Social media present a tightrope for celebrities in Japan. An increasing number of high-profile people are becoming savvy with platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, helping them to develop an online fan base. However, the internet also opens them up to criticism, and the past couple of weeks have highlighted how confusing the conversation about celebrities in Japan can get.
The biggest celebrity story online over the past two weeks has revolved around Ryuji Higa, who is better known as Ryucheru. The fashionable influencer-turned-TV-presence-turned-performer welcomed a son into the world earlier this summer. To celebrate, the 22-year-old celebrity got tattoos with the name of his progeny, Link, and one of his wife, fellow celebrity Peco. (He also released a pop song about his baby but, er, let’s ignore that.)
Many reacted negatively to his ink. According to articles on Cyzo and J-Cast, some responded to images of Higa’s tattoo with criticism. Some suggested that he was bound to feel bad about being unable to take his child to a pool or hot spring one day, while others went as far as to argue he would end up regretting getting tattooed altogether.