Japanese comedians apologise for inappropriate remarks about Naomi Osaka

TOKYO - A Japanese comedy duo have apologised after the pair reportedly said during a live event that Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka, who had just won the Pan Pacific Open at the weekend, "needed some bleach".

The Japanese media said the duo, known as "A Masso", made the remark during a Sunday (Sept 22) event and also said that "she is too sunburned".

In separate messages carried on the website of their management company, Watanabe Entertainment, both women apologised for making "inappropriate, hurtful remarks" but did not refer to Osaka, whose father is Haitian, by name.

Watanabe Entertainment, also without naming Osaka, added its own apology for "remarks inconsiderate of diversity in an era where diversity is respected".

Osaka, who will turn 22 next month, has been widely hailed in Japan, which has traditionally seen itself as a racially homogeneous country.

But successful mixed-race athletes such as Osaka herself, sprinter Asuka Cambridge and baseball pitcher Yu Darvish are challenging that image.

In January, Japanese noodle company Nissin had to remove a controversial commercial in which a cartoon character depicting Osaka was shown with pale skin and light brown hair.

Nissin said it had not intended to "whitewash" Osaka.

[[nid:436151]]

While Osaka's cartoon character was white, footballer Bernardo Silva jokingly posted a tweet, also on Sunday, likening Manchester City teammate Benjamin Mendy to a black character in the logo for Conguitos - a brand of confectionery popular in Spain and Portugal - but deleted it an hour later.

City manager Pep Guardiola, however, believes it would be a mistake for the Football Association (FA) to punish Silva as anti-racism body Kick It Out condemned his actions and said racist stereotypes are never acceptable as 'banter'.

The British media reported the FA had written to the English champions seeking an explanation.

"If they want to do that and ask for Bernardo, he'll be open to talk," Guardiola said after City beat second-tier Preston North End 3-0 in the League Cup on Tuesday (Sept 24).

"But first, you have to know... Bernardo is one of the most lovely people I've met in my life. He speaks four or five languages - that's the best way to understand how open-minded he is.

"One of his best friends is Mendy. He's like a brother."

The incident came after Fifa president Gianni Infantino made a plea on Monday to "kick racism out" of Italian football, during the Fifa Best Football Awards ceremony.

This season, Inter Milan's Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, AC Milan's Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie and Fiorentina defender Dalbert Henrique of Brazil have all been targeted by monkey calls without any sanction being taken.