Norika Fujiwara

Fujiwara stresses importance of breast-feeding

Saturday 12th September, 03:38 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 39 Total Comments Show All

Triumvere at 12:02 PM JST - 13th September

Perhaps to you NGO stands for no-good-organization, ignoring all the good work many of the real NGOs have accomplished. Ever heard of Plan International? But it's always easiest to criticize and come up with dumb examples from way back.

Actually, womanforwomen has a very good point; a lot of people blindly put their trust in NGOs and NPOs simply because they are "not for profit" despite the fact that they are essentially companies with people pulling down saleries (quite generous ones in some cases). While a lot of NGOs do excellent work, thare are countless ones which are ineffectual at best and scams at worst. One problem is that of self perpetuation; many NGOs may start out with good intentions, but if the problem they were founded to combat is solved they lose their reason for existance; not an incentive to be effective. Best to do some serious research regarding how much money actually goes to charitable works (as opposed to overhead) and what sort of results are produced before donating your time or money.
gyouza at 01:24 PM JST - 13th September

Another post stating that there are issues with paying people in NGO's but no figures. I agree with Triumvere's last comment that it is the time to do some serious research, but lets do that before tainting the work of charities. People work at charitable organisations, and they require certain skillsets. These don't come cheap, but some kind people are willing to work for lower salaries because they know they are doing good in the world. These are the hard working individuals, and deserve every penny they get. Bureaucrats? I don't actually know of any who are payrolled, but many famous and important people lend their names for support (maybe some do get paid - happy to know who). Looking at the Japan Save the Children website, I was looking at their 2008 annual report. It clearly shows their income and outgoing, with admin (lets assume that includes salaries) coming in at 10.3% last year, down from 10.6% the year before. Is that bad? Most businesses run at 20-50%, but I see no arm waving at overpaid executives there.

Lets be thankful that some people actually care.
dishdash at 05:59 PM JST - 13th September

Leave poor Norika alone....shes trying to do something positive. Sure she may not understand all the implications that other commentators make but the heart is in the right place.
soothsayer at 08:29 PM JST - 13th September

To the intelligensia who argue that Norika has no right to promote breatfeeding as she's never done it herself, let me say the following:

I have never been skydiving. Nonetheless, I strongly recommend the use of a parachute rather than an umbrella.

Sounds like she cares about people and has some commonsense. Perhaps you're just jealous of her for that...
The758 at 08:41 AM JST - 14th September

Why is this woman promoting something she knows nothing about and has no experience in?

Nevermind ...
Osakadaz at 09:17 AM JST - 14th September

One of the largest problems in the developing world is companies like Nestle,who aggressively push baby formulas on women who lack either good sterilisation facilities or clean water to mix the powders with.Good on you for doing something Norika.
hichhocx at 09:53 AM JST - 14th September

she has to come to morocco to see how wommen brestfed thier babies she would probably take some new features about this issue
USNinJapan2 at 10:22 AM JST - 14th September

soothsayer

I have never been skydiving. Nonetheless, I strongly recommend the use of a parachute rather than an umbrella.

Then do you think that anyone in the skydiving/parachuting industry would ever choose you as a spokesperson? Definitely not. Likewise, this woman can academically promote breast-feeding, something in which she has absolutely no experience/expertise just like you with skydiving, but she can't do it with any authority, unlike say a male doctor who may be qualified to do so. It baffles me that people don't understand why a woman who has zero experience with motherhood and breast-feeding is not the best choice for this cause by a long stretch?
Triumvere at 10:31 AM JST - 14th September

It baffles me that people don't understand why a woman who has zero experience with motherhood and breast-feeding is not the best choice for this cause by a long stretch?

Not the best choice I agree, but... you want to replace Norika with an unknown male doctor? It seems to me you don't quite grasp the workings of celebrity endorsements; Norika's attractiveness and popularity are what the group is relying on to get their message out.
Heda_Madness at 10:45 AM JST - 14th September

Who would be the best choice? An intelligent woman who has never breast fed but has taken the time to learn and understand the benefits or an uneducated woman who's had a baby and breast feeds because that's what she was told to do.

The criticism of Norika on here is quite frankly baffling.
USNinJapan2 at 10:57 AM JST - 14th September

An intelligent woman...

Norika? Uh huh.

...who has never breast fed but has taken the time to learn and understand the benefits...

Do you really think so? All you know is that she's taken some cute photos of Vietnamese kids and can deliver a scripted message.
USNinJapan2 at 11:07 AM JST - 14th September

Triumvere

I only mentioned the male doctor because others mentioned earlier how a male doctor would not be qualified to talk about breast-feeding because he can't physically experience it. Of course I don't think a male doctor would be the best spokesperson either.

I do understand the nature of celebrity endorsements. My point is that in other countries they tend to choose a spokesperson who is both attractive AND relevant/qualified to present the issue. Here in Japan it doesn't matter if the spokesperson has the first clue or any experience in whatever issue he/she is endorsing as long as they're well known and attractive. Norika endorsing breast-feeding is a perfect example of this. There are plenty of Japanese celebrities who are as famous and attractive (IMO) as Norika and who have had children and quite possibly, oh my god, actually breast-fed their children. Imagine that.
Triumvere at 11:19 AM JST - 14th September

USNinJapan2,

I agree, a celebrity mother would have been better, but I think you are overestimating the impact choosing one over, say, Norika here. Not everyone is a cynical as our fellow JT posters.
USNinJapan2 at 11:33 AM JST - 14th September

Triumvere

I don't know about you but seeing Norika endorsing breastfeeding has turned my world upside down. I'm struggling to find a reason to go on living... : )
Triumvere at 02:30 AM JST - 15th September

See, she's making a difference already.