Soccer: French TV apologizes for Fukushima joke
News On Japan via NHKReloaded -- Oct 17
French national broadcaster France 2 has apologized to Japan for joking that a Japanese soccer player had performed well thanks to radiation from the nuclear accident in Fukushima.
A France 2 presenter praised Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima on a variety show on Saturday for his performance in a friendly match in which Japan beat France 1-0.
He said Kawashima's strong blocks against France were apparently due to the "Fukushima effect." The program showed a mock-up of Kawashima with 4 arms.
France 2 released a statement on Tuesday offering a deep apology for hurting Japanese people's feelings.
The station said the presenter was only trying to mock the French soccer team and had no intention of upsetting the nuclear disaster victims and the Japanese public.
The Japanese embassy in Paris had lodged a protest against the station, saying it had hurt the feelings of the disaster survivors and hampered efforts toward reconstruction.
フランスの国営テレビが、サッカー日本代表のゴールーキーパー・川島永嗣選手(29)と福島第1原発事故を結びつける放送をした問題で、フランスの外相とテレビ局が謝罪した。
Source: NHKReloaded, FNNnewsCH
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