Japan Bans Judo Kids with Thin Eyebrows [REASON: it causes displeasure]

Kyodo news agency via Reuters ^ | July 13, 2002

[Silly]

TOKYO (Reuters) - Six Japanese high school students were ejected from a judo tournament to teach them a lesson after they shaved their eyebrows to a fashionable but intimidating thin line.

Kyodo news agency, quoting organizers Saturday, said the six had been disqualified from a judo tournament in Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, on the grounds that the current Japanese teenage fad gave them an unfair advantage.

"We have banned thin eyebrows because they are intimidating to opponents and cause displeasure," Tatsuo Kakizaki, an tournament organizer, was quoted as saying.

"We disqualified them as a lesson, to teach them the importance of competing in accordance with the rules."

[Silly]

This story is raising eyebrows in Japan.

[Vidalia]

Has anyone here knowledgeable in the martial arts seen a "throw-down" by the grabbing of the eye-brows?

Is this just more BS PC that has floated from the US to Japan, perchance?

[StockAyatollah]

We disqualified them as a lesson, to teach them the importance of competing in accordance with the rules."

They have rules about eyebrow size? This sounds reminds me of the PC idiots who banned dodge ball and tag in the US.

[Silly]

That's what I'm thinking. Sounds like some uptight adults who can't handle kids who are "different". What possible difference could eyebrows make? Perhaps there are some cultural nuances in the story we don't know about, but I would think if you could intimidate your opponent, that would be a good thing, not a bad thing.

[xm177e2]

It's not so much PC ("politically correct")in Japan as it CC ("conformingly correct")

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

Yip Man laughs at Yamamoto!

Yip Man taught by Wing Chun!

She ruled..............

[Silly]

We should ship them some of our Italian youngsters with "uni-brows" -- show them that even large eyebrows can intimidate the heck out of people.

[dighton]

Judo tournament bans kids with plucked eyebrows

UTSUNOMIYA -- Tochigi Prefecture’s junior high school sports federation banned six children from taking part in a judo tournament because they had plucked their eyebrows, the Mainichi learned Saturday.

Judo officials say that tournament rules banned plucked or shaved eyebrows and abide by their decision to forbid the kids from taking part in a June 7 judo meet.

“Judo is a sport that places enormous importance on manners and thin eyebrows create an unpleasant image,” Tatsuo Kakizaki, 58, head of the federation’s judo division. “Federation rules have banned plucked eyebrows for several years. It’s one way of teaching children. We have no intention of changing our rules either.”

Also on the federation hit list are dyed or tinted hair, piercing and even hair ribbons.

The Mainichi learned that federation officials called together before their bouts over a dozen pupils with thin eyebrows. When six --- a boy and five girls -- admitted to either plucking or shaving their eyebrows.

Federation officials responded by banning them from taking any further part in the tournament. Those in teams were replaced by reserves, while those battling out individual matches were forced to forfeit.

Coaches were apparently told of the ban before the start of the tournament, but did not discuss it.

(Mainichi Shimbun, July 13, 2002)

© 2002 The Mainichi Newspapers Co.

[Vidalia]

Are you familiar with Sumo?

Eyebrows don't have a thing to do with two giant, trained wrestlers attempting to throw the other out of the ring.

I doubt that excessive or lack of eyebrows are even considered when the weights get up to 500 pounds plus. Sumotori don't give a squat about the eyebrow factor.

Japan is notorious for blindly following Western Coast nonsense, regardless of relativity to the real world.

[Silly]

That's just like Mainichi Shimbun to shed light on this story. Thanks!

[1rudeboy]

I once saw a Samurai helmet that had bunny-ears (as in Bugs Bunny) at the British Museum (?). Clearly the warrior that wore the helmet felt that they would distract his opponents, even if only for a second. Anything to gain an advantage . . . .

[Vidalia]

Sir, what is the difference? Semantics and rhetoric aside, it is still a U.S. shadowed Politically Correct piece of shaved sh*tola.

[Libertina]

Federation rules have banned plucked eyebrows for several years. It’s one way of teaching children. We have no intention of changing our rules either.”
Oh that our own conservative politicians would be this determined on the issues they stand for.

[sushiman]

I teach junior high and high school in Japan and I can tell you that the list of donts and cannots is 10 kilometers long . The countryside is even stricter ! summer vacation starts this coming friday , so once again they'll be dragging the poor kids into the gym to spend an hour going over all the rules . " Can't go out of your house before 10 a.m. " ..." Must be in the house by 6:00 p.m." ... " Cannot go to Karaoke box or bowling alley unless accomponied by a parent . " ..." Cannot spend the night at a friend's house . " ... and on and on and on ...Of course hair dye , pierced ears are a no no ... even when there is a local festival the teachers are on patrol to make sure the kids don't enjoy themselves TOO much ... even when the kids clean the school inside and outside every single day ( no janitors - another way the Govt. saves money ) they've got to LOOK like they are enjoying it , and be hasty about . the teachers walk around and check . kinda like a prison ...

[aculeus]

They must really have a problem with our Olympic swimmers who shave their entire bodies.

[August West]

I also teach junior high school and high school in Japan and I wish my schools were a bit stricter. I'm all for having rules and enforcing them.

[general_re]

"Federation rules have banned plucked eyebrows for several years..."

They neglected to mention that the rule was instituted as a back-door way of banning the entrant who had been dominating the competition...

[gratefulwharffratt]

If that is not your real, 'given' name, then you have the coolest screen name that I have seen lately.

[sushiman]

You MUST be kidding !