In examining the recent depreciation of the yen, perhaps no story is more revealing than that coming out of China regarding former adult video (AV) starlet Rola Misaki.
The China Record news site is reporting that the 22-year-old has inked a 15-year “monopoly” contract with a wealthy Chinese businessman in which she will be compensated the equivalent of 965 million yen.
The case, sniffs evening tabloid Nikkan Gendai (May 12), is yet another example of the extreme buying power of China, and Japan can only stand by and watch.
As to the man in question, he is a mysterious figure in China’s entertainment industry. “His property holdings alone are worth several hundred million dollars,” says a person from within the Chinese media. “At events, his behavior includes giving million-dollar tips to participants.”
According to the source, Misaki, who is half-Russian, will serve as his personal assistant, and she will receive his support in her entertainment activities in China.
At a recent event in Beijing, the former actress appeared on stage holding hands with her superior. In spite of his use of a mask to conceal his identity, the display of affection caused many to presume that the contract also includes an “intimate relations” clause.
In recent years, AV actresses from Japan have garnered tremendous popularity in China. In spite of reports to the contrary, journalist Eiji Miyagi tells Nikkan Gendai that the Chinese government, known for its strict control over the Internet, is surprisingly tolerant of news on porn actresses.
“It is viewed as a way for the younger generation to let off steam,” says journalist Eiji Miyagi. “If you ask someone to name a popular Japanese person, the response may be the name of an AV actress.”
Misaki is an example. She made her AV debut under the name “Rola Takizawa” in 2012 with the Prestige label. With a D-cup chest and slender frame, she never garnered a huge following in Japan, but in China she has nearly reached the level of another former AV actress, Sola Aoi.
“Her debut proved to be more popular in China than Japan,” says an AV writer of Misaki. “In 2013, she began work in show business in China, and her following on the Chinese equivalent of Twitter (Sina Weibo) exceeds 4.8 million.”
As if to defend Japan’s honor, economics writer Takuya Iwanami says that while Misaki’s agreement may at first appear eye-popping the depressed state of the yen has made the currency nearly Monopoly money.
“The majority of the buyers of luxury apartments in Japan have been Chinese,” says Iwanami. “The degree is such that they have cornered the market.”
The writer provides proof: Overseas investment in property in Japan rose 300 percent in 2014 compared over the year before.
“With Chinese money in hand, Japan is considered cheap,” says Iwanami. “One billion yen? That’s pocket change.”
Source: “Fugo ga 10 oku-en de dokusen keiyaku AV joyu mizusaki Rola no Chugoku ninki,” Nikkan Gendai (May 12)