Poor Ryann Connell.
The Australian-born journalist behind the Mainichi Shimbun’s WaiWai, Connell spent years trawling the depths of Japan’s tabloid trash to bring English speakers the best (or worst) the island nation’s “sports papers” had to offer.
But not anymore.
In the past month the 39-year-old has become one of the most reviled figures in Japan, where thousands of posters have flooded chat sites to decry the “sleazy Australian journalist” whom they feel has deliberately besmirched Japan’s image around the world.
Connell’s troubles began in May with one of his now infamous WaiWai columns, which cited a Japanese magazine article about a restaurant in the Tokyo district of Roppongi where patrons allegedly have sex with animals before eating them. The piece caught the attention of a blogger called Mozu, whose angry post was soon picked up by 2channel, a massive, fractious web forum popular with Japan’s hot-headed conservative element.
There it triggered an explosion of bile and culminated in a co-ordinated attack on Connell, his family, The Mainichi and its sponsors, some of which have pulled advertising estimated to be worth more than 20 million yen ($195,000).
The Mainichi, whose Japanese-language newspaper has the fourth-highest circulation in the world, has issued a remarkable 1277-word explanation and apology. It has also terminated the column, reprimanded several staff and put Connell on three months’ “disciplinary leave”.
When contacted this week, Connell said he was unable to comment on “any aspect of the case”. But the Herald understands he has received several death threats and is under strict police instructions to stay inside his suburban Tokyo home until the matter dies down.
OK, I admit the only thing I really know about 2ch is its reputation, and more specifically, that its anti-Korean content is such that it makes my comment section look like VANK. Assuming that’s true, it would just be another thing to put on my list of ironies of Korean-Japanese nationalism — they might hate each other, but damn, it can be amazing to see how much the nationalist elements resemble one another at times.
Anyway, get a load of some of these comments:
It is their popularity with some Western readers that has especially incensed Japanese bloggers. Many feel their country’s reputation has been “debauched” around the world. “Foreigners who don’t know the truth will believe these stories are true,” wrote one. Another railed: “Ryann Connell is a degenerate scatologist - a typical Australian.”
Funny, I didn’t know Australians were into scat. I just thought they ate Vegemite, drank a lot and spoke with funny accents.
And a third wondered: “Why doesn’t someone drop a hydrogen atom bomb on Australia?”
Well, my understanding is that the British were kind enough to stop doing that.
Debito has come to his aid, though:
Defending the weeklies, as well as Connell and his collaborators, is the unflagging media critic and campaigner for human rights Debito Arudou, who wrote that WaiWai was an essential guide to Japanese attitudes and editorial directives. “Too many Japanese believe that they can say whatever they like in Japanese (’that statement was for a domestic audience’ is very often an excuse for public gaffes), as though Japanese is some secret code,” he wrote.
Even Japundit has apparently caught some unwanted netizen attention, mostly on account of linking to WaiWai stories.
(HT to reader)
28 Comments
First off, waiwai was great.
It looks like netizen “justice” starting to infect Japan too. The netizens have it partly right, and party wrong.
The netizens are saying that a lot of foreigners are mislead by the stories in waiwai, and take the outlandish stories seriously. This might be hard to believe, but it is actually true. A blogger called Plunge even wrote articles about Japan’s “moral decay” based on stories from waiwai (when he wasn’t calling for nukes to be dropped again on Japan, that is). Given that there are actually people out there like this, perhaps the netizens should be concerned.
On the other hand, targeting translater McConnnel is a silly over-reaction, especially if they are unwilling to take on the shuukanshi (weeklies) that waiwai was sourcing their stories from.
The punishment that McConnel is getting is fairly standard Japanese appeasement of the mob, and the company he works for knows he didn’t do anything wrong. I would be surprised if his “displinary leave” was not paid leave.
Anyway, I knew about it but I haven’t been following the issue on 2ch or Japanese blogs. Perhaps it is worth a look.
Now where are we gonna get a weekly read on incestuous mothers, the trials and tribulations of host bar workers and silly police behavior?
On the upside, the Japanese aren’t assaulting white people because of it.
“Ryann Connell is a degenerate scatologist - a typical Australian.”
I’m insulted. Scatology happens to be a very important science.
And #1 has it completely right: it’s being shut down only because it’s embarrassing - not because it’s mis-leading. If anything, Wai-wai gave a realistic counter-balance to the official line that nothing weird or dangerous ever happens here.
Some of the Korean dailies have had articles translated from Weekly World News, the Worlds only reliable newspaper. I read at least a couple of them myself.
We could’ve done without the funny accent comment. We’ve been trying to take ourselves seriously for quite a few years now!!
Always enjoyed reading Wai Wai.
I don’t condone threats, but Connell brought some of it on himself. The column was light humor at best to begin with, and over the past couple of years he purposely started scraping the bottom of the barrel for really weird stuff.
Anyone older than about 18 should have realized that most of the original Japanese stories from the weeklies were fiction anyway.
Netizen, shmetizen. It’s a consumer boycott, and has been going on for decades. That’s not to apologize for threats, but that happens everywhere to.
Anyone who thinks that WaiWai was “an essential guide to Japanese attitudes” doesn’t know sh*t about Japan. Yeah, and Larry Flynt’s Hustler was an essential guide to American attitudes.
This statement might have been valid when John Travolta was in the movies dancing to music sung by the Bee Gees, but then again we can only consider the source.
well, the japanese are just like the koreans afterall, aren’t they?
“well, the japanese are just like the koreans afterall, aren’t they?”
Eh,no, Too many contemporary Koreans are much alike the Japanese BEFORE the WW2, that is the problem.
Sorry, there will be no candle lights demo because of US beef or something because of the Chinese or the Koreans (let alone “Takeshima”, sorry “Dokto”).
Mainichi news is overreacting. And frankly speaking, nobody knows about waiwai in Japan except of those residents at channel 2 and some English writing bloggers.
It is a very marginal case. So calm down, you don’t have to worry about Japanese “nationalism”.
Pawi, you should be more worried about the fact that contemporary Korean Nationalism has something in common with pre-war Japanese nationalism.
This article includes some basic mistakes- Ryann Connell is 53. not 39 years old and he is not the chief editor. These basic mistakes mean Justin Norrie didn’t even check his profile on even on wikipedia and she didn’t made any investigation about this mutter. I want to see where are the racial posts such as “degenerate scatologist ? a typical Australian.” Why doesn’t someone drop a hydrogen atom bomb on Australia?” At least I couldn’t find such posts. Justin Norrie didn’t check even wiki. Who can believe she had made any investigation and really found out such posts?
Japanese people feel this article is based on the unfair unreal things. Japanese people can accept you write about negative side of Japan if it is a fact, however, do they have a right to write fabricated facts? I’m afraid their article hurts the beliefs for the honesty of Australian people among Japanese people. TheAge should keep in mind millions Japanese people also watch their article.
2ch commenters aren’t just anti-Korean, but xenophobic and racist period. The reaction to the murder of the British English teacher was vicious.
‘Eh,no, Too many contemporary Koreans are much alike the Japanese BEFORE the WW2, that is the problem.’
oh, you mean the koreans are about to kill over 30 million people and conduct medical experiments on living human beings? on second thought, the japanese ain’t like koreans at all.
ah, the japanese, such refined savages.
‘ah, the japanese, such refined savages.’
Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story!
I suggest to research what America did to Japan in 1853… and why for the next century they had very good reason to plan a revenge.
Any historian can show you that Japan learnt all of their military structure and behaviour from the west, particularly from France and America.
Bourkie.
porno is everywhere in japan. look at the fellow on the train reading porno manga. look at the nakazuri hanging ads for shukan shi. they always feature porno. it’s no big deal. so why do these anonymous neurotic 2channel posters suddenly become moralistic? embarrassment?
“you mean the koreans are about to kill over 30 million people and conduct medical experiments on living human beings?”
Sure why not? Just ask Kim Jong Il.:) Difference is that whereas the contemporary Japanese look at their pre-WWII era murderers with horror and disdain, the contemporary Koreans look at their pre and post WWII murders as saviors and heroes to be worshiped.
“ah, the japanese, such refined savages”
A litte bit more refined than the Koreans I guess…can’t think of a Japanese person in the past 30 years who targeted innocent white US doctors in Tokyo or shot up people at a US college campus. On the other hand, if you are talking about KOreans…:)
This reminds of a sports writer who was working out of Japan for some daily back in 2002. He got the axe for writting interesting and humorous reviews about Korea’s World Cup cities. Wish I could find them, but they all seem to be wiped off the face of the internet.
#17
Ask and you sall recieve.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/prin.....18,00.html
“it would just be another thing to put on my list of ironies of Korean-Japanese nationalism — they might hate each other, but damn, it can be amazing to see how much the nationalist elements resemble one another at times.”
It’s both yes and no.
Waiwai on Mainichi daily news is basically an equivalent of putting the content of English web version of Joongang Daily,and in my opinion,such column couldn’t have even last for an hour on Korean media.And in case of Waiwai,it’s been on MDN website for decades.
And most of the anti-Korean 2channel threads are using various Korean paper’s article on Japan that’s been updated on the Japanese web pages of Chosun,Joongang and Donga.
Now,if anyone defending Waiwai as non-offensive to Japanese since it’s marely a translation from Japanese weeklies,then you also have to accept the fact that inspite of some racial slurs used by some of the posters,basically the threads are response and criticsm toward Korean media’s Japan coverage and not exactly the burst of anti-Korean sentiments.
Although this,a thesis I don’t take.
‘A litte bit more refined than the Koreans I guess…can’t think of a Japanese person in the past 30 years who targeted innocent white US doctors in Tokyo or shot up people at a US college campus. On the other hand, if you are talking about KOreans…:)’
is that all you got? seems pretty desperate. tell me, did some lil korean kid stare at you? lol.
[Is this a double-post? I already made a comment that seems lost in the tubes...]
16. Check your facts. http://www.justfuckinggoogleit.....as+attacks
20. Weak. Epic Weak.
Wait a sec….So THAT’S what Vegemite is really made of?
#16, Actually, that’s kind of humorous because I can easily list quite a few, but meh, no point giving K-nutjobs more support. Quite unfortunate that a fellow American’s history repertoire consists of CNN tidbits, though.
“A litte bit more refined than the Koreans I guess…can’t think of a Japanese person in the past 30 years who targeted innocent white US doctors in Tokyo or shot up people at a US college campus. On the other hand, if you are talking about KOreans…:)”
Oh boo hoo. Cry me a river. Too bad he wasnt talking about Japan 30 years ago. He was talking about Japan during the war. The same Japan responsible for murdering tens of millions. Which makes the whole Cho Seung Hui incident look like peanuts.
You have some serious growing up to do kid. What do petty little incidents involving a single person with a mental disease have to do with an entire country? And just for your information kid why dont you go read up Timothy McVeigh or that Japanese guy who went on a rampage a few days ago. Should we generalize an entire nation based on the actions of those nuts just like what youre doing? On second thought, when was the last time South Koreans invaded, murdered and raped 30 million people for no reason?
“Should we generalize an entire nation based on the actions of those nuts just like what youre doing? ”
Isn’t that what Pawi doing all the time?
“On second thought, when was the last time South Koreans invaded, murdered and raped 30 million people for no reason?”
You mean the 1930’s? Well,they had their reasons back then….
A bit late but I felt compelled to write a response to Yam (No. 11 above).
1. “This article includes some basic mistakes- Ryann Connell is 53. not 39 years old and he is not the chief editor.”
>>39 is the age Ryan gave Justin and chief editor the position he held.
2. “These basic mistakes mean Justin Norrie didn’t even check his profile on even on wikipedia and she didn’t made any investigation about this mutter.”
>> Justin Norrie is a male — maybe you should check your facts before you start slandering a very good and conscientious journalist
3. “I want to see where are the racial posts such as “degenerate scatologist ? a typical Australian.” Why doesn’t someone drop a hydrogen atom bomb on Australia?” At least I couldn’t find such posts. Justin Norrie didn’t check even wiki. Who can believe she had made any investigation and really found out such posts?”
>> Look harder! Those entries are there for all to see
4. “Japanese people feel this article is based on the unfair unreal things.”
>> So what makes you such an authority onwhat Japanese feel and want?
5. “Japanese people can accept you write about negative side of Japan if it is a fact, however, do they have a right to write fabricated facts? I’m afraid their article hurts the beliefs for the honesty of Australian people among Japanese people. TheAge should keep in mind millions Japanese people also watch their article.”
>>After reading this I decided that Yam must be a moron. Do you not realize what WaiWai is? IT IS A SET OF ARTICLES BASED ON WHAT THE JAPANESE ARE WRITING ABOUT THEMSELVES!!
If you feel it necessary to question a journalist’s integrity be sure to check YOUR facts first.
I agreed with you
Yam, the wiki entry on Ryann Connell is inaccurate.
Incidentally, no self-respecting journalist would ever trust wiki as a source of information.
2 Trackbacks
[...] The Marmot has a great follow-up post on the Wai Wai Debacle and some attention that it has attracted overseas. It is their popularity with some Western readers that has especially incensed Japanese bloggers. Many feel their country’s reputation has been “debauched” around the world. “Foreigners who don’t know the truth will believe these stories are true,” wrote one. Another railed: “Ryann Connell is a degenerate scatologist - a typical Australian.” And a third wondered: “Why doesn’t someone drop a hydrogen atom bomb on Australia?” [...]
[...] archives to boot, as well as “severely punish” its Aussie writer Ryann Connell may be heartened to know that a substantial lode of archived articles may be found at the Japanese section of the [...]