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Fukushima-shi - A recent poll by the BBC revealed that Monty Python's "Ministry of Silly Walks" skit is completely lost on the Japanese.
"We'd like to bring the joke over in a collection of Python retrospectives, but we're afraid that ministry joke just doesn't make sense here. We did focus groups with ministers from 200 of Japan's 4 million ministries, and the response was poor. One geezer from the Ministry of Western Hats, Abbreviations, Tin Figurines, and Organ Repair (WHATFOR) told me he had always enjoyed the BCC's documentaries." The head of the BCC's polling unit said.
Responses to the skit among those polled were mixed, though most agreed that his or her particular ministry could certainly look into silly walks for the next Diet session.
"Walking is something people do every day, isn't it? A system of walk licensing could be very beneficial to all those involved. Plus the fees. We'd have to charge fees of course. Lots of fees. Soon walking could be as glamorously expensive as riding the shinkansen!" the Minister for Student Loans, Acne, and Cabbagepatch Kids (SLACK) said.
Some of the viewers expressed admiration for the UK's ministerial inventiveness.
"I believe Japan needs to take an example from the UK and expand our ministerial coverage. There are dozens of things out there that the government hasn't even considered regulating. In America I hear they have a ministry for alcohol, tobacco and firearms. We should have one of those, but we should add prostitutes to its jurisdiction. Man, that would be sweet!" the head of the Ministry of Whaling, Avalanches, Nudity, Kink, and that ER Show (WANKERS) said.
Monty Python's John Cleese could not be reached for comment, though his personal assistant was quoted as saying, "Are you kidding me with this crap?"
