Diaoyu: Let's act like adults, says adult actress Sora Aoi
Staff Reporter 2012-09-24 16:08
As a porn star, Sora Aoi is adept at pleasing everyone. (File photo/CFP)
Though many Japanese entertainers have taken a hit to their popularity due to the dispute between China and Japan over islands in the East China Sea, Sora Aoi, known for her career as a Japanese porn star, has pulled through with great aplomb. The star, also known as Sola Aoi, has managed to retain her massive microblog fanbase in China through her active expressions of friendship between the people of the two countries on her Sina Weibo account, which has millions of followers.
The latest edition of the Economist has given coverage to the "Aoi Phenomenon," reporting how the canny adult star, who has been looking to forge a career as a more mainstream celebrity, has been a winner in the midst of an outpouring of anti-Japanese sentiment following Tokyo's move to nationalize three of the disputed islands, according to China Times, our Chinese-language sister newspaper.
The magazine's subtitle used "erotic and patriotic" to describe her relationship with China, the article said, noting that Aoi has been largely exempt from the country's attacks on anything or anyone hailing from Japan. The article also quoted the words "the Diaoyu islands belong to China, but Sora Aoi belongs to the world," a sign put up by the Chinese owner of a Japanese brand vehicle imploring protesters not to vandalize his vehicle.
Though pornography is officially banned in China, Aoi has been seeking to expand her career in China and she has nearly 10 million followers on her microblog, where she is active in interacting with her fans. Though she has not been subjected to the same opprobrium as other Japanese celebrities, she nonetheless finds herself in an awkward position. In an interview with the national Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun on Sept. 20, Aoi was reportedly on the verge of tears as she said: "I hope I can convey the best side of China to Japan, and vice versa, so as not to harm the friendly relations between both sides."
According to reports posted in Hong Kong media outlets, Aoi will have limited opportunity for media exposure in China in the near future, however, with TV stations currently banned from broadcasting news and programs related to Japan, let alone appearances by Japanese celebrities. China's State Administration for Radio, Film and Television has this year also announced restrictions on "vulgar" programming, comprehensively ruling out someone of Aoi's notoriety and leaving her to remain in Japan for the time being.
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