Nepu-nage a no-no

[Aaron Gerow]

With the influence of film, TV, and other moving image media on juveniles 
continuing to be a hot topic in Japan given the perceived rise in youth 
crime, the Broadcaster Council for Youth Programming (an independent 
council created by NHK and commercial broadcasters, founded this April as 
a part of the Commission for Better Broadcast Programming) issued 
warnings against two popular television programs for having corners with 
a "harmful influence on young people," and demanded a change in 
programming.

Fuji TV's comedy show _Mecha iketeru!_ was cited for its "Shiritori 
Samurai" corner where, in a take on the Seven Samurai, the samurai play 
the word play game of shiritori and the loser is "beaten up" by the rest. 
 The Council said the corner sends a message to children supporting 
violence and bullying.

TV Asahi's _O-Nepu!_, starring the comedy trio Neptune, was cited for the 
"Nepu-nage" corner where one member of Neptune, playing a god, hears the 
wishes of regular viewers who've come to the studio, and, in a move from 
judo, gets on his back and throws them over his head if he grants their 
wish.  Since most of those thrown are women, and since their panties are 
almost invariably revealed, the Council said it "validated peeping Toms" 
and disrespect for women.

Interestingly, both programs quickly decided to cancel these corners, 
even though "Nepu-nage", for instance, is one of the most popular parts 
of that program.

Aaron Gerow
Yokohama National University
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