When it comes to Koji Yano, everyone must be familiar with him, he is one of the few Japanese who makes the Chinese audience "not disgusted", and the process of coming to China and the origin of his relationship with China are not all smooth sailing.
When he first started in Japan, he didn't understand anything and couldn't see the end of the future. However, he did not stop because he had no academic qualifications and no connections, but set off to his acting dream with firm beliefs. He knelt in front of Ken Morita and said sincerely: "Please accept me, I can do anything, just give me a chance to act!."This persistence and sincerity finally moved Ken Morita, and Koji opened the door to the road to acting.
But in the hierarchical Japan, being accepted as ** is not once and for all, but more like an ascetic practice. However, Koji enjoyed it, and for him, the salary of 2,000 yen per month and the opportunity to show his face in eight years were enough to satisfy him. At first, he was just an inconspicuous "little dragon set", and it was this persistence and love of performance that changed his fate.
Koji Yano's fate is destined to be indissolubly linked to China. In 2001, a director named Teng Huatao, who was thousands of miles away from China, was invited to find a real Japanese actor to play the role of an international student. Koji became one of the pre-invitees for director Teng, and with his love for acting, he decided to give it a try. So, in a situation where he did not understand Chinese, he set foot on Chinese soil.
When he arrived in China, he found that everything here was completely different from Japan, and the Chinese crew treated him wholeheartedly. The working atmosphere here is egalitarian and harmonious, unlike the hierarchical Japanese society. In the crew of "Eternal Lovers", Koji not only received professional guidance and advice, but also made a qualitative leap in his acting skills, everything here made him feel very cordial, and he was determined to stay here.
So in 2001, 27-year-old Koji Yano decisively quit his job in Japan and set foot on Chinese soil again. In order to truly integrate into the land, he signed up for Chinese language Xi. After 8 months of hard work, his Chinese proficiency has improved significantly, and he has also ushered in a second job opportunity - playing the role Xi of "Emperor" in the TV series "Towards the Republic".
This time the role is amazing to the director's vision, because there is really no candidate more suitable for the role of "Emperor" than Koji. It was this successful appearance that made him famous in the circle and became a "devil professional", active in major anti-Japanese dramas and historical dramas.
Although he plays the "devil", he is a completely different self in life. In addition to filming, he has always been apprehensive about his acting career. Frequently playing the role of a Japanese villain, he fears that the audience will extend their hatred to himself. But unexpectedly, instead of being disgusted by the audience, Koji gained the love of many fans.
At this time, Hunan Satellite TV's "Everyday Upward" found Koji Yano. In 2008, the overall cultural environment focused on "inclusiveness", and this variety show planned to gather five completely different hosts. Yano Koji was selected as one of them, although he was not fluent in Chinese to participate in the show and knew nothing about the hosting work, but in the contact, other hosts gave him a lot of help, and his joining also made the show instantly more exotic. The phrase "happy happy, happy happy" became a buzzword at the time, and his neutral attitude changed the audience's misunderstanding of the Japanese and gradually won more and more love.
It was at this time that he met his love at a party. He Xiaoqing, a Chongqing girl, is 9 years younger than him. Koji's love at first sight for her makes the whole story even more colorful. He took the initiative to exchange *** and found that Xiaoqing had no resistance to his Japanese identity. This is how the story of an exotic love begins.
The two gradually came into contact frequently, but Xiaoqing firmly told her thoughts: "I am Chinese, I can't accompany you back to Japan." This sentence was originally a way to persuade her to quit, however, Koji's reaction was beyond her expectations. He promised Xiaoqing that he would settle in China in the future. This commitment to China not only made Xiaoqing have no worries, but also made their love flower bloom more firmly.
The first half of my life belonged to Japan, but the second half of my life belonged to China. This oath made Koji Yano an unusual existence in the hearts of the Chinese people. Many people consider him to be a true friend, an "old friend" in our hearts.
However, things quickly reversed, and on a variety show, Koji expressed criticism of Chinese in his rhetoric when talking about the differences in pet ownership. He seems to be complaining about the low quality of Chinese and poor awareness of hygiene. He quickly became the target of public criticism, and people called him a "two-faced man". This remark made Koji on the hot search, and the sincerity he showed before was questioned as hypocrisy, just to make money in China.
However, in the context of the time, his remarks were more like talking about the differences in pet ownership than a criticism of the overall quality of Chinese. In the program, he also generously said: "I'm not speaking ill, in Japan I can shout that I love China, in China I will also say that I love my hometown, I can say these things frankly, China is my second hometown!."His love for China was expressed even more firmly at this moment.
After being misunderstood by netizens, he clarified again on social platforms and seriously apologized to the Chinese people, saying that he had one-sided cognition and inappropriate words. This sincere confession and hard work may be able to make people re-examine him and understand the hardships and kindness behind him.
I married a Chinese wife, gave birth to a Chinese daughter, and will die in China in the future!This heart-to-heart commitment made Koji Yano an unusual Japanese friend in the eyes of the Chinese people. His sincerity and love for China make his image in China unique.
After that, until 2012, he could no longer appear in front of the camera in China for some reasons, and his commercial performances and endorsements were canceled. In order to make a living, he had to return to Japan again to earn a living.
Not long after in Japan, it was rumored on the Internet that Koji was beaten in Japan, and it is said that the Japanese think that the TV series played by Koji Yano in China is exaggerated and scandalizes the image of the Japanese. Yano's team released a brief statement confirming that he had indeed been attacked in Japan, but did not give further details. This makes the whole affair full of suspense.
Today, Yano has been living in China for 23 years. Here he not only met a like-minded lover, but also a daughter of his own. Although his acting career in China is fading, he has more time to spend with his family, which may also be a kind of happiness.
In general, through his own efforts and sincerity, Koji Yano broke the barriers of national borders and established his second hometown in China. In Japan, he was also honored, not only by the official "Japanese Foreign Minister Commendation Award", but also by being named one of the "100 Most Respected Japanese in the World". Although his life was full of twists and turns, the deep feelings and unremitting efforts he expressed for China deserve our admiration and understanding. Perhaps, Koji is not only a Japanese friend, but also a sincere friend who has walked through the ups and downs hand in hand.