Japan’s Famitsu Magazine Sexist?

Recently a new Metal Gear Solid game was announced for iPhone in the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu. The article was picked up by Kotaku’s Tim Rogers but his report wasn’t based on this new platform, but instead on articles headline.

Tim’s focuses on the headline which states that the new producer is a ‘woman’ (printed in large red characters) but refuses to give her name until the article’s body. The accompanying image shows as small area of this headline. He uses this as a platform for social comment on sexism in Japan.

Japan may not be as enlightened as it could be as regards women’s rights, but Tim’s report does not fairly represent the article. In the context of the whole page it’s possible to see a different picture. Though ‘woman’ is highlighted in red ‘Hidoe Kojima’ is also highlighted in blue. Also new producer (Yasuyo Watanabe) wasn’t hidden away in the text as Tim suggests. A picture of her actually occupies an eighth of a page (dwarfing Kojima’s image).

As I said in Japan it is hard to argue total innocence on this topic, but Tim’s report may not be a fair representation of Famitsu’s intentions. The original authors could just have easily been trying to encourage the audience (assumedly young ADD challenge boys) to actually read the article and find out more about Watanabe and her credentials than they otherwise may.