Korea / Japan island dispute results in condom ad pullout
Wow - you know things are getting touchy when a political spat leads to the removal of Japanese condom ads from Korean subway cars. It’s not as pithy as ‘Freedom Fries’, but it’s definitely up there. Korea and Japan are currently in some sort of Falklands-like squabble over a pair of islands in the Sea of Japan - no word on whether or not the Dharma Initiative was carrying out experiments on either of these islands, but apparently both countries feel they’re important enough to pull condom ads off public transportation in protest.
The mere mention of the territory - known as the Takeshima islands in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea - was enough to inflame nationalists in Seoul, who pelted the Japanese embassy with rotten eggs and tomatoes yesterday.
Seoul Metro, which operates subway trains in the capital, said it had informed Okamoto, the condoms’ maker, of its decision to remove the posters.
“Having condom ads in a public space might not be acceptable for some people. Secondly, there is an anti-Japanese sentiment brewing among citizens over the Dokdo issue,” it said.
I think this might actually be secretly brilliant. Condoms prevent pregnancy. If people don’t know about condoms, they’ll make more babies. More babies = more people you can draft into military service. More Korean soldiers = Japan has to give up islands. Combine this with Japan’s steadily decreasing birth-rate, and you’ve got a first-rate military strategy on your hands.
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