Weird NewsREAL LAW OR INTERNET LAW?

Japan: It is illegal to be overweight.

In Japan, adults aged forty-five to seventy-four have their waists measured and may get medical guidance; the viral claim of a ban is untrue.

On air: Gloria Vance and Dale Bearman on Weekend Edition
Published 8:25 AM ET, Saturday, October 17, 2026

At a glance

First reported by Wikipedia: “Japan: It is illegal to be overweight.”, with reporting from legislation.gov.uk and bbc.co.uk.
Covered on BBN on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 8:25 AM ET on Weekend Edition, by Gloria Vance and Dale Bearman.
Topics: Japan.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

WikipediaJapan: It is illegal to be overweight.
legislation.gov.ukJapan: It is illegal to be overweight.
bbc.co.ukJapan: It is illegal to be overweight.

What BBN said about it

Gloria Vance · World News AnchorFirst exhibit, from Japan: it is illegal to be overweight.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorReal. First they measure your waist, then they offer guidance, then they measure your waist again.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorInternet. Per Wikipedia, that is untrue. Citizens between forty-five and seventy-four have their waists measured, and may be offered medical guidance.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorGuidance. That is how it starts.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorSecond exhibit, from the United Kingdom: handling a salmon in suspicious circumstances is a crime.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorInternet. No nation is that far gone. Nobody legislates against a fish with a shifty look.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorReal. Section thirty-two of the Salmon Act of nineteen eighty-six targets dealing in illegally caught fish.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorI was wrong. In my own court.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIt now covers trout, eels, lampreys, smelt and freshwater fish, according to legislation dot gov dot UK.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorEels too. The fish underworld is organised.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorDale, seriousness is not your strong suit.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThird exhibit, from London: taxi drivers were required to carry hay and oats for their horses.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorReal. Obviously. Horses are the warning, and we ignored the horses.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorInternet. An eighteen thirty-one law made it illegal to feed a cab horse with anything except corn in a bag or hay given by hand.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThe law was repealed in nineteen seventy-six.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorWrong twice. Then this court is the myth. Case dismissed, and the gavel goes too.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorOverruled.