Racism in Japanese Commercials and Kindergarten Plays… Stupid American Caucasians and “Little Black Sambo” (video)
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on April 22, 2010
I learned something new today about racism in Japan.
Apparently, in Japan, a McDonald’s commercial featuring a light-skinned Caucasian American male mangling the Japanese language has been deemed “racist.”
I’m not sure by whom. I’m a light-skinned Caucasian American, and would most definitely destroy the Japanese language whether at McDonald’s or a sushi bar. I’m not offended at the thought of a commercial lampooning my efforts, but perhaps I’d be a little embarrassed. Or maybe not. But I wouldn’t think it was racist that anyone made fun of me or any other white American in a TV ad.
But someone, somewhere was offended, yanked out the predictable “racism card,” and so the advert was removed from Japanese television. After some hunting, I believe I’ve located the long version of it below. It’s far longer than normal American commercials and frankly, boring. Maybe if I spoke the language, I’d be laughing at how this white American was making an utter mess of the language.
Japan’s Mr. James – McDonald’s TV Commercial
And now, more anger is being directed at a play of “Little Black Sambo” that was performed recently in a Japanese kindergarten. The play was loosely based on the 1899 book.
From Japan Times Online, ‘Sambo’ racism row reignites over kids’ play – The 1899 book still making waves in 21st-century Japan:
At a glance, “Little Black Sambo” would seem a fine candidate for the sort of kindle that predated Amazon.com, if not for the fact that many readers have interpreted the book as being racially affirmative, even heroic.
“Some children’s literature scholars consider (it) to be one of the first children’s picture books to feature a clever and resourceful nonwhite protagonist,” wrote Illinois State University professor Jan Susina.
It is not surprising then that a slew of nonwhite bloggers on blog.goo.ne.jp, as well as participants in a Tokyo Women’s Christian University poll, have found “Little Black Sambo” to be positive, cute — and not discriminatory.
From Geoff Dean, Little Black Sambo Comes to A Japanese Kindergarten:
The end of the last year of kindergarten and/or nursery school in Japan usually features a school play. My elder daughter played Toto in a very loosely arranged “Wizard of Oz” (there were two other Toto`s and all the boys were flying monkeys, meaning there was no scarecrow or tin man) while my younger one recently took a shot at “Alice in Wonderland” in a form probably unrecognizable to Lewis Carroll.
So when a nursery school in Saitama ran a school play, it was nothing out of the ordinary. There were songs, cute costumes, dancing, and kids who cried when the couldn`t remember their lines. Pretty much par for the course. Except that the school play was “Little Black Sambo”.
The Midori (Green) Nursery School of Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture (about an hour northwest of Tokyo) might have escaped notice if one concerned parent of a biracial child who attended the school, had not posted the play`s contents to Facebook. On questioning, a teacher at the school admitted reading the controversial book to the kids in her charge and arranging the school play based on the book. She said the kids “all” loved the book and found it very “cute”. The children even sang a ditty sh wrote that was translated as “Little Black Sambo, Sambo, Sambo. His face and hands are completely black. Even his butt is completely black.”
This is not the first time that the racial insensitivity of Japan has gotten them in trouble. A few years back, a toothpaste brand called “Darkey” featured a grotesque picture of a person of color with hugely oversized lips and glowing teeth, the implication apparently being that this toothpaste would make your teeth as shiny as those of a “darkey”. It was ultimately pulled from the shelves but not without much consternation. Many Japanese friends asked me what all the fuss was about.
Another involved the drink Calpis which is sold as Calpico is the states. The carton of the drink featured a “minstrel Al Jolson-style” black faced person with a top hat and the proverbial oversized lips. It was also eventually withdrawn.
Some, recently, have pointed to a series of McDonald`s commercials in Japan that featured a caucasian American speaking horribly mangled Japanese and showing no knowledge of Japanese culture while desperately seeking another hamburger, as being “racist” as well. Whether they are or not, they have disappeared from the TV rather suddenly.
I am especially concerned that “Little Black Sambo” was performed in a school where a biracial child was in attendance. How was he/she expected to feel? Did the teacher even consider that? I rather doubt it.
Still, the problem in my view ultimately stems from the lack of exposure and contact (deep, not superficial) that Japanese people have with the outside world. Traveling to and shopping in Guam and Hawaii does not equal “cultural sensitivity.” Especially in rural areas like Saitama, the idea that some might find “Sambo” offensive has never sunk in. But then again, when we have a governor of Tokyo like Shintaro Ishihara who constantly blames the rise of crime on foreigners and especially the Chinese, despite reams of data to the contrary, what can be expected?
From Little Black Sambo ~ Bonnie’s review:
Little Black Sambo was written by Helen Bannerman, a Scot who lived for 30 years in Madras in southern India. Many people have challenged this book for being racist. But let’s look closer. This drawing for the original 1899 edition was made by Helen Bannerman herself. Yes, the boy has dark skin, but remember that this woman spent her life in India. Tigers, which are a major component of this story, are in India. People in India have dark skin. The boy is wearing shoes with curled-up toes. In no way does this book depict racism directed against blacks in the United States.
Aside from the drawings, the story itself is very positive, showing a child outwitting wild animals. This little boy is brilliant! He figures out all sorts of really clever ways to save himself from the tigers, who want to eat him. He gives one his beautiful little red coat, another his beautiful little blue trousers, a third gets his beautiful little purple shoes with crimson soles and crimson linings, and the last one takes his beautiful green umbrella. (It’s a colorful book!) But wait! What would a tiger do with two shoes?
[...]
My verdict? Helen Bannerman’s Little Black Sambo (1899) is not racist. A Scottish librarian agrees with me. Since she says the book is “one of my childhood favourites,” she may even agree with my rating of the book: 10 of 10.
About the author
[...] Racism in Japanese Commercials and Kindergarten Plays… Stupid American Caucasians and “L… [...]
[...] Here is the original post: Racism in Japanese Commercials and Kindergarten Plays… Stupid … [...]
[...] See more here: Racism in Japanese Commercials and Kindergarten Plays… Stupid … [...]
[...] here to see the original: Racism in Japanese Commercials and Kindergarten Plays… Stupid … By admin | category: american, american boy | tags: india, india-people, [...]
This was very interesting – I didn’t know that being white in Japan would set up people to be called racist. I just assumed that was an American liberal tactic. Never thought about it, really. Good post.