Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Two Japanese tourists in their 20s were detained for two weeks in China and subsequently deported after taking inappropriate photos at the Great Wall, exposing their buttocks at the historic site.
The incident occurred in January. According to The Japan Times the two tourists were released and returned to Japan later that month.
The controversy, which took place at the UNESCO World Heritage site, involved a man exposing his buttocks while a woman photographed him, Japanese media reported on Thursday (March 13).
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday (March 14) that “the Japanese Embassy in China verified on January 3 that two Japanese nationals had been detained by local authorities at the Great Wall.”
The Japanese Embassy in Beijing did not respond to media inquiries regarding the incident. Public indecency, including exposing one’s lower body in public spaces, is illegal in China, according to reports.
The tourists reportedly told the Japanese Embassy that their actions were meant as a joke. However, it remains unclear why the two tourists were held for two weeks before being deported.
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Public Outrage
According to CNN Indonesia, the incident has sparked outrage in China, where memories of Japan’s colonial occupation in the 1930s and 1940s continue to evoke strong emotions.
A hashtag translating to “Japanese man and woman detained for indecent behavior at the Great Wall” had been viewed more than 60 million times on the Chinese social media platform Weibo by Friday morning.
Many of the most-liked comments condemned the tourists, with some users posting hateful remarks toward Japanese people. Others suggested China should impose a blanket ban on all Japanese tourist visits in response to the incident.
As tensions flare on social media, the incident serves as a reminder for travelers to respect local laws and cultural sensitivities, especially at historical and heritage sites.
(Raidi/Agung)
