns, humans by nature enjoy seeing other creatures suffering.
I don’t, and that makes me feel kind of unnatural, for example when seeing those “comic” videos in TV of people being hurt for their stupidity, I can only feel pity for them, both for the hurt and for being stupid.
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Initially I could forgive them since as Luke said,”them didn’t know what was going to happen when they introduced a bear to some lion cubs.”
Once I put my 1.5kg kitten in outdoor movable pen on my front lawn with my 4kg Flemish Giant rabbits. I was innocently expecting a scene from “Peaceable Kingdom” (Edward Hicks a Quaker painter, circa 1800).
Instead, from the first time I heard the huge rabbits SCREAM like the end of the world—I figured out the just the smell of predator cat set them off in spasmodic fear of death. My neighbors almost called the police thinking a mass murder of a group of children was in progress.
Continuing the bear vs lion cub “experiment” was cruel but typical of Korean and Japanese TV (and normal for the cruelty of Japanese pet shops).
Does anybody want to hazard a guess why nominal Buddhists like the Japanese enjoy animal abuse? The only cultural reason I can cook up—crappy armchair anthropology really–is that the Japanese haven’t a long experience raising livestock, so they have fewer societal mores on humane animal treatment (such as most Japanese single-family houses have their dogs tie with 1m chain in a single spot 24/7/365).
Additional references:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Japan_animal_cruelty_case
Dragon Gate dojo monkey torture
http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/forum/topics/dragon-gate-wrestling-animal
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Okay…you’ve got 2 references giving examples of Japanese people getting angry about animal abusers in their own country. I see nothing proving your holier than thou attitude about Japanese enjoyment of animal abuse.
I am sure I could dig up news stories about animal abuse from your country of origin and make the same kind of idiotic generalizations.
Your name link goes to an article about a Greek company slaughtering a goat to celebrate the release of a game that just so happens to be owned by Sony. ???? Is it supposed to be an example of why Japanese enjoy animal abuse?
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I think you went too far here. Sorry but, as you say, it is crappy.
By the same logic, someone can discuss why nominal Christians like American enjoy animal abuse, citing some news.
http://news.google.co.jp/news/search?um=1&cf=all&ned=jp&hl=ja&q=animal+cruelty
I’ve seen some news about cruel breeders and cruel pet trainers on TV in Japan, If people just enjoy animal abuse, why are they on the news?, and why do people consider them problematic?
As for the audience reactions, people find humor, according to Veatch, iff
1)Something is wrong.
2)The situation is actually okay
3)Both occur at the same time.
Some people find the situation above is not okay. In that case people don’t find it funny.
Other people find the situation above is okay, perhaps because they know no life-threatening events would happen and they find it funny.
I’ve seen Japanese comedians go into the cage of lions/alligators and frightened and run away. Some people find it funny.I find it in poor taste.
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If you want to dive into the discussion of cultural or historical peculiarity of Japanese people by presenting only a few instances of animal abuse, then I will do the same.
Have a look at the following example of animal treatment by a people having a long history of raising livestock:
Undercover Investigation at Hy-Line Hatchery
You can still claim that this is typical Japanese invention, but if not, we can argue that those people having a long experience of raising livestock can do things far more efficiently and cruelly because of their rich experience of raising livestock.
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I agree with you 3 yen! japanese become the brutal buddhists.
Except a part of district, devout buddhists in jp did not eat animal meats before taking over western ways. now,we enjoy eating animal meets even though its whales!!!! Its sad!
by the way, in 16 and 19~20 century, every histrical eras that japanese encountered the western culture, japanese invaded Korea and abused korean people. Western culture makes jap brutal race? hahaha
ps : I am just joking. pls be patient with my stupid joke.
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Surely if the bear torturing is a legal offence, the TV company is an accessory by paying to use the footage for entertainment.
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Oh, that bear is really very small. Damn dangerous job will be for the guy who will be that bear’s keeper when it grows up.
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Many people are posting videos of a baby scared by something. And most viewers are laughing at those poor scared babies. Baby cruelty on YouTube? I think every animals must be accustomed to many things and it may be a fearful encounter with unknown creatures, especially for wild life. Is this really somthing to be called as “abuse”? I can see no clear boundary between this and prank shows which may scare or frighten humans.
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There is no such thing as universal morality. Everyone shut the hell up.
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lol he was so cute! at the end he ends up being a bully hehe
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I work in am AZA zoological facility in New Jersey. Watching this made my blood boil.
I hope WAZA comes down on this facility hard, or at least makes them pay large fines, perhaps even a review of their Accreditation is in order.
The very idea of introducing that bear cub to lion cubs, what appeared to be a macaque, and a juvenile kangaroo is not only dumb, but dangerous for all the animals involved. They could have easily spread diseases to each other from contact.
Now I’m just rambling….apologies to all.
I thought I was disgusted as I could be with these seemingly ubiquitous goofy J-TV shows — the ones that shoot for simple-minded LOLs for simple-minded viewers. I was wrong.
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I swear this entire part of the world should have their animals taken away from them until they learn to treat them properly.
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Visit your local pig of chicken farm and see how well the animals are treated there. Animal abuse happens all over the world.
Are you one of those racist Sea Shepherd psychos?
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I shall attempt to address the non-idiotic part of your reply:
Modern livestock-raising/ food-production techniques are indeed pretty unpleasant to behold, and I’d be more than happy to see free range meat take dominance in the market. I don’t know if it’s possible to meet the demand that the current farming techniques provide, but it’d be better for the food we consume.
However, the animals under discussion are not food animals. They are zoo animals that have different requirements for their treatment and well being, and the videos above show that they are not being met.
Now, after eight years in this part of the world, I have come across such a complete cluelessness (to put it nicely) about animals, their uses, and proper treatment, that it boggles the mind. What you saw above was a mild case, and it’s one of those sort of things where you want to sit the entire culture in the corner facing the wall.
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William George, I do not like your “this part of the world” attitude.
Have you ever been to a circus or any show that involves animals? Do you think those animals learned tricks for nothing? Or have you ever been to a zoo? Those animals are kept in cages. How horrible. You would not say circuses and zoos are peculiar to “this part of the world”.
If you do not like animal abuse, why do you limit your attention to “this part of the world”, unless you are a ra**st.
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A zoo is pretty damn far from this sort of thing. True, there are bad zoos out there, but a good zoo is certainly not animal abuse in any form. Hell, a modern zoo probably provides a better environment than nature does; food and medical treatment guaranteed, and no predators.
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William George,
Animals are animals. It doesn’t matter if they are on a farm or in a zoo. They should be treated humanely and with respect.
Your “this part of the world” comment is nothing more than racism in disguise. Japan is no worse than America, Australia, Europe, etc.
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I think William might have been referring not just to Japan, but also other countries in Asia. Have any of you ever been to a zoo in Mainland China? They are perhaps one of the most depressing places one can visit. Not just because of the conditions of the animals, but the way in which the visitors to the zoo see and treat the animals.
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Well, it looks like I DO have to address the idiot parts of the replies, since that’s all that’s being offered. Thankfully, it can be done quickly:
Because I live in this part of the world.
I won’t hold my breath waiting for the apology you owe me.
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You continue to single out Asian people. Who cares where you live? Animal abuse happens everywhere, by people of all races.
Nobody owes you an apology.
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1- The abuses of animals in other parts of the world are not the current topic of discussion.
2- Culture and race are not one in the same.
3- No denial was made by me of animal abuse elsewhere.
4- The fact that I live here IS important because this is the environment I live in. Therefore I have a stake in it.
5- I understand how difficult it can be on the internet. We do tend to project our fears and negativity on people when we don’t understand what they’re saying.
Now I’m assuming you’ve made it this far in your life because there is an intelligent person on the other side of the keyboard from me, and I’ve simply failed to get across my point effectively. I apologize if that’s the case.
Because I’d hate to think that you’re just one of those types on the internet that bullheadedly stick with being wrong due to pride…. Or because you’re not actually smart enough to read what’s put in front of you properly… Or even worse: Because you’re trolling to get a rise out of me.
But wrong you are. And wrong you will continue to be. Forever and ever, until the day you fess up and say sorry.
If the internet were a city, you’d be the mayor of Wrongsville, in the state of Wrongness, USA. Wrong Street would lead directly to your home. And your picture would be in the dictionary next to the word “wrong”.
You would even have to consider putting “I wuz wrong!” on your tombstone. And when mourners walk past, to lay flowers upon your grave, they say through their tears, “He was a magnificently wrong man!”
Hell, I think you just found your claim to fame, son. Maybe thanking me would be better than apologizing.
Have a nice day.
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I like turtles.
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William George, this is what you said.
“I swear this entire part of the world should have their animals taken away from them until they learn to treat them properly.”
How can you make such a sweeping statement? You only have 8 years of experience to support your extremely broad statement. You say there is no one who knows how to treat animals in this entire part of the world. Everyone here agrees this statement of yours is a big lie. We call it a typical stereotype.
You go on to say, based on your stereotype, that everyone in this part of the world should be denied of the right to use animals. This is called discrimination.
Your argument is very typical of a racist; a stereotype followed by discrimination.
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Haha, william got pwnd
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LMAO
For some reason, I get the same feelings out of watching this clip as I do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AYujWCCHRk
You know its terrible to laugh, but you just can’t help it.
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What is racist about the sea shepherd. Hunting endangered species is not a cultural distinction. Nor is cruelty to animals.
The zoos in Korea are simply awful! You can tell a lot about a society by the way it treats animals.
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Than please tell me about Spain, Mexico and other western countries based on what they do with their bulls in bull fighting.
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Well, take a look at what Western people who are not Spanish say about bullfighting first. It’s not exactly supported by everyone.
Incidentally, what other “western countries” have bullfights? And is Mexico considered a “western country”?
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I had a chance to see the current situation on the bullfighting in Spain on the TV. Declining popularity and protest by animal right organization. A spanish man interviewed by a reporter answered just as “We are not so interested on it, so it shoud be abolished”, without mentioning clearly on the cruel aspect of the show. I think his opinion is not so good since there are obvious tendency that peoples all over the world are losing interest on their traditions regardless of the existence of cruelty. I think there are, and should be, much debate on keeping such tradition or custom which may have cruel aspect.
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“The zoos in Korea are simply awful! You can tell a lot about a society by the way it treats animals.”
How about other countries that eat a lot of meat. Boy they kill a lot of domestic animals for food and it’s an awful way to treat animals.
Ironically South Korea has one of the most advanced veterinary (as in curing animals) practices in Asia. Mostly from the total destruction of food productions right after the Korean War.
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Terrifying animals for amusement is very Ancient Rome. It’s cruel, a priori. To argue otherwise is stupid.
However, the expression on that bear’s face when he turned around and his little legs slipped out from under him was priceless. You can’t not laugh at that!
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Media people in Japan believe that buying any TV programs from Korea and sending money to Korea is a good behavior. Anyone who opposes it is a backward retarded moron (for them).
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The Japanese media industry is one of the most criminal, nepotistic corrupt enterprises on this planet. And it shows.
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Based on what????
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It’s funny how so many here were gung-ho about spearing non-endangered whales and dolphins but are soo upset about humans putting a bear near other friendly animals to play with (and subsequently being scared).
Spears to the face over getting scared, huh? Buncha retards
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Yeah, it’s amazing the conclusions you can draw when you look at comments en masse and conclude that because a bunch of people support A, and a bunch of people support B, they must be the same people.
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Thank you for very thoughtful and insightful comment, but could you tell me in detail which persons are gung-ho about hunting whales AND are soo upset about that TV show? I may reply to all such people as “You are hypocrite”.
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It seems pretty obvious that empathy for animals is not a really part of East Asian culture. Hence clips like these which provoke hilarity in Japan/Korea but wouldn’t never even be shown in other countries, except as a news item or documentary about animal cruelty.
What should be equally obvious is that making an observation about a culture is not racism.
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And one more equally obvious thing is that taking TV persons as representatives of an ethnic group and going into easy generalization is what racists usually do.
And yet one more equally obvious thing is that racists always pick up only negative aspects and often do negative association. Their mental illness forbid counterbalancing and thus negative impressions are accumulated.
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I am not sure how to interpret it.
Even Taro 3Yen.com mentioned Buddhist tradition in which monks were vegetarians.
Just visiting traditional Japanese restaurants confirm that the traditional Japanese don’t eat animal meat.
Just reading a short history of Japan will tell you 生類憐れみの令.
It was mainly after the encounter with the West, the more Japanese started eating beef and pork.
And as a Japan probe reader,you must have read a post about “Dog stuck in tire” who was saved. If it was not out of empathy, what is it?
Your comment as it is sounds like saying empathy is not a really part of English culture. Hence clips like these—whatever— which provoke hilarity in U.K. but wouldn’t never even be shown in other countries, except as a news item or documentary about human cruelty.
(You are from Britain, aren’t you?)
It shows how ignorant about U.K and the other culture he is , isn’t it?
I wonder why there is activism in the non-East Asian culture whose aim is to stop show/advertisement that depicts cruelty.
DC says:
Right, but it is also true that racists often use an observation about a culture to realize their aim, If someone make a sweep generalization about a culture —anyway, what is East Asian culture? and as against what? —-without checking facts and cultural conditions and leave negative judgment on it, it is likely he has racist motives or maybe he is just ignorant but making a comment based on the prejudice that is prevailing in the country he is from.
If someone just wants to visit Japan to indulge in his own curious version of ‘orientalizing fantasy and/or make comments that sound patronizing and racist, please kindly refrain from coming.
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The upshot of these two replies is that if anyone has a negative impression of, or is concerned about, one aspect of a certain culture, to actually voice their concerns is racism.
>but making a comment based on the prejudice that is prevailing in the country he is from.
>Just visiting traditional Japanese restaurants confirm that the traditional Japanese don’t eat animal meat.
Just reading a short history of Japan will tell you 生類憐れみの令.
It was mainly after the encounter with the West, the more Japanese started eating beef and pork.
I agree entirely. I’ve said the same to many Japanese friends who’ve challenged me on my vegetarianism. So why does tormenting a bear on TV provoke (mainly) hilarity in Japan and (mainly) disgust in other countries? I would say that the image of Japan abroad is one of kindness to animals; perhaps a result of the Buddhist associations. So witnessing the actual treatment of animals in Japan comes as somewhat of a surprise.
What I’m not suprised about (anymore) however is this; if one criticises *any* aspect of Japanese culture, one rarely meets a coherent argument challenging one’s views. Instead ‘RACISM RACISM, PLEASE BACK YOUR HOME COUNTRY’ is the norm.
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Your upshot is completely irrelevant. I’m talking about tendency, general attitude toward a group of people, and the way of thinking, but not about just a single action, isolated incidents, and such.
We can still rationalize this as a mere cultural difference, especially on how people see the relation between humans and nature (or other animals). Some people may argue that we should never pamper or over-protect animals since wildlife are often living under far more severe condition. We are not a supreme existence born along with noble obligation, but just one species of animal.
In my opinion, introducing a lion to a bear cub is too careless since they might have fought and injured each other. But I think they must be accustomed to be frightened somday in some way, and then they must grow up so that they can judge the amount of danger they are facing correctly. That was just a lesson for a bear cub and they were laughing at his/her immature behaviour and unexpected over-reaction. Everyone on the show might have believed that everything were done under very secure condition.
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I didn’t realize and was a bit surprised that this kind of bias exited in “non-east Asian culture”
In some respects, the Japanese respect animals by calling, for instance, a monkey osaru-san, sometimes worship by calling a dog, for instance, o-inu-sama, and sometimes feel friendship by calling a cat, neko-chan.
And when they are dead or killed, pet or not, people often build memorial towers for animals— dogs, cats, whales, horses, cows, pigs,rats etc..
動物の慰霊碑
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~RN2H-DIMR/ohaka2/ohakalink.html
(How do you pay tribute to dead animals in your country?)
It makes me sad to see some people looking at people in “East Asian culture” in a dehumanized way.
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I didn’t enjoy watching that.
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DC, that is not the upshot.
The upshot is that you didn’t check and examine the facts and jump to the negative judgment, presumably based on your prejudice.
Tell me what is East Asian culture? and why do you think empathy for animals is not a part of East Asian culture, For the second question, all you have is the audience who expected funny things would happen with safety laughed at the TV show in which the bear was frightened.
You know the Buddhist tradition, and you know how the dog was saved, you must have seen how the Japanese adore dogs and cats. (I wrote another comment, which is not coming out yet, about some other aspects of the relations between Japanese and animals. )
And yet, you came up with a comment “empathy for animals is not a really part of East Asian culture”.
That’s really too much, DC.
Let’s imagine somebody shoot a film of an Asian man tricked to stumble over the stones and later grinned, realizing that it was just a trick and the TV show was exported to Britain, looking at it, the audience laughed at it . In reality some people might have frowned at it, depending on how they gauge the danger he was in.
Suppose further that somebody said,
” Empathy for non-white people are not really part of western culture”(, which roughly amount to be saying “Oh shit, Brits have no empathy for non-white people. )
Suppose still further( I am not talking about you) that this kind of people have skewed occidental fantasy on the one hand and don’t discuss in English but tell what to do on their high horse without checking the facts and don’t discourage but encourage other members to tell something like “Brits are brainwashed, brainless, Don’t visit England, don’t do business in England. The public image is that England is a modern functioning democracy.Nothing could be further from the truth. England is a fascist police state, intent on ethnic cleansing & racial purity.”
Ring a bell? (I copied the last part from a forum on Japan and pasted them with England replaced with Japan.)
Do you want this kind of people to come and live together?
Don’t get me wrong. I welcome people from different background, but not this kind of people.
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i think japanese people should be ashamed of themselves.
i have never seen anything so horrifying in my life ok i tell a lie i seen a video of them torturing a poor innocent whale but that wa dreadfull.
they are spoilt, disrespectfull, uncharted, ungratefull, impossible, depressed, self centred bastards.
i dont mind japanese people living over in england but i dont want japanese people like that living over here. it makes me sick just looking at the pointy eyed pricks to be honest.
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that Tv show must be banned by the governement for good, poor bear cub,i will report this video to PETA (People of Unethical Treats to Animals. be considerate to animal rights, animals deserve to be treathened well not to be laughed at!
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I have lived in Japan for about 6 years and i know its easy for westerners to say ‘look more crazy japs’ but its all relative, i think most modern cultures have their abhorrent sides, and this is very much the Japanese’s, it doesn’t make them any better or worse than you or I. Americans among you consider the tens of thousands of human beings who’s lives have been torn apart by your unilateral actions in the middle east and elsewhere, Brits among you consider the disease, death and misery you brought to the new world, the stolen aboriginal babies, no culture is “the good good culture”, and if you think yours is superior to another then that just means that you buy your opinions at the newspaper stand.
anyhoo as a resident here i can say that the clip does highlight 2 of my gripes about this country, chronic anthropomorphism of animals (putting clothes on dogs etc.) almost as the norm. and truly truly rotten quality television that would embarrass a banana republic.
i don’t have enough time to list the gripes i have with my own culture (UK if your wondering)
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You people that don’t find that cruel and upsetting are just sick! That animal was scared and didn’t know what to do. Think if that was your child or someone you loved. Would you find it entertaining then? Animals fell just like we do and if you think you are above them then screw you.
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