A Japanese comedy duo and their management company have apologised after the pair reportedly said during a live event that Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka “needed some bleach”.
Japanese media said the duo, known as A Masso, made the remark during an event Sunday, the same day that Osaka lifted the Pan Pacific Open trophy in Tokyo — her first title since the Australian Open in January.
A Masso also said Osaka “is too sunburned”.
In separate messages on the website of their management company, Watanabe Entertainment Co Ltd, both women apologised for making “inappropriate, hurtful remarks”, but did not refer to Osaka by name.
“Though we should have thought about it, we made remarks that hurt many people, something we will never do again,” one of them wrote.
“We sincerely apologise for making the specific person feel uncomfortable, as well as for everyone else connected to the event. We also sincerely apologise for causing trouble.”
Watanabe Entertainment, also without naming Osaka, added their own apology for “remarks inconsiderate of diversity in an era where diversity is respected”, saying the duo had been severely warned and steps had been taken to raise their awareness of the issue.
Neither Watanabe Entertainment nor Naomi Osaka’s management office in Japan was immediately available to comment.
Osaka, who will turn 22 next month, was born in Japan to a Haitian father and Japanese mother, but moved to the United States when she was young.
In January, Japanese noodle company Nissin had to remove a controversial commercial in which a cartoon character depicting Osaka was shown with pale skin and light brown hair after it prompted an outcry. Nissin said it had not intended to “whitewash” Osaka, and promised to pay more attention to diversity issues.