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Chinese government squeezing Japan’s AV actresses

Shukan Post April 24
Shukan Post April 24
Former adult video (AV) actress Sola Aoi has enjoyed incredible popularity in China over the past few years.

A number of active porn starlets, like Yui Hatano, who shills sex toys for a Chinese company, and the venerable Akiho Yoshizawa are also held in high regard in the Communist nation.

But members of the Chinese government, which actively bans pornographic films and publications, are not among their fans. According to Shukan Post (April 24), a crackdown on Japanese AV actresses is now under way.

“Starting a few months ago, there have been repeated bans on appearances and requests for reconsideration regarding AV actresses at events,” says an employee at an adult products company.

Actresses from Japan first appeared at the annual China International Adult Health and Reproduction Exhibition in 2010. Since then, the event, held in Shanghai, has blossomed into a huge convention featuring more than 100 exhibitors from 20 countries.

This success has been the source of indignation of women’s groups, which found a television program broadcast in May of last year that featured actresses at the event to be morally objectionable.

“The discussions by representatives and experts within the women’s organizations made it into a hot topic,” says a journalist in Shanghai.

That was just the start of the most recent push back.

Four months later in the city of Dalian, eggs and plastic bottles were hurled onto the stage of an adult goods event featuring starlets Anju Kitagawa and Emiri Okazaki.

“The two girls were fine,” a person at the event tells Shukan Post. “But the moderator suffered injuries.”

The person blames the Chinese side, saying the preparation was poor, including the Chinese-Japanese interpretation.

“An event held in an anxious environment will end with the worst result,” the source says.

With reports of the incident having spread nationwide, appearances by AV actresses were prohibited at a similar event to be held in Beijing the following month.

“Authorities initiated a ban on AV actresses, and they cited the injuries in Dalian as the reason,” says the aforementioned adult products employee. “One company attempted to host an appearance with AV actresses but security shut it down immediately. In November, an event in Guangzhou also banned AV actresses.”

Yui Hatano stars in 'Tight Skirt'
Yui Hatano stars in ‘Tight Skirt’
This is not the first time that China has put pressure on eroticism. In April of 2012, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television demanded that satellite televison stations prohibit controversial personalities, including Aoi, from appearing in programming.

Prior to this year’s China International Adult Health and Reproduction Exhibition, held between April 9 and 12, there was speculation that a tragedy that unfolded on New Year’s Eve, in which 36 people died and another 47 were injured during a stampede that broke out on Shanghai’s Bund riverfront area, would have a negative impact on the participation of AV actresses.

But consideration was made for the organizer, which had reserved a larger than usual venue. “It was concluded that it would not be possible to attract visitors if there are no AV actresses in attendance,” says the aforementioned employee.

Therefore, a set of conditions were put in place: no nudity, no showy performances, and any harmful incidents occurring in the booths would be the responsibility of the exhibitor. (A.T.)

Source: “Shukinpei ‘Nihonjin AV joyu kari’ yami shirei ga kudasa reta,” Shukan Post (April 24)