‘Shameful’ Japanese tourists detained in China over Great Wall prank

Two Japanese tourists were detained in China after one exposed himself on the Great Wall, causing outrage in Japan and raising concerns about declining Japanese morals

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Two Japanese tourists were detained in China after one exposed himself on the Great Wall, sparking outrage in Japan. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:57pm, 14 Mar 2025Updated: 1:15am, 15 Mar 2025

The Japanese public has reacted with outrage and horror over reports that two 20-something tourists from their country were detained in China after one bared his buttocks on the Great Wall of China while the other photographed the event.

The incident reportedly happened in early January, with local security officials detaining the unnamed Japanese pair on suspicion of violating public security laws. They were held for two weeks before being deported.

Japanese media first reported the news on Thursday, with online responses coming in swift and scathing.

“As a Japanese person, this is shameful and infuriating,” read a post on a Nihon Television News story. “If Japanese people embarrass themselves like this overseas, it will lead to a worsening of the image of the Japanese people as a whole.”

Another user stated: “This is a serious crime that not only denigrates the Chinese people but also Japanese people in the eyes of the world. The names of these people should be reported so they can atone for their actions and to prevent this type of crime from happening again in the future.”

A message on the Japan Today website read: “Incidents such as this show how Japan has morally, educationally and socially declined over the last couple of decades.”