BBC apologizes for its playful take on double A-bomb victim
Mar. 10, 2011
The BBC on Monday apologized for remarks made on a comedy quiz show about a Japanese man who survived the atomic bombings of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Nagasaki city officials said Wednesday.
In an e-mail addressed to Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, Mark Thompson, director general of the British public broadcaster, said, ''I would like to say how sorry I am that you were offended by the comments regarding Mr. Yamaguchi in the BBC Programme Q1,'' referring to Tsutomu Yamaguchi, a Nagasaki resident who died at 93 in January last year.
Panelists on the program made joking references to Yamaguchi's survival of both A-bombings as he was introduced as ''The Unluckiest Man in the World.''
''I understand why the people of Nagasaki would not consider Mr. Yamaguchi's extraordinary life to be a suitable topic for a light entertainment programme, and as such I would like to reiterate that it was not the BBC's intention to offend the family or friends of Mr. Yamaguchi, or the people of your city,'' said Thompson.
The BBC chief's comments came after the city of Nagasaki sent DVDs and books about Yamaguchi's campaign against nuclear weapons to the broadcaster in February.
In response to the city's demand that the BBC air a program on the life of Yamaguchi, Thompson said, ''While I cannot promise that the BBC will produce a programme about Mr. Yamaguchi in the foreseeable future, I can assure you that we will certainly bear it in mind.'' He also pointed out that BBC has broadcast serious documentaries about the suffering of A-bomb survivors in the past.
After learning about the e-mail, Toshiko Yamazaki, 62, Yamaguchi's eldest daughter, said, ''I don't want the BBC to get this issue over with just by sending this message. I want them to try again to deepen their understanding on how hibakusha (A-bomb victims) felt as they engaged in their peace activities.''
(Distributed by Kyodo News on March 9, 2011)
In an e-mail addressed to Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue, Mark Thompson, director general of the British public broadcaster, said, ''I would like to say how sorry I am that you were offended by the comments regarding Mr. Yamaguchi in the BBC Programme Q1,'' referring to Tsutomu Yamaguchi, a Nagasaki resident who died at 93 in January last year.
Panelists on the program made joking references to Yamaguchi's survival of both A-bombings as he was introduced as ''The Unluckiest Man in the World.''
''I understand why the people of Nagasaki would not consider Mr. Yamaguchi's extraordinary life to be a suitable topic for a light entertainment programme, and as such I would like to reiterate that it was not the BBC's intention to offend the family or friends of Mr. Yamaguchi, or the people of your city,'' said Thompson.
The BBC chief's comments came after the city of Nagasaki sent DVDs and books about Yamaguchi's campaign against nuclear weapons to the broadcaster in February.
In response to the city's demand that the BBC air a program on the life of Yamaguchi, Thompson said, ''While I cannot promise that the BBC will produce a programme about Mr. Yamaguchi in the foreseeable future, I can assure you that we will certainly bear it in mind.'' He also pointed out that BBC has broadcast serious documentaries about the suffering of A-bomb survivors in the past.
After learning about the e-mail, Toshiko Yamazaki, 62, Yamaguchi's eldest daughter, said, ''I don't want the BBC to get this issue over with just by sending this message. I want them to try again to deepen their understanding on how hibakusha (A-bomb victims) felt as they engaged in their peace activities.''
(Distributed by Kyodo News on March 9, 2011)
