That saga also prompted an allegedly racist cartoon, when an Australian cartoonist depicted Williams with large, exaggerated lips and a nose reminiscent of racist depictions of black people in the US during the Jim Crow era. "He said that the video had been shown to Osaka before it was released, adding that Nissin would stop using the ad and remove it from YouTube following a request from the player's management company, IMG.The Japanese company has apologized for the perceptions formed around the ad, which it said were unintentional. (

A controversial commercial depicting tennis star Naomi Osaka with pale skin and light brown hair has been removed.

The advertisement was illustrated by the well-known anime artist Takeshi Konomi, who is famous for his "Prince of The 2018 US Open winner is featured in the 90-second commercial as an anime character, alongside fellow Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori. She ended 2015 by winning the Naomi Osaka: US Open champion's career in pictures Naomi Osaka: US Open champion's career in pictures Naomi Osaka: US Open champion's career in pictures - Osaka built on her breakthrough 2016 by playing in all four grand slams in Naomi Osaka: US Open champion's career in pictures - After achieving her best grand slam finish at the 2018 Australian Open (fourth round), Osaka won her first WTA title at the Naomi Osaka: US Open champion's career in pictures Naomi Osaka: US Open champion's career in pictures

"There is no intention of whitewashing," Nissin spokesman Daisuke Okabayashi confirmed to CNN. Nissin became Osaka's corporate sponsor in November 2016.

Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.The 2018 US Open winner is featured in the ad as an anime character for instant noodle giant Nissin, alongside fellow Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori.Critics allege the cartoon depicts Osaka, who is half Japanese and half Haitian, as having pale skin, light brown hair and Caucasian features.A screengrab from a commercial produced by Japanese noodle maker Nissin, featuring tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori. 2018 U.S. Open champion, Naomi Osaka, just made her first appearance on a Japanese television ad, starring alongside fellow tennis player and countryman, Kei Nishikori, for Nissin cup noodles. {{#replies}} Osaka turns into a kimono-clad anime character halfway through the clip. Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. ) The commercial depicted Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese, with pale skin and light brown hair, which created a public outcry. The ad was illustrated by anime artist Takeshi Konomi, famous for his "Prince of Tennis" cartoon. Instead, I found a white-washed representation of Osaka," Baye McNeil, an African-American columnist who writes for the English-language Japan Times, Noodle maker Nissin said that it did not intend to whitewash the 20-year-old tennis star, who holds dual Japanese and American citizenship. Quinn Rooney/Getty Images "I was truly disappointed to see that there was no woman of color to speak of in the commercial. Naomi Osaka Nissin advert: Noodle company removes controversial commercial after criticism for ‘whitewashing’ One of Naomi Osaka's Japanese sponsors has apologized after releasing an advertisement which has been widely accused of "whitewashing" the tennis star's skin tone. "We as a company put human rights first, and our stance of valuing diversity is unchanged," he said in a telephone interview. Okabayashi said the ads had prior approval from Osaka's agent. The commercial depicted Osaka, whose father is Haitian and mother is Japanese, with pale skin and light brown hair, in the trademark style of Japanese manga.Daisuke Okabayashi, a spokesman for Nissin Foods Holdings, confirmed that two animation clips - which went up earlier this month - were deleted from the company’s website on Wednesday. The company did not say whether it would be discontinued following the backlash.Osaka, who is in the semifinals of the Australian Open following her straight-sets victory over Ukraine's Elina Svitolina Wednesday, is ranked 4th in the world and won her first grand slam title at Flushing Meadows last summer.It was also the first time a Japanese player had won one of tennis' four Grand Slams.

"We accept that we are not sensitive enough and will pay more attention to diversity issues in the future.