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A Nissin Foods cup noodle TV commercial featuring former Morning Musume singer Mari Yaguchi, director and comedian Beat Takeshi and others has been pulled off the air after viewers complained that it advocates adultery and deception.
Nissin Foods, which is famous for its instant ramen, withdrew the ad on Friday and issued an apology on its official web site saying there was an expression used in the commercial that upset some viewers.
In the commercial, Takeshi, 69, is the president of a fictional university where Yaguchi, 33, who has been scrutinized by the media over past allegations of adultery, passionately proclaims the Japanese proverb, “He who chases two rabbits catches neither.”
Also making a cameo in the commercial is Takashi Niigaki, 45, a Japanese composer who served as the ghost writer for "deaf" composer Mamoru Samuragochi for 18 years. He is seen leaning over a student playing the piano resembling a performance in which two people wear the same large coat and comically pretend to be one individual.
The commercial has received negative feedback from viewers questioning if Nissin Foods is “defending adultery and deceptive deeds," Sankei Shimbun reported Saturday.
Nissin said the intention of the commercial was to express the need for society to be more forgiving to people who make mistakes as well as to encourage the younger generation to attempt new challenges.
The company said it will change the commercial and that Yaguchi and Niigaki will not be featured in the new advertisement.
© Japan Today
15 Comments
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Samantha Ueno
And Becky taking notes on Yaguchi's lecture lol
Magnus Roe
Is she really just 33?
Danny Bloom
Bad cm script and storyboard. Good for some people to make their feelings public this way and call for an NG black mark on this dumb advert.
OohnoO
I'd rather a commercial that encouraging Japanese to actually feel sorry for their mistakes and come forward with them, rather than crying on TV when they get caught.
Laguna
Adultery and deception go with instant ramen like peas and carrots - or am I getting my food groups wrong?
shonanbb
Nothing wrong with Adultery. It is Adult behavior desho ne!
some14some
...oops..my incomplete comment : if so, help fans and feature top "talent" Becky in your next advertisement !
Marilita Fabie-Fujisawa
Stupid cm
some14some
Nissin said the intention of the commercial was to express the need for society to be more forgiving to people who make mistakes as well as to encourage the younger generation to attempt new challenges
CGB Spender
I got used to wackyness of Japanese commercials but I cannot really laugh about most of them. The humor is just too different. I like situational humor but I don't really like intentional wackyness for the sake of being funny. In any case, the polygamists should counter-complain!
Kuribo1
Ehhh stupid commercial...
Speed
Japan has lost its ability to laugh at itself. Lighten up!
savethegaijin
The irony is palpable. Commercial promoting forgiveness in a strict society gets pulled off the air.
coskuri
I didn't know adultery and ghostwriting were caused by a bad diet, but maybe... I'd think the major problem of this ad is it promotes eating cup a mixture of :
(source : a pack of Nissin Foods cup noodles)