TOKYO - Tokyo Metro has come under fire for a poster that has been criticized as racially discriminatory, with a scene depicting a blonde Caucasian passenger carrying a large suitcase while not queuing up properly.
The poster also includes a small English inscription alongside the larger Japanese text, stating, "Please wait in line orderly at the platform."
The depiction has sparked a debate on social media internationally with comments such as, "Targeting white tourists with this advertisement is problematic," "I feel this is targeted racial discrimination," and "The English should be larger; they probably can't read Japanese."
When foreign visitors to Japan were asked for their impressions upon seeing the poster...
A Norwegian commented, "The text is too small for me. The Japanese is large and the English is small, it would be better if the English were larger."
A Dutch individual said, "I don't think this situation discriminates against Caucasians, but I understand why someone would feel that way."
However, there were also those who understood the intent behind the poster.
An American remarked, "It’s a good reminder for foreigners who are unaware of the rules. It actually helps. I’m heading to Kyoto and will make sure to queue properly for the Shinkansen."
Upon interviewing Tokyo Metro, it was revealed that the poster was created about four years ago and is no longer on display.
Tokyo Metro stated, "We are aware of some posts on social media questioning whether our poster is racially discriminatory, but it was not our intention to single out any race in its creation."
Source: FNN
