"Kevin Wayne Williams" <kww.nihongo@verizon.nut> wrote ...
> Paul Blay wrote:
>> "Dan Rempel" <drempel@islandnet.com> wrote ...
>> 
>>> I think I like Paul's explanation better.
>> 
>> KWW's just borrowing Western culture over there, besides
>> which it wouldn't fit with
>> 
>>>>>>>> "Jizo" is also nanpa slang for a guy who just stands there uselessly
>>>>>>>> (like the statue) instead of approaching girls.
>> 
>> Although if you remember any of the WaiWai stories about Japanese 
>> teenage girl hygiene ...
> 
> I think that there is a reason that of all the cold, unmoving things 
> they could have used, a slab of tuna was the chosen substance. I suspect 
> that there was a convergence of western and eastern cultures involved.

It's a pity such a high quality etymology question isn't being held in 
sci.lang.japan where it belongs.