Controversial Japan ads draw Chinese anger
(Shanghai Star)
Updated: 2004-12-22 16:53

The Nippon dragon ads published in International Advertising magazine triggered considerable anger among Chinese people.

The ads feature a Chinese pavilion with two pillars, each with a dragon wound around it.

The left pillar looks grey and the dragon clings to it persistently. The other dragon falls off the pillar painted by Nippon supposedly because the glossy Nippon paint made it slip.

Another ad for Toyota has also stimulated ire.

Last December, the State-owned magazine Auto Fan published an advertisement for Toyota, showing one stone lion saluting and another lion kowtowing to a Prado, with the slogan: "You have to respect Prado." In Putonghua, Prado is translated as Ba Dao, which means "high handed" or "supremacy".

Many Chinese were incensed over the image.

Some critics connected the image to the lion statues at the Lugou Bridge in the suburb of Beijing through which Japanese troops launched their Chinese invasion on July 7, 1937.

Toyata has stopped publication of these two advertisements. In addition, a written explanation has been presented to the industrial and commercial department.

China has banned the online game "Football Manager 2005", which the Ministry of Culture has determined "poses harm to the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

In the game, which was developed by game producer Sports Interactive, Ltd, China's Taiwan Province, Hong Kong, Macao and Tibet regions are represented as independent countries, according to a circular issued by the ministry. Such a distortion, even in computer games, violates relevant Chinese laws and is anathema to the Chinese Government.

Close

Angelina Jolie tops the mistletoe kiss poll 'Himalaya Star' to make Indian dress trendy Miss Model of World China competition

Today's Top News     Top Life News
Baby born in taxi; driver may face fines         Snowfall shuts airports, highways         Industrial firms see profit decline         Japan has first case of bird flu in human         Net closes in on corrupt officials         Costly lessons from the CAO scandal	'Mistress killers' come to Shanghai       Domestic companies learn to manage crisis issues       Angelina Jolie tops the mistletoe kiss poll       Yahoo! plans new service in China       Christmas dinner prices hard to swallow       Network launched to track vagrants