Concerns Are Constant ItteQ! Faces Backlash Over Content Changes and Limit Theory Speculation

Concerns about sexual and power harassment

At first, Nippon Television (NTV) claimed that they wanted to showcase the beautiful nature of Congo during the filming in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, the actual content involved talent participating in professional wrestling events, which had nothing to do with nature. Hiroyuki Fukuda, who was the executive director at the time (63, now the president of NTV), explained in a press conference:

“It’s true that we received a complaint from the embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo stating, ‘This is not what we were told,’ and we have explained the situation. It’s also true that, in response to the local situation, the content of the shoot was changed.”

He further stated, “There are things you only learn by going on location for a shoot,” and added, “First, we are trying our best to have the understanding of our stance regarding the program.”

However, it seems that this lesson was not applied.

“There was always concern that the verification process would not keep up, especially with the weekly broadcasts of long-term overseas shoots,” said a staff member from the production company.

The staff also mentioned that there were additional concerns. A segment featuring regular female comedians, called the “Onsen Club,” was reportedly facing criticism from some quarters, with suggestions that it could be seen as sexual harassment or power harassment.

Indeed, the “Onsen Club” segment is harsh. The female comedians are sometimes thrown into extreme situations, such as being made to wear yukata in freezing cold locations, swim in frozen ponds, or participate in sumo matches. It often seems more intense than punishments given to male comedians in other programs.

“At night, they also participate in costume karaoke competitions or attempt group musical performances. During the filming period, they barely have time to rest. On top of that, Asako Ito (54) is referred to as ‘Baba’ in the narration. While she’s used to being teased as a comedian and doesn’t mind physical challenges, there are certainly viewers who feel uncomfortable with these types of productions. The show started in 2007, and it’s now in its 18th year, but there have been voices of doubt about whether these types of productions fit with the era of Reiwa,” said the staff member.