A Japanese zoo that caused a furore by naming a baby monkey after Britain's Princess Charlotte has been told to stick to its guns by the local mayor after two days of fraught debate.
Mt Takasaki Wild Monkey Park in Oita was flooded with complaints after announcing Wednesday that the public had voted for a newborn macaque to be called Charlotte, just days after Britain's royal family named its newest member.
With the story making headlines around the world on Thursday, the zoo offered an apology for any offence caused to the daughter of Prince William and his wife Kate.
READ:
Japanese zoo rethinking 'Charlotte' for newborn monkey
More than 500 people got in touch with the monkey park over two days to voice an opinion on the name, with early correspondents urging them to drop it.
"Initially opinions were mostly complaints saying it is disrespectful to the British people, then voices supporting the name began to increase, with some saying it was okay because the baby monkey is cute," an official in Oita, southwestern Japan, said.
As the controversy raged online, on television and in the newspapers, local officials even sought the opinion of the British embassy in Tokyo -- who offered no comment -- before Mayor Kiichiro Sato ended the confusion with a definitive ruling.
"I think the public gave it the very pretty name Charlotte, and I don't think there is any problem with it, so we'll go with Charlotte," Sato told reporters.
Japanese society places great emphasis on not offending anybody in an effort to maintain "wa" or harmony. This frequently results in the kind of paralysis of the decision-making process -- two days of debate -- witnessed here.
Mt Takasaki Wild Monkey Park asks for suggestions for the name of the first macaque monkey born every year.
This year's poll, in which 853 votes were recorded, saw a sudden surge of people suggesting "Charlotte" after the British princess was named earlier this week.
Complainants said it was disrespectful to name a monkey after a foreign royal, with some suggesting that Japanese people would be offended if a British zoo used the name of a member of Japan's imperial family for one of its animals.
But commentators on the websites of major British newspapers suggested the locals were made of sterner stuff.
"Seriously, who cares? Name the next one George (the name of Charlotte's elder brother). It's of zero consequence to any of us," wrote user Zeeeel on theguardian.com
It is not the first time an animal has been named after the issue of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge: during a royal tour of Australia last year, then-months-old baby Prince George visited Sydney's Taronga Zoo to meet one of its bilbies -- a kind of marsupial -- that had been named in his honour.
AFP
Fri May 08 2015
Mt Takasaki Wild Monkey Park in Oita was flooded with complaints after announcing Wednesday that the public had voted for a newborn macaque to be called Charlotte. - File Photo
Waspada ejen nikah Siam
Konsulat Malaysia di Songkhla, Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi menasihat rakyat Malaysia yang ingin berkahwin di Selatan Thailand supaya waspada dalam pemilihan ejen.
Twincity Marathon rai golongan OKU
Perbezaan fizikal tidak melunturkan semangat golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU) untuk menyertai acara larian Twincity Marathon sejauh lima kilometer (km) di Cyberjaya hari ini.
Bersatu serah notis kepada enam ahli Parlimen selepas PRK Kuala Kubu Bharu - Hamzah
Bersatu akan mengeluarkan notis berhubung status kedudukan enam ahli Parlimennya yang menyokong Perdana Menteri selepas PRK Kuala Kubu Bharu.
KBS sasar 8,880 individu sertai KLAS Renang tahun ini
Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS) menyasarkan sebanyak 8,880 individu menyertai Program Kemahiran Latihan Asas Sukan Renang (KLAS Renang) di seluruh negara tahun ini.
Penyu PD pulang bertelur, orang ramai jangan buat kacau ganggu
Selepas menemui 159 telur penyu karah di Pantai Tanjung Gemok Port Dickson, pada Jumaat, kini sebanyak 117 telur penyu agar pula ditemui pada Sabtu.
Che'gubard direman dua hari
Che'gubard atau nama sebenarnya Badrul Hisham Shaharin ditahan reman dua hari bagi membantu siasatan berkaitan hantaran mengenai pengoperasian kasino di Forest City.
Buletin AWANI Khas: Mesyuarat khas WEF di Arab Saudi, PM Anwar & Pemimpin dunia
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim akan menyampaikan ucapan dalam Sidang Plenari Pembukaan Mesyuarat Khas World Economic Forum (WEF) di Arab Saudi. Ikuti analisis menyeluruh bersama Penganalisis Ekonomi, Fithra Faisal Hastiadi; Ketua Pengarang Astro AWANI, @AshwadIsmail; dan Pengarang Niaga AWANI, @NajibAroff #BuletinAWANIKhas
Akta Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan (Pindaan) 2022 berkuat kuasa 1 Jun
Akta Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan (Pindaan) 2022 akan berkuat kuasa pada 1 Jun ini.
AWANI Ringkas: BERSATU serah tujuh notis kosongkan kerusi
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
[KOLUMNIS] PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Pertandingan untuk tawan atau tahan
PRK DUN KKB menyaksikan pertembungan empat penjuru antara calon PH, PN, PRK, PRM dan calon Bebas.