Finnish Prime Minister Apologizes Over Slant-Eye Pose

TOKYO, Dec 19 (News On Japan) - Finland’s prime minister has apologized to Japan, China and South Korea after photographs posted by Finnish lawmakers featuring a so-called “slant-eye” gesture were widely criticized as discriminatory toward Asians.

The issue has also been prominently covered by major South Korean media outlets.

The controversy began when a woman selected as this year’s Miss Finland posted a photo in which she pulled up her eyelids with her fingers in a gesture associated with racial stereotyping, accompanied by a caption saying she was “having a meal with Chinese people.”

The woman was stripped of her Miss Finland title, but some members of parliament subsequently posted similar “slant-eye” images in what appeared to be an effort to defend her.

In response, Finnish embassies in Japan, China and South Korea posted a statement on social media conveying Prime Minister Orpo’s apology, saying that racism and discrimination of any kind have no place in Finnish society.

Source: TBS

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