Photo: VCG

Chinese netizens have shown mixed emotions over the marriage of Japanese actress Aragaki Yui, 32, and singer-songwriter Hoshino Gen, 40. Some netizens wished the couple happiness but others are still in a rage over Aragaki becoming Japanese spokesperson for H&M, which is facing a boycott in China over its stance on Xinjiang cotton.  

Aragaki and Hoshino, who played lead characters in a popular 2016 TV drama, are set to marry, Hoshino said in a statement released on his account on China’s Twitter-like Sina Weibo platform. 

“We hope that we can support each other and have a prosperous time together,” read the statement. 

The statement attracted nearly 200,000 likes in a few hours and more than 15,000 comments, with most wishing them a happy marriage.

The hashtag of the couple’s marriage had been viewed nearly one billion times as of 7pm Wednesday.   

Since March 1, a Weibo user would release a post asking “Did Aragaki Yui get married today?” and answering itself “No” every day. After Hoshino released the announcement of the marriage, the user released a post asking the same question with an answer “Yes!”  

Another netizen joked under the post that “you can ask ‘Did Aragaki give birth to a baby from now on.’” 

In the 2016 drama “Nigeru wa haji daga yaku ni tatsu,” (Running away is shameful, but useful), the plot saw Aragaki and Hoshino as a couple entering into a contract marriage.

The drama was a hit that year in China, attracting many Chinese fans for the couple. 

Aragaki’s popularity in China was dampened after she became a spokesperson for H&M in Japan in late April while the brand was being boycotted in China over its stance on Xinjiang cotton.

Global Times