French Fukushima cartoon offends Japan
Japan to lodge complaint with French embassy over newspaper cartoon linking nuclear disaster and 2020 Olympics bid
Fukushima
One of the Fukushima cartoons that appeared in Le Canard Enchaine
Japan is to lodge an official complaint about a cartoon in a French newspaper that links the Fukushima nuclear disaster with Tokyo's successful bid to host the 2020 Olympics.
The cartoon, which appeared on Wednesday in the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine, shows two sumo wrestlers – each with an extra arm or leg – with the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the background.
At the edge of the panel, a TV announcer dressed in a hazardous materials suit says: "Marvellous! Thanks to Fukushima, sumo is now an Olympic sport."
A second image features two people in protective clothing conducting radiation tests by the side of a pool, along with the caption: "There is already a pool in Fukushima for the Olympics."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the 2020 Games to Tokyo last weekend, despite growing concerns about the safety of the Fukushima plant.
In the runup to the IOC vote, reports emerged of leaks of highly contaminated water from storage tanks at the plant. In a separate incident last month, the facility's operator, Tokyo Electric Power, admitted that about 300 tonnes of radioactive groundwater a day was flowing into the Pacific.
Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, offered personal assurances to IOC officials that the Fukushima plant was under control and that radiation leaks posed no threat to Tokyo.
The chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said a formal complaint would be lodged with the French embassy in Tokyo, adding that the cartoon hurt the victims of the triple disaster that struck Japan's north-east coast on 11 March 2011.
"It is inappropriate and gives the wrong impression about the issue of contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi," Suga said. "It is extremely regrettable."
Japan's foreign ministry has been ordered to step up efforts to provide timely and accurate information about the situation in Fukushima, amid criticism from South Korea and China that it has been slow to share details about the water leaks.
This is not the first time that France – where nuclear is the primary source of energy – has offended Japanese sensibilities over Fukushima. Last October the broadcaster France 2 apologised after it screened a composite picture of the Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima with four arms. A presenter attributed Kawashima's impressive performance in Japan's shock 1-0 defeat of France in a friendly to the "Fukushima effect".
In 2011 Kawashima was targeted for abuse while playing for the Belgian club Lierse SK in a league fixture, when opposition fans chanted "Kawashima, Fukushima!" The referee temporarily halted play following protests from Kawashima, who was reportedly in tears after the match.
The cartoon, which appeared on Wednesday in the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine, shows two sumo wrestlers – each with an extra arm or leg – with the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the background.
At the edge of the panel, a TV announcer dressed in a hazardous materials suit says: "Marvellous! Thanks to Fukushima, sumo is now an Olympic sport."
A second image features two people in protective clothing conducting radiation tests by the side of a pool, along with the caption: "There is already a pool in Fukushima for the Olympics."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded the 2020 Games to Tokyo last weekend, despite growing concerns about the safety of the Fukushima plant.
In the runup to the IOC vote, reports emerged of leaks of highly contaminated water from storage tanks at the plant. In a separate incident last month, the facility's operator, Tokyo Electric Power, admitted that about 300 tonnes of radioactive groundwater a day was flowing into the Pacific.
Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, offered personal assurances to IOC officials that the Fukushima plant was under control and that radiation leaks posed no threat to Tokyo.
The chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said a formal complaint would be lodged with the French embassy in Tokyo, adding that the cartoon hurt the victims of the triple disaster that struck Japan's north-east coast on 11 March 2011.
"It is inappropriate and gives the wrong impression about the issue of contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi," Suga said. "It is extremely regrettable."
Japan's foreign ministry has been ordered to step up efforts to provide timely and accurate information about the situation in Fukushima, amid criticism from South Korea and China that it has been slow to share details about the water leaks.
This is not the first time that France – where nuclear is the primary source of energy – has offended Japanese sensibilities over Fukushima. Last October the broadcaster France 2 apologised after it screened a composite picture of the Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima with four arms. A presenter attributed Kawashima's impressive performance in Japan's shock 1-0 defeat of France in a friendly to the "Fukushima effect".
In 2011 Kawashima was targeted for abuse while playing for the Belgian club Lierse SK in a league fixture, when opposition fans chanted "Kawashima, Fukushima!" The referee temporarily halted play following protests from Kawashima, who was reportedly in tears after the match.
Japan protests French Fukushima cartoons
TOKYO:
Japan voiced anger on Thursday over cartoons published in a French
newspaper that took aim at the decision to award the 2020 Olympics to
Tokyo despite the ongoing nuclear crisis at Fukushima.
Satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine published a cartoon depicting sumo wrestlers with extra limbs competing in front of a crippled nuclear plant, which said the disaster had made it a feasible Olympic sport.
Another cartoon showed two people standing in front of a pool of water while wearing nuclear protection suits and holding a Geiger counter, saying water sport facilities had already been built at Fukushima.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the satirical jabs give the wrong impression about Japan. The government has repeatedly claimed the accident and its waste water problem are under control and should not affect the Olympics.
Japan is traditionally sensitive to opinions about it expressed in foreign media and has been angered that a crisis that brought such human tragedy has become the subject of caricature.
"These kinds of satirical pictures hurt the victims of the disaster," Suga told a news conference.
"This kind of journalism gives the wrong impression about the waste water problem," he said.
The government will officially lodge a protest with the French weekly, Suga said.
The incident comes after similar case less than a year ago in which French media made light of the nuclear disaster and its effects.
TV channel France 2's "We're not lying" programme showed a doctored photo of Eiji Kawashima, the goalkeeper of the Japanese national football squad, with four arms.
The show explained that it was the "Fukushima effect" that had allowed Kawashima to keep goal so effectively in Japan's shock defeat of France.
The station later expressed its regret for the gag and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius reportedly apologised.
While no one is officially recorded as having died as a direct result of the radiation released by the triple meltdowns at Fukushima, tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes. Many may never be able to return.
Unlike many European countries, Japan does not have a vigorous tradition of satire. Its cultural emphasis on the importance of social harmony also discourages public ridiculing of others.
Satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaine published a cartoon depicting sumo wrestlers with extra limbs competing in front of a crippled nuclear plant, which said the disaster had made it a feasible Olympic sport.
Another cartoon showed two people standing in front of a pool of water while wearing nuclear protection suits and holding a Geiger counter, saying water sport facilities had already been built at Fukushima.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the satirical jabs give the wrong impression about Japan. The government has repeatedly claimed the accident and its waste water problem are under control and should not affect the Olympics.
Japan is traditionally sensitive to opinions about it expressed in foreign media and has been angered that a crisis that brought such human tragedy has become the subject of caricature.
"These kinds of satirical pictures hurt the victims of the disaster," Suga told a news conference.
"This kind of journalism gives the wrong impression about the waste water problem," he said.
The government will officially lodge a protest with the French weekly, Suga said.
The incident comes after similar case less than a year ago in which French media made light of the nuclear disaster and its effects.
TV channel France 2's "We're not lying" programme showed a doctored photo of Eiji Kawashima, the goalkeeper of the Japanese national football squad, with four arms.
The show explained that it was the "Fukushima effect" that had allowed Kawashima to keep goal so effectively in Japan's shock defeat of France.
The station later expressed its regret for the gag and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius reportedly apologised.
While no one is officially recorded as having died as a direct result of the radiation released by the triple meltdowns at Fukushima, tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their homes. Many may never be able to return.
Unlike many European countries, Japan does not have a vigorous tradition of satire. Its cultural emphasis on the importance of social harmony also discourages public ridiculing of others.
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