Advertisement

Chinese TV host suspended after ‘inappropriate’ Japan earthquake comments go viral

  • Broadcaster sidelines anchor Xiao Chenghao after he suggested disaster was punishment for Japan’s discharge of nuclear waste water
  • Chinese premier extends condolences to Japanese prime minister over deadly earthquake, offers Beijing’s help

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
35
TV anchor Xiao Chenghao suggested in an online video that a recent deadly earthquake in Japan was punishment for its ‘deeds’. Photo: Weibo
Hayley Wongin Beijing

A Chinese TV host in the southern island province of Hainan has been suspended after his comments about a deadly earthquake in central Japan on New Year’s Day.

On Monday, the day the earthquake struck, Xiao Chenghao, an anchor with the regional Hainan Broadcasting Group, posted a video titled “A comeuppance arrived? A 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Japan”.

03:01

Death toll from Japan’s New Year’s Day earthquake rises past 60 as search for survivors continues

Death toll from Japan’s New Year’s Day earthquake rises past 60 as search for survivors continues

“It is surprising that on the first day of 2024, such a powerful earthquake occurred in Japan,” he said in a video that went viral on Chinese social media, but has since been deleted from his personal account.

“With such a large-scale natural disaster happening on the first day of the year, I’m afraid Japan will be shrouded by gloomy clouds for all of 2024.

“Perhaps [Japan should] do some deeds less, and should not have discharged nuclear water into the sea.”

Xiao’s “inappropriate comments” prompted the company to suspend him and investigate the incident, the broadcaster said in a statement on Tuesday, without elaborating.

The presenter, who has commented regularly about current affairs on social media platform Weibo, has more than 230,000 followers.

Advertisement