Actor Jackie Chan (成龍) caused outrage among Japanese netizens when he was quoted as saying that: “Sometimes, I would like to see some countries hit by great disasters, such as a tsunami or a great earthquake” in a recent interview with The Associated Press.
Chan went on to say that: “In the wake of the disaster, you would see the whole world coming to help that country … if there are no tsunamis, no earthquakes, no one has anything to do, then politics comes into play — I’ll attack you, you’ll attack him — I don’t like to see such things.”
It is not the first time that Chan has sparked controversy, and the mention of tsunamis and earthquakes touched a nerve in Japan.
Photo: CNA
Thousands of netizens have posted comments about the story on Yahoo’s Japanese Web site. Many said they are fans of the actor, but had been upset by his comments, while other vowed to never watch his movies again.
One netizen said Chan was “crazy,” while another said he “has starred in too many action films and hit his head one too many times” and still others said his remarks were intentional, rather than a faux pas.
“Jackie Chan had pretended to be friendly toward Japanese to boost [movie] ticket sales, but is now completely [brainwashed] by the Chinese,” one netizen wrote.
Others said Chan’s past remarks showed he was “the Chinese Communist Party’s lapdog.”
Some netizens called for the destruction of all products featuring the action star, or urged Japanese TV stations to stop airing any advertisements featuring him.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS