According to reports from Xingdao Headline and World News Network, recently, a Chinese internet celebrity couple took photos of themselves dancing at the entrance of the popular LAWSON store in Lakeview, located at the foot of Mount Fuji. Their dance moves mimicked the opening scenes from Japanese anime.
This video was reposted by Japanese netizens on the social platform X, leading to a massive backlash. The videos views reached millions.
Screenshot of a video of a Chinese internet celebrity couple dancing. Source: China Overseas Network
According to reports, this video was captured and spread by some Japanese right-wing accounts. They accused the filming behavior of disrupting business operations and blocking customers from entering and exiting stores. They also labeled this behavior as misleading. This led to a large number of Japanese netizens posting comments, with both criticism and insults being posted.
In this regard, the couple posted a statement on social media to clarify the situation. They stated that the filming took place around 5 a.m., and there were hardly any tourists or customers present at the scene. There was no situation that affected traffic or disrupted business operations.
They pointed out that there were no signs indicating that photography was prohibited at the shooting location, and no attempts were made by the store to stop them from taking photos. Some tourists who passed by even helped them by giving way to allow them to complete the shooting. They believe that the related accusations do not correspond to the actual situation.
They also stated in their responses that this incident has shaken some of their existing impressions about Japan, and emphasized that they have suffered from a large number of cyber attacks.
Some Chinese residents in Japan and some netizens pointed out that the same location has long been a popular spot for internet celebrities and tourists to take photos. Such behavior is not uncommon in that region. They questioned whether there was a selective approach in the reactions from the outside world.
Some analysts point out that the incident has sparked strong backlash among Japanese netizens, due to the long-standing tourist pollution problem in the region. This Roesen convenience store has become a global internet-famous spot over the years, thanks to its unique signage that features the Mount Fuji. Every day, it attracts large numbers of tourists who gather there. Some tourists go so far as to cross the road to get the best vantage points, causing traffic congestion and even littering. This has become a source of constant annoyance for local residents. The local government was forced to use large black curtains to cover the Mount Fuji signage in an attempt to reduce crowds, but some tourists still continue to take photos by digging holes through the curtains.
