Nike is facing a backlash in Japan over an advert which highlights racial discrimination in the country. The video shows the "real life experience" of three young soccer players from mixed heritage. It has about 25 million views on social media and almost 80,000 shares. But it has sparked fierce debate as Japan is unaccustomed to openly discussing sensitive issues such as race, with some questioning whether a foreign brand should have waded in. Nike Japan said the ad highlights how people "overcome their daily struggles and conflicts to move their future through sports". But some comments on social media said Nike was exaggerating the scale of discrimination, arguing that it was unfair to single out Japan. Other users threatened to boycott Nike products. One comment said: "It's as if they are trying to say this kind of discrimination is everywhere in Japan." However, there were also positive comments about the ad, entitled The Future Isn't Waiting, for highlighting the issue of racism.
