Watch OIympics president refer to Japanese people as Chinese during public speech

[pesco]

Originally published at: Watch OIympics president refer to Japanese people as Chinese during public speech | Boing Boing

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[jlw]

Well, both tried to make that happen in various ways over the centuries.

[Papasan]

Fanfare for the Common Man, New York Philharmonic, James Levine

[JustGoodSense]

Eh, what do you expect from a Dutchman?

[cannibalpeas]

This is in so many ways, the least offensive thing about the Tokyo Olympics.

[Jeroen_Metselaa]

@JustGoodSense

Eh, what do you expect from a Dutchman?

But of course the Dutch and the Germans are much more alike, in history, culture, and language than the Chinese and Japanese. Dutch, Diets, Deutsch, Duits… are all cognates after all.

The rift created by WWII is also much, much deeper with many still unresolved issues. This insults bites much more over there.

[Mister44]

OH man, do NOT confuse the Japanese with Chinese. They HATE that.

[gracchus]

Another example of the loudly claimed competence that supposedly requires everyone to treat high officials of this corrupt organisation like literal royalty.

[MagicFox]

Woops gozaimasu!

[Woodchuck45]

This must be part of the IOC’s Hearts and Mind offensive

[Shuck]

Recent polling has showed that a sizable majority of the Japanese public wants the Tokyo Olympics canceled.

Given that Japan has, according to estimates, spent something upwards of $35 billion so far, I’m guessing the sunk-cost fallacy is strong with the Japanese government. Although given that the cost is split between spending on crowds that won’t be there, and structures that (ostensibly) will have value after/in the absence of the Olympics, they really shouldn’t be letting that bother them.