To be read as a direct continuation of Part 8; https://watchitdie.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-2020-summer-olympics-opening_19.html
Media Clowns I.
There then followed a short interlude.
A skit featuring clowns dressed as TV (news) crew.
So there was the presenter in his suit, holding a microphone. The camera operator, the boom mic operator, the floor manager/director.
They mimed accosting another clown. Dressed as the director of the ceremony with his headset and clipboard.
Shoving the camera and microphone in his face. As if demanding he answered their questions.
This was a reference to all the controversies which have surrounded the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Confirming that they were all scripted and planned.
Really the first happened all the way back in March 2020.
When the first creative director Hiroshi Sasaki was forced to step down. After making jokes about the comedian and actress Naomi Wanatabe's weight.
Saying she could only have a role if she played the part of a pig. The; "Olympig."
That was intended to contribute to the recurring theme of the Opening Ceremony.
Improving rights for woman within Japanese society. A society which can view women's contribution and value only in terms of their physical appearannce.
It also picked up from Israel's 2018 Eurovision Song Contest win. With the artist Netta.
Like Naomi Wanatabe Netta is a larger woman. Although you would stop short of calling her fat. She is just that shape.
It was part of a wider discussion about how women, particularly their bodies, are viewed and treated in the music industry.
Israel's 2018 Eurovision Song Contest entry was really a response to US President Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Then, during the 2018 Song Contest, withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA).
Engulfed by such political controversies Israel knew it would have to go big at Eurovision. So it did, literally.
Displaying a sense of humour that would suggest. They're unlikely to be offended by my joke.
That we'd get to find out what Netta would look like if she lost weight. As she's going to spend the next year sweating like the proverbial Jew in the Attic.
In rather a flat year Israel won the 2018 Song Contest. Meaning they had to host the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.
Opening its audience up to everyone in the International Community who has ever been forced to form an opinion on the Israel/Palestine Conflict. So everybody.
By referencing Israel's 2018 Eurovision Song Contest entry through this controversy. Japan was also bringing into discussion all the issues surrounding it.
That recurring theme of improving rights for women in Japanese society. Was really explored by the, one-time, head of the Tokyo Organising Committee and former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.
In February 2021 details were leaked of an Organising Committee meeting. Held in 2019.
In which they were discussing setting a target of having women make up 40% of their membership.
Yoshiro Mori declared that it would be a very bad idea.
As women talk too much without ever having anything to contribute. Meaning that meetings would go on for too long and nothing would get done.
He 'apologised' by explaining that he doesn't really know or care what women think. As he doesn't really speak to many women.
At which point he was forced to resign.
Being replaced by a woman. Seiko Hashimoto.
The week before the Opening Ceremony the composer, Cornelius (Keigo Oyamada) was forced to resign. After it emerged that he'd physically and sexually abused disabled classmates whilst at school.
Cornelius had actually admitted to that in a series of interviews given in 1994 and 1995. So you can see the mistake Japan made in appointing him.
Thinking he'd fit right in with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Who once looked at Adolf Hitler and thought;
"He seems like out sort of chap! Let's give him an Olympics."
Two days before the Opening Ceremony the director, Kentaro Kobayashi was forced to resign.
After it was claimed that he'd made anti-Semitic jokes about the Nazi Holocaust. On his 1998 TV show.
That obviously further acknowledged Imperial Japan's role as a wartime ally of Nazi Germany. Providing active support to the Nazi Holocaust. While committing many horrific Crimes Against Humanity of its own.
It also though touched on the subtelties of the Japanese language.
The offending sketch saw him looking at a pile of discarded mannequins. Some people translate what he said next as; "Let's play Jews genocide game."
More fluent Japanese speakers translate it as; "That's from when we did a sketch about the Jews genocide game. Our editor was not happy about that(!)"
Making it less a joke about the Nazi Holocaust. More a joke about why jokes about the Nazi Holocaust aren't funny.
Unless you're making jokes about an Israeli 2018 Eurovision Song Contest win. And know preciesely what you're doing.
It's very easy to draw a comparison. Between making jokes about the Nazi Holocaust and being a Japanese politician visiting the Yasukuni Shrine.
On the day of the Opening Ceremony it was engulfed in a racism scandal.
After the Black Senegalese musician Latyr Sy, who has lived in Japan for over 20 years, claims his performance was cancelled. As they didn't want someone who was too African being part of the Opening Ceremony.
As the Opening Ceremony has been encouraging you to learn. Japan considers the most cherished era of its history to be the Edo Period.
During the Edo Period Japan was governed by the "Sakoku" (Locked State) policy. When Japan was almost entirely isolated from the outside world.
As a result the Japanese are still very distrustful of outsiders. Even other Asians.
Black people are really the easiest to identify, visually, as outsiders.
The Closing Ceremony featured a Japanese lookalike of the White British actress Helen McCrory. To show how Europeans (Caucasians) can, just about, get away with looking like Japanese and vice versa.
Also Japan has this very rigid polite, deferential and conformist culture. A hangover from the Tokugawa Class System. Adopted during the Edo Period.
There's this stereotype of the British being very buttoned up, polite and obsessed with manners. By Japanese standards the British are all oafs and loudmouths.
I really don't like talking in terms of; "Black Culture." It feels as stupid as referring to Africa as a country.
You'd have to be a member of Black Lives Matter, to do something that stupid.
However I think what dominates globally is American Black Culture. Like Caribbean Black Culture this has its roots in West Africa. Countries like Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal.
West African culture, particularly Nigerian culture. Seems to involve an awful lot of pushing, shoving and yelling.
So not only couldn't Black people look less like Japanese people. If they're of West African heritage their culture is also, really, the polar opposite of Japanese culture.
So really standing out from the crowd. Black visitors, and even natural born citizens. Do tend to bear the brunt of Japanese people's ingrained distrust of outsiders.
Although I suspect it matters little. If you're on the receiving end.
That strikes me as softer, less deeply held form of racism. Based more in national identity than skin colour specifically.
It certainly seems much milder than something like Adolf Hitler's theories of Aryan Supremacy.
You are certainly being invited though to join in a wider discussion. About what type of racism it is or if it is even racism at all?
Which inevitably would seem to involve a discussion about what is racism?
As always with these broad questions of societal attitudes. There's never going to be one correct answer.
Unless the exam's being carried out under Critical Race Theory.
In which case, like US ballot papers. It seems, no matter the question, there's only ever one correct answer;
"Vote Democrat."
To be continued in Part 10.
17:35 on 26/9/21 (UK date).
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