TOKYO (TR) – Earlier this year, adult video (AV) actress Yua Fukuda embarked on a trip to New Zealand to look at the starry night sky. However, she found herself locked in a holding cell with an exposed toilet before being forcibly deported back to Japan.
In a viral post on X dated June 12, 2026, Fukuda revealed that she had been denied entry. The revelation triggered a firestorm of online speculation, with netizens accusing her of attempting to engage in the growing trend of overseas prostitution.
However, in an interview with Spa! (Aug. 17) , she denies such speculation, saying she was profiled based on her gender and nationality.
Purpose was “unclear”
According to Fukuda, her solo trip was meant to be spontaneous. However, upon clearing initial immigration checks, she was pulled aside by authorities for a nearly six-hour interrogation regarding her occupation, travel itinerary, and flight reservations.
Because she had only booked a hotel and a return flight — with no specific tourist activities scheduled — authorities ruled that her purpose of travel was “unclear.”
“I signed a consent form stating I wasn’t recognized as a tourist because my travel purpose wasn’t clear,” Fukuda explained. “Whether they actually suspected me of overseas prostitution, they wouldn’t write that on the documents, so I don’t really know.”
“Modeling talent”
Fukuda was subsequently detained overnight. She described the holding cell as being roughly the size of a four-and-a-half tatami mat room, equipped with only a mattress on the floor, a peephole in the door, and an exposed toilet. The following day, she was escorted onto a flight and deported.
Despite online rumors that she was flagged for dressing provocatively or because of her profession in the AV industry, Fukuda dismissed the claims. She stated she was wearing frumpy, casual clothes suitable for a 16-hour flight, was wearing almost no makeup, and that authorities did not press her deeply about her job as a “modeling talent.”
Instead, Fukuda believes she was heavily scrutinized simply for fitting a specific demographic. She presented authorities with hotel confirmation emails and tax documents proving her domestic income, but to no avail.
“I think being a ‘solo Japanese female traveler’ was the strike against me,” she said, suggesting that ordinary students or office workers could easily face the same border rejection today.
“Looked at strangely”
The incident highlights a broader international crackdown by border control agencies on young Japanese women, driven by a surge in women traveling abroad to engage in sex work.
Fukuda condemned the overseas prostitution trend, stating that travelers have a duty to respect their host countries rather than cause trouble. “When I go abroad, I consider myself a representative of Japan. If I do something weird, all Japanese people will be looked at strangely,” she said.
Despite the grueling ordeal and the harsh online backlash, Fukuda maintains she has no regrets about her profession, which has afforded her the time and money to travel the world. While acknowledging that her deportation record will make future international travel difficult, she hopes to re-attempt her trip to New Zealand in a decade or two to finally see the stars.
