Bizarre Bold Commercials in Japan: TOUCH DE PON!

So that’s what Japanese sounds like with a French accent, huh?  :D  It definitely sounds French.

And with what my language partner has told me about having trouble speaking French, it doesn’t surprise me that a French accent is just about unintelligible to Japanese speakers.

Edit: The other 2 commercials don’t have the same accent at all, so it was definitely on purpose.

One of the problems is that a lot of these models are only in Japan for 6 months or so on short-term contracts, before being sent to another country. So it’s very likely (and understandable) that she doesn’t speak a word of Japanese. If this is the case, then don’t blame her for being a poor language learner, blame the producers and directors who use models/actresses who can’t speak Japanese when there are plenty of beautiful foreign women (and men) who live in Japan long-term and speak Japanese well.

Obviously, if you are white you can get paid to prance around Japan speaking rubbish in a terrible accent. Okay.

What to make of this advert? Any attempt to claim that there is a human rights issue lurking in a lighthearted detergent commercial is bound to be met with ridicule from the sort of people who think certain aspects of culture should be exempt from any sort of analysis.
But let’s attempt to make the case. I think we can all agree that Japan has created certain stereotypes of Westerners, one of which is the smiley clown who is unable to speak Japanese properly. I think the general consensus is also that the producers of the advert are deliberately targeting this stereotype (the actress’ natural Japanese ability is irrelevant here – she is clearing being coached / directed to speak in this unnatural way).
If then, we accept the stereotype exists, the question is simply whether it is damaging or harmless to the interests of those so portrayed, and if it is damaging does it matter?
Just to play devil’s advocate, I would suggest the naivety, simplicity, and inappropriate childlike exuberance of Mrs. Yamada has much in common with Western stereotypes of happy plantation negroes and golliwogs (solely in terms of the attributes of the caricature; I am not suggesting there is any similarity at all between the social and cultural history of blacks in the west and Europeans in Asia). Such stereotypes of unsophisticated happy-go-lucky black people have (mostly) become socially unacceptable, despite the best efforts of those who claim they are harmless fun. We don’t do blackface anymore.
Are then stereotypes with those very same attributes acceptable in Japan on the grounds that Westerners are not an oppressed minority in the conventional sense (and certainly not a violently oppressed minority in any sense)? Does a general lack of overt hostility mean Japanese people have the right to portray westerners in any way they see fit?
Or are the problems faced by long-term Western residents in local communities (that is those residents unaffiliated with a foreign employer) over access to employment, housing, finance and equality before the law sufficient to suggest that such stereotypes are insensitive, inappropriate and maybe even harmful?
Just some food for thought. Any takers?