Japan TV Anchor Fired Over Social Media Post Criticising Men’s Body Odour

A Tokyo-based tv information anchor was fired from her job and confronted on-line backlash after a controversial submit on social media wherein she criticised males’s hygiene habits. In response to the South China Morning Put up (SCMP), Yuri Kawaguchi, 29, is a contract announcer recognized for her feminist views. She additionally works as a lecturer on harassment prevention. She confronted extreme backlash on-line after she claimed that males’s physique odour was arduous to endure and urged they bathe extra typically.

In a now-deleted submit on X (previously Twitter), Ms Kawaguchi voiced her frustration about males’s hygiene in the course of the sweltering summer season months, per the outlet. “I am actually sorry if there is a private scenario, however the odor of males in the summertime or the physique odour of unsanitary folks is so uncomfortable,” she wrote, advising males to bathe extra continuously and use deodorant. 

“I need to be clear, so I take a number of showers a day, use freshening wipes, and apply sweat inhibitors year-round. I feel extra males ought to do that,” the 29-year-old added. 

Ms Kawaguchi’s submit, perceived as discriminatory in opposition to males, offended many on-line. “Solely blaming males is infuriating and undoubtedly discrimination. Ladies, particularly older ladies, can have physique odour too. I am actually uncomfortable with this,” one social media consumer wrote. 

Her submit additionally prompted scrutiny of her non-public life, together with her divorce. She was labelled as a “materialistic lady out of contact with the struggles of unusual folks”. 

Because the controversy escalated, Ms Kawaguchi issued a public apology and eliminated the submit.  “This time, due to my careless remarks, many individuals had been upset and damage. I’ll deeply mirror on this. Sooner or later, I’ll work arduous to not damage anybody with my remarks. I’m actually sorry,” she stated.

Nevertheless, the apology did little to quell the uproar. VOICE, the company that managed Ms Kawaguchi, introduced that it was terminating her contract, citing “defamation of the honour of the other intercourse” as the explanation. In a press release, the company stated it had acquired quite a few complaints and emails, and burdened that it was in opposition to their ideas for an expert to make use of language that harms others and causes discomfort. 

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One other agency which employed the anchor as a lecturer for harassment prevention training additionally terminated her contract. However the resolution of those two firms was criticised by Japanese netizens as “too excessive”. Whereas some stated that the 29-year-old’s dismissal reveals a mirror to the challenges confronted by ladies in a male-dominated society in Japan, most weren’t variety. 

“A lady asks males to be tidy and preserve decorum, but it triggers outrage. It simply reveals that Japan has been a male-dominated society for too lengthy. Irrespective of how soiled males are, as quickly as a girl complains, they punish her,” one particular person wrote.

“Why are Japanese males so delicate? They can’t deal with a little bit of criticism. Ladies are anticipated to keep up magnificence, cleanliness, and health with out grievance, but males face no such expectations. If that is not gender bias, then what’s?” stated one other.