Japan’s G7 host city under fire for 'obscene and sexist' mascot

A Japanese city hosting the Group of Seven summit next year it may change its new community mascot after the depiction of the female character was blasted as obscene and sexist.

The cartoon image of a voluptuous 17-year-old aspiring “ama” diver in search of a boyfriend drew fire from the real divers, who traditionally harvest seaweed, clams and, in some areas, pearls.

About 170 people, mostly female divers, have signed a petition calling for the city to scrap the character, according to a tourism official in the coastal city of Shima 300km south of Tokyo.

Protesters reportedly said the mascot, launched late last year, was obscene and sexist.

“We don’t want foreigners who visit... to think ‘ama’ divers look like this,” one of them told local media.

Cartoon images of young women with exaggerated body features are common in Japan and have attracted criticism.