Wardrobe malfunction, Japan-style

NHK, the Japanese national television broadcaster, shocked some members of its audience on New Year’s Eve when a troupe of apparently topless dancers performed with pop star DJ Ozma during the 57th annual “Red and White Song Contest.” (Due to the sexual nature of the video, Passport will refrain from linking to it. But rest ...

NHK, the Japanese national television broadcaster, shocked some members of its audience on New Year’s Eve when a troupe of apparently topless dancers performed with pop star DJ Ozma during the 57th annual "Red and White Song Contest." (Due to the sexual nature of the video, Passport will refrain from linking to it. But rest assured, it is only a Google away.)

NHK, the Japanese national television broadcaster, shocked some members of its audience on New Year’s Eve when a troupe of apparently topless dancers performed with pop star DJ Ozma during the 57th annual “Red and White Song Contest.” (Due to the sexual nature of the video, Passport will refrain from linking to it. But rest assured, it is only a Google away.)

Around 250 people called NHK to complain about the lewd content of what is usually the highest-rated New Year’s television programming in Japan, prompting an on-air apology by one of the presenters. He assured viewers that the dancers were wearing body suits.

By comparison, after Janet Jackson’s famous “wardrobe malfunction” at the 2004 Superbowl, more than 200,000 people filed complaints with the Federal Communications Commission.

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