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The story
Popular YouTube channel “wakatte.tv” has posted an apology video over inappropriate remarks made in a video featuring Fukushima University. According to a report by Oricon, the controversy spread widely, with Fukushima University issuing a statement and Education Minister Matsumoto even commenting on the matter. On 5channel threads, users voiced discomfort that the presenter apologized while still wearing his red tracksuit, along with suspicions that he was only apologizing because of the backlash rather than out of genuine remorse. Meanwhile, others raised concerns about the channel’s regular practice of joking about guests’ academic backgrounds in the first place, expanding the debate beyond the apology video itself to the very format of the show.
wakatte.tv posts apology video over inappropriate remarks in Fukushima University video: “I deeply regret that it was truly awful thing to say” — Fukushima University issues statement, Education Minister Matsumoto comments
Published 9/5 (Sat) 19:24
Oricon
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
Is this a policy change, or is the whole show getting cancelled?
Even Komeo wore a suit for his.
Then he might as well not have bothered.
and yet here they are running a whole channel built on making fun of people's academic background.
Going forward, an elite education will be nothing but a dark chapter in your past.
Lol, that's just wishful thinking from someone with an academic-background complex.
Can they actually quit that?
If not, they're on the public's radar now and this'll blow up again.
They should just get the channel banned.
Guess he really did reflect on it — respect.
Well, they were always going to either put out a token apology video or double down and stir things up even more
Either way, it's basically guaranteed views.
No more sponsorship deals are coming their way
Better lay low for years.
Even hardcore controversy-bait channels rarely get that.
Background and key points of discussion
wakatte.tv is known for a street-interview format built around discussing guests’ alma maters and academic backgrounds, and this time it was remarks about Fukushima University made in that segment that drew criticism. It’s unusual for the Education Minister to comment on an individual YouTube video, and combined with the university’s statement, it shows just how far the controversy spread. On the thread, opinions split between those who saw the apology as merely a reaction to the backlash, and those predicting that with the fallout reaching TV and government-ministry level, continuing the channel will be difficult. At the same time, there was strong criticism of the show’s routine practice of using academic background as a running gag in the first place, though the exact details of the remarks that prompted the apology were never made clear in the thread. Note that some replies contained insults directed at other posters over academic background or age, and those have been excluded from this article.
※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Entertainment/Sports News+) thread “[wakatte.tv] Posts apology video over inappropriate remarks in video about Fukushima University: “I deeply regret that it was truly awful thing to say”.”
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