The Australian embassy in Tokyo posted on Facebook on 2/9, reminding its citizens traveling to Japan to behave appropriately, respecting local laws and customs.
This advisory followed online outrage in Japan directed at Lochie Jones, an Australian social media influencer, who posted a video in early August showing him drinking beer at a grave in Aokigahara forest, known as the "suicide forest," near Mount Fuji.
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Lochie Jones drinking beer at a grave in Japan in August. Photo: News |
Lochie Jones drinking beer at a grave in Japan in August. Photo: News
In the video, Jones flipped a coin to decide whether to open the can of beer. He then commented on mental health in Japan and the "cold and ruthless" nature of Japanese women before drinking the entire can and burping in front of the grave. He placed two cigarettes on the grave, said goodbye, and left.
"Graves are sacred places in any country. I want the government to ban him from entering Japan from now on," one X user wrote. Jones posted an apology video on Instagram on 2/9.
A month earlier, Japanese police arrested Ismael Ramsey Khalid, a 23-year-old American citizen and social media live streamer, for allegedly trespassing on a construction site.
In a video, Khalid, wearing a face mask, repeatedly shouted "Fukushima" at construction workers as they urged him to leave. In another video, he harassed passengers on a train by mentioning the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of Japan.
Japan has seen an unprecedented influx of tourists recently, leading to disturbances and chaos that have left some residents feeling exasperated. Last year, a town near Mount Fuji erected a fence to prevent photography at a popular scenic spot next to a convenience store where tourists often gathered to take pictures.
The Sanseito party, with its "Japan First" slogan, capitalized on Japanese anxieties and frustrations over tourism and immigration overload during this year's House of Councillors election. They won 14 seats in the House of Councillors, compared to just one in the previous election.
Hong Hanh (AFP/News)
