Does Julia Roberts hate Japan? The local media were obsessed with this question prior to the Hollywood star's first-ever trip here last month to promote her new film, "Eat Pray Love," based on Elizabeth Gilbert's best-selling memoir about her journeys to Italy, India and Indonesia.

The only evidence they had for this supposed enmity was that Roberts had never been here. Japan is one of the most important movie markets in the world, so the fact that the No. 1 female movie star in the world opted not to come for so many years can only mean she doesn't want to, went the rationale.

In addition to a joint Tokyo press conference for both Japanese and Korean journalists (does the Korean press think she hates Korea, too?), Roberts agreed to do individual interviews for television only.