Laurent Ruquier‘s latest wisecrack has ingited an international firestorm around a friendly soccer game.
The French television personality praised the performance of Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, saying the “Fukushima effect” gave him four arms — the program then showed a picture of a four-armed Kawashima.
Visting Japan beat France 1-0 on Friday, and Kawashima had a standout game. Ruquier’s studio audience laughed and applauded at the joke, but Japanese officials didn’t think it was so funny.
The Japanese Embassy in France sent a protest letter to television station France 2, while Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Osamu Fujimura called the joke “inappropriate.”
Ruquier’s remarks also drew a stern rebuke from Japan’s education minister Makiko Tanaka (she is also involved in sports at the national level).
“If it’s true [he said it] it is behaviour which lacks sensitivity,” Tanaka said. “Many people were hurt in the nuclear crisis. I don’t know how people can make fun of it.”
In March 2011, a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Japan, causing a tsunami that devestated the nation. Nearly 20,000 people were killed and almost 3,000 are still unaccounted for. It also crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant causing a number of meltdowns and radiation to spread around the area. It was world’s worst nuclear disaster in the last 25 years.
Kawashima, who plays for Belgian club Standard Liege, has been taunted with references to the disaster in the past.
“Belgian-based keeper Kawashima suffered sick abuse by fans during a game last year when opposition fans chanted ‘Kawashima, Fukushima!'” Reuters reported. “He protested to the referee, who stopped the game to restore order. Kawashima was reduced to tears after the match.”
Perhaps Ruquier could have waited a little longer beofre joking about the worst nuclear disaster the world has seen in a quarter centery? The appropriate time for it would probably be … never.
