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Comedians Who Dare: Political Satire in Contemporary Japan
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2025
Abstract
Unlike the United States and elsewhere, political comedy is rarely spotlighted in Japan. Through interviews with three comedians, Hamada Taichi, Yamamoto Tenshin (The Newspaper) and Muramoto Daisuke (Woman Rush Hour), this article seeks to understand the practice, reception and standing of political humor in Japan today. What has motivated these comedians to pursue controversial routines that may have hindered their careers? How do they account for the relative lack of political satire in Japan today? The interviews provide a complex picture of media self-censorship and indirect pressure from the government – a picture that is both pessimistic and hopeful for the future of political satire in Japan. Interviews are edited for clarity.
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References
Notes
1 To view the (May. 10th, 2020) Saturday Night Live skit see here.
2 “Thejuicemedia - YouTube.” Accessed May 5, 2020.
3 BBC. “BBC Two - The Mash Report.” Accessed May 5, 2020.
4 “This is what Brexit REALLY means! German political comedy ”heute show“ (English subtitles).” Accessed June 20, 2020.
5 After nearly thirty years on the air, Les Guignols de l'Info was cancelled in 2018 by the Canal+ network. For more on this see here.
6 Although the television show was cancelled in 2018, the show continues to have a presence on YouTube. See here.
7 With the poor handling of Covid-19, Prime Minister Abe has seen his popularity drop to 27% in a recent (5/23/2020) poll. See here.
8 For an unabridged version of this interview, go to my website here.
9 For more on this period see Norma Field, In the Realm of a Dying Emperor, Pantheon Books, 1991.
10 Although topical humor involving the news in the West is quite common, many comedians in Japan tend to focus on more general themes.
11 For more information on the group, see their official website.
12 “Shakai fuushi konto shuudan THE NEWSPAPER 2019, Ibaraki bunka shinkō zaidan,” Accessed April 14, 2020.
13 Before successfully running for governor of Miyazaki prefecture, Higashikokubara Hideo had a career as television personality and comedian from 1982 to 2006, serving as comedian/film director Beat Takeshi's first apprentice. He went under the name Sonomanma Higashi.
14 Yokoyama Knock was a prominent comedian and television personality who successfully ran for political office, serving as a Diet member and later, as the governor of Osaka Prefecture.
15 Recently another comedian, Oshidori Mako, also known for her freelance journalism and activism over the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, ran for political office in 2019 as a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan but lost.
16 Before interviewing the members of The Newspaper, the author saw a performance by the duo at Asakusa Engei Hall.
17 Fuji Terebi. “THE MANZAI 2019.” Accessed April 14, 2020.
18 For general recap of the media's and public reactions, to Muramoto's comedy routine, as well as a link to the performance, see my website. Other reactions to the political routine can be found here, here, and here.
19 “Uumanrasshuawaa purofiiru, Yoshimoto kōgyō kabushikigaisha.” Accessed November 12, 2019.
20 Screenshot from the video of Woman Rush Hour's appearance on THE MANZAI 2017. To see the full performance, see here.
21 On his January 1, 2018 appearance on the late-night political debate program Asa Made Nama Terebi 2018 Gantan Special, Muramoto caused some controversy when he mistakenly stated that Okinawa was once part of China. The comment drew some backlash from personalities on the right, as well as from people from Okinawa.
22 Muramoto here uses the term 特別学級 (tokubetsugakkyu) which can be translated as a special class or special needs class. He also uses it in an unusual way when referring to whom he targets with his humor. This usage could be interpreted as special treatment (when it comes to who are targets of his humor).
23 At the time of this interview, Muramoto had just returned from a trip to the United States, where he studied English with the hopes of performing abroad.
24 For details on the scandal, see here.
25 Because this interview took place well before the Covid-19 pandemic, this section on the stability of the Japanese economy may feel out of place, but I feel it sheds further light on how The Newspaper links political comedy's popularity to dissatisfaction with the economy.
26 The Sakura no kai is an annual event that invites people from the public and private sectors to appreciate the cherry blossoms, and converse with the Prime Minister and other government officials. Recently, it has come under scrutiny from opposition parties as a waste of public funds and a way for Abe to reward his supporters. For more details, see here.
27 ORICON NEWS. “‘安倍首相ものまね’福本ヒデ、政治ネタ制限の時代に嘆く 本人からも「ほどほどに….” Accessed February 6, 2020.
28 For more information on Owarai Beigun Kichi (in Japanese only), see: here or here. Jon Mitchell also mentions the group in his article published in this journal.
29 Originally a solo comedian (pin geinin), Takamatsu Nana has recently shifted her efforts to producing political satire and workshops with a focus on educating young people about politics and solving societal problems through humor. More information can be found at her company's website.
30 Seyarogai Ojisan is a comedian based in Okinawa who has recently found a following on YouTube with videos that humorously point out problems with governmental policies, societal issues, and more. Some of his more popular videos have garnered over 600,000 views. His rants are also featured on a national morning show every Friday. His videos can be found here.