Japanese Man Sues TV Station For Using Too Many English Words

A 71 year-old pensioner is set to sue a Japanese broadcaster after he stated that they use too many foreign words in their programming, which has caused him emotional distress.

Hoji Takahashi is seeking 1.41 million Yen from NHK, as they are overly reliant on the English language. Hoji has stated that it makes their programming unintelligible and that they should use traditional Japanese words in their broadcast.

Mutsuo Miyata, Hoji’s lawyer, told AFP, “The basis of his concern is that Japan is being too Americanized. There is a sense of crisis that this country is becoming just a province of America.”

Many Japanese speakers use English words such as “trouble,” “risk,” and “drive,” with the country’s use of English have originated during America’s post-World War II occupation of the country.

Takahashi is a member of the, Treat Japanese as Important Association, and he states, “Young people can probably understand a lot of this stuff, but for older people like myself when I hear ‘asurito’ (athlete) and ‘konpuriansu’ (compliance), I don’t know what it means. This is a matter of Japanese culture, the country itself, including its politics and its economy.”

It is believed that Takahashi originally brought his worries straight to NHK, but, when they dismissed his thoughts, he felt like he had no choice but to take his lawsuit forward even further.

A friend of Takahashi stated, “He decided to file the suit because the broadcaster did not bother to reply to him.” NHK have yet to comment on the matter, as it is yet to receive the correct documents from the court.

Previously, in France and parts of French-speaking Canada, steps were taken to make sure that the language of education was French, bar some exceptions. This was called the “Toubon Law.”

Do you think Hoji Takahashi is right to sue? 

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