Eating humble pie! Japanese TV show apologizes for misleading edit of Chinese interviewee
The Japanese TV show edit distorted this Chinese interviewee's comment about pigeons into "Chinese people eat crows".
"Monday Late Night" (月曜から夜ふかし), a popular Japanese variety show, has issued a public apology after facing backlash for maliciously editing an interview with a Chinese woman, distorting her words to falsely imply that "Chinese people eat crows."
The controversial segment aired on March 24, as part of the show's street interviews offering advice to newcomers in Tokyo. The interviewee, a Chinese woman, remarked that she rarely saw crows in China and later mentioned in a separate conversation that some Chinese people eat pigeons. However, the show edited the two statements together, making it appear as though she claimed Chinese people eat crows – a misleading portrayal that sparked outrage online.
On Thursday, Nippon TV issued a bilingual apology in both Chinese and Japanese through its official website and removed the episode.
"This is something that should never happen in television broadcasting. We sincerely apologize to the interviewee and all viewers," the statement read. "We will thoroughly review our production process to prevent a recurrence. We deeply regret this incident."
Nippon TV issued a bilingual apology on its official website on Thursday.
Many netizens criticized the show, stating that "this malicious editing technique is simply unforgivable."
The incident may also violate relevant laws regarding broadcasting in Japan, which prohibits the distortion of facts in reporting. It remains unclear whether the show will face penalties.
Monday Late Night, which debuted in 2012, is a long-running talk show known for its humorous takes on social trends, regional quirks, and street interviews. The show is hosted by Matsuko Deluxe and Shingo Murakami from SUPER EIGHT.
