Rugby World Cup 2019 coverage gets off to rocky start as ITV rapidly flout Japanese national custom
ITV's coverage saw their pundits stood in a mock Tatami room with their shoes on
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One of the great things about the Rugby World Cup is that every match is available to watch on free-to-air television, with ITV showing every single game across their channels and on ITV hub.
However, their coverage of the tournament in Japan got off to a rocky start when the broadcasters inadvertently flouted a national custom.
The studio has been decorated in the style of a Tatami room, an often minimalist room with the purpose of studying or sleeping, which is synonymous with Japanese culture.
When entering a Tatami room, custom dictates that one should take off their shoes and socks. ITV producers were evidently unaware of this, with the pundits all wearing shoes – a small detail to Europeans but something that could be considered quite offensive to Japanese natives.
Teams playing in the tournament have already been briefed on various national customs, with players and fans alike warned to cover up their tattoos when in public.
This is due to the fact that body ink is heavily linked to the Yakuza, the infamous Japanese crime syndicate who are feared throughout the nation.
This has been particularly directed at the New Zealand team, with the All Blacks famous for their Maouri tattoos.
They have a large following in Japan, a nation with an ever-growing appetite for rugby, and have respectfully covered up their tattoos when in public spaces, displaying great awareness of the cultural sensitivities.
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