All Nippon Airways is being accused of racism after it released a commercial featuring the classic “gaijin” of Japanese imagination – a Caucasian with a gigantic proboscis and mop of blonde hair.
The ad was supposed to to highlight the handy addition of new international flights at Tokyo’s mostly domestic Haneda Airport, but a blonde wig and oversize nose put paid to that:
Barbarians living in the capital remarked that “how does Japan expect to persuade foreigners to come to Japan when carriers like ANA feel free to put out openly racist ads like this?”
AFP got wind of the story and pressed ANA further, after which they admitted the CM had generated a number of complaints amongst non-Yamato and apologised for any discomfort it may have caused.
They did not however go so far as to say they would can the CM over the accusations, however.
Online the issue has been the subject of much discussion:
“So whites have a complex about their huge noses!”
“The template for a Japanese is a bespactacled little buck-toothed camera-wielder so I don’t know what they are complaining about.”
“I thought this would cause complaints as soon as I saw it…”
“What kind of moron at the advertising agency let this one through.”
“Talk about behind the times.”
“Isn’t it really making fun of the Japanese though?”
“This is actually an expression of an inferiority complex on the part of the Japanese.”
“Japanese are basically envious of their high noses.”
“I thought it was more masochistic than anything else. Though it pretty much illustrates their level of international awareness that they never cottoned on to the fact it might cause problems internally.”
“The typical image of Japanese you see in their TV is less than flattering as well though.”
“I suppose the foreigners are OK with the samurai-ninja stereotype of Japanese and that isn’t discriminatory at all?”
“These whites and their victim complex, they are worse than blacks!”
“This about the only way you can tell a foreigner from Japanese in manga. Not that they are making fun of their huge noses or anything.”
“Many whites are sensitive about the ridiculous sizes of their huge noses. That emphasising this is likely to be considered discriminatory is common knowledge now. Especially amongst TV broadcasters. So what kind of idiot does it take to put out a CM like this!?”
“Do they think we are making fun of them? But we all think their noses are marvellous…”
“Whites are so easily goaded despite them all hating yellow monkeys and blacks.”
“Foreigners are easy on themselves and harsh on everyone else.”
“Are Pinocchio and Tengu discrimination against you? Stop calling everything discriminatory you dumb foreigners.”
“Their English conversation was even more stupid than the fake nose and wig…”
“Just what the hell is this commercial trying to say anyway?”
- Sankaku Complex
