After losing in the first round of the 2023 Japan Masters, Fukushima Yuki expressed her displeasure on social media, stating, “Please do not take sneak photos of me!” Fukushima Yuki and Hirota Sayaka were defeated 1-2 by Chinese pair Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu, resulting in an early exit from the tournament.
Japanese media reported that while the exact details of the incident involving Fukushima remain unclear, unauthorized photography from the audience has become a significant social issue. This problem is not new; two years ago, retired Japanese badminton doubles star Reiko Shiota addressed the matter in an interview. She highlighted that taking photos of female athletes for sexual purposes and illegally distributing them has led to growing demands for countermeasures. Shiota shared her personal experiences, noting that some individuals focus on capturing chest and hip areas, which are then shared online with derogatory comments. She first encountered such harm around 2005, when a magazine published a photo of her with a slipped bra strap during a match, causing her great distress. She recalled instances during matches where she heard shutter sounds while crouching to pick up shuttlecocks, with photos intentionally targeting specific body parts being circulated on platforms like Twitter. Despite facing blame for her attire, Shiota emphasized that she was simply focused on playing competitively, wearing practical tournament outfits like sleeveless tops and skirts for better mobility. The issue persists, with some photographers deliberately taking inappropriate shots of female players in short skirts during games.
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