A Tokyo-based television news anchor, Yuri Kawaguchi, known for her feminist views, has been fired from her job following a contentious social media post about men’s body odour, describing it as “hard to endure” and recommending that men shower more frequently.
According to South China Morning Post, the 29-year-old, who also works as a lecturer on harassment prevention, sparked outrage with her comments about the discomfort caused by men’s body odour.
On August 8, Kawaguchi, who has around 13,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter), expressed her frustrations over the hygiene of some men during the summer months. She suggested that men should shower more frequently and use deodorant to avoid unpleasant smells.
She stated: “I’m really sorry if there’s a personal situation, but the smell of men in the summer or the body odour of unsanitary people is so uncomfortable.”
“I want to be clean, so I take several showers a day, use freshening wipes, and apply sweat inhibitors year-round. I think more men should do this.”
Her remarks were quickly criticised as gender discriminatory, with many perceiving them as an unfair attack on men.
“Only blaming men is infuriating and undoubtedly discrimination. Women, especially older women, can have body odour too. I’m really uncomfortable with this,” one male netizen commented.
The backlash extended beyond online criticism to scrutiny of her personal life, including her divorce, with some calling her a “materialistic woman out of touch with the struggles of ordinary people.”
Amidst the escalating controversy, she issued a public apology on August 11, expressing regret for her remarks.
“This time, because of my careless remarks, many people were upset and hurt. I will deeply reflect on this. In the future, I will work hard not to hurt anyone with my remarks. I am really sorry,” she said.
Despite her apology, the fallout was significant. Her agency, VOICE, terminated her contract, citing “defamation of the honour of the opposite sex” as the reason.
VOICE released a statement on August 16, noting that they had received numerous complaints and emphasising that their professional standards prohibit using language in ways that cause discomfort and harm.
Additionally, a company that had employed Kawaguchi for harassment prevention training also ended their contract with her.
However, the swift reactions were met with criticism from some Japanese netizens who saw them as excessive.
“A woman asks men to be tidy and maintain decorum, yet it triggers outrage. It just shows that Japan has been a male-dominated society for too long. No matter how dirty men are, as soon as a woman complains, they punish her,” one netizen commented on X.
Support for Kawaguchi was also voiced from Chinese online communities, where many expressed sympathy. “Those who criticised her are probably just smelly men themselves. I’m a man, and I cannot stand the stench of other men – it’s just so gross,” one comment read.
