All Nippon Airwaysto modify ‘racist’ ad
Print Edition
Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways (ANA) said yesterday it was modifying a TV commercial after apologizing to customers who complained it used racist stereotyping, but insisted it meant no offence.
ANA started airing the new 30-second television advertisement on Saturday, aimed at promoting its beefed up schedule of international flights from Tokyo’s Haneda airport in March.
In the commercial, two Japanese men in ANA uniform discuss in English how to boost the image of the airline as an international carrier.
One of them says: “Let’s change the image of Japanese people.” “Sure,” replies the other, who is now wearing a blonde wig and an improbably long rubber nose.
White Westerners are often believed in Japan to have big noses, blue eyes and blonde hair, traits generally thought desirable among Japanese.
The ad caused a stir among English-language users of social media in Japan.
“I’ve just seen the new ANA advert ... Really? ANA think this is OK?!” Angela Fukutome said in a message on ANA’s Facebook page.
An ANA spokesman said the carrier wanted to express the importance of the planned expansion of international services from Haneda and to call on Japanese to go out to see the world.
“But we received opinions different from the message that we wished to convey. We will modify part of the advertisement,” he said.
Earlier, an ANA spokeswoman said the carrier had received complaints.
“We apologized... for having caused uncomfortable feelings,” she said.
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