Screenshot from Tengduanduan's social media platform

Discussion surrounding a video clip showing two Chinese nationals dancing outside a Lawson convenience store near Mount Fuji — a popular photo spot — continued for days after a netizen whose X account is registered in Tokyo posted the video, alleging that the pair had disrupted the store's operations and disturbed the public.

On X, the accusatory post triggered a wave of abusive comments targeting the two individuals and, in some cases, broader hostility toward Chinese visitors. However, after one of the dancers said in a post on X that the video was filmed at around 5 am and did not disturb others, some social media users criticized the original poster for misleading the public. They argued that the video did not appear to show any serious disruption and that the online backlash had instead exposed what some users described as excessive anti-China sentiment among certain Japanese netizens. 

A user named "Masa," whose X account location is registered in Tokyo, Japan, uploaded on Saturday a video of two Chinese video creators dancing in front of a Lawson convenience store at the foot of Mount Fuji.

In the post, "Masa" criticized the pair's dance performance as disruptive and awkward and claimed their actions obstructed access to the shop, calling the scene utterly irritating. The accusatory post soon drew widespread online attention. As of 3 pm on Tuesday, it had racked up more than 6.6 million views, 2,300 comments and over 5,000 reposts.

As the post went viral, many netizens appeared to have been swayed by the original post. They hurled abusive comments at the two creators, and some comments escalated into broader anti-Chinese sentiment, posting bigoted claims such as "This is just what Chinese people do" and other negative comments toward Chinese. 

However, the discussion shifted somehow after the two individuals posted their own explanation. The two creators said on Sunday on X that they had filmed the video at 5 am, and that the netizen "Masa" had made malicious claims without understanding the full context, subjecting them to an unnecessary wave of online abuse.

The Global Times reporter learned from the pair that they are self-media creators specializing in dance content. Part of their work involves filming dance videos at locations around the world. They have previously shot similar videos in South Korea, Bali, Thailand and other destinations, and have never run into negative comments overseas; on the contrary, they often received applause and compliments from passers-by.

One of the pair, Teng Duanduan (pseudonym), told the Global Times on Tuesday that to avoid disturbing others, they arrived at the convenience store entrance at 5:12 am. At that time, only two European couples were taking photos in front of the store, and the pair even helped those couples take their pictures. 

"After those two couples left, we made sure there were no other visitors around before we started filming our dance," he said.

The creator also said that during the filming, no store staff came out to stop them, and no passersby expressed being disturbed, adding that there were no signs prohibiting filming near the store. After wrapping up the filming, the two creators went inside to make purchases, and received no complaints from the shop staff.

Some netizens offered support to their clarification. One user on X posted in Japanese that the two creators looked neatly dressed while dancing against the stunning backdrop of Mount Fuji, adding that "such intolerance reflects poorly on some Japanese netizens." Another netizen drew a comparison between the duo and a female group known for dancing at iconic scenic spots abroad, questioning Masa: Is this girl group also labeled as "troublemakers"?

As of press time, the Global Times reporter has not found any reports on the incident from mainstream Japanese media outlets, including the Asahi Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun and The Japan Times. However, media outlets outside Japan, including Malaysia's China Press, and the Taiwan region's United Daily News (UDN), have covered the incident. UDN ran its report under the headline: "Chinese influencer pair dancing at the foot of Mount Fuji face backlash from Japanese right-wing internet users, sparking public outcry."

One netizen said on X that Lawson has not taken any action for years, suggesting the company may be content with the status quo. Another netizen @Jack shared that he had visited the area around the convenience store, saying that "The local economy depends heavily on tourism." He also added that as no one appeared to have been inconvenienced, "I believe the act deserves a degree of understanding."

Some other internet users refrained from judging the two creators' conduct, arguing that "Masa" should not make groundless speculations and slander them simply because they are Chinese nationals.

One netizen said that certain Japanese people, feeling socially frustrated and venting their dissatisfaction by randomly attacking Chinese people online in a bid to gain a sense of recognition. Another user pointed out that certain right-wing internet users selectively target foreigners and minority groups online. "The so-called 'etiquette' upheld by many Japanese is nothing but double standards, ultimately serving as a pretext to bully others," read a post.

Regarding the accusation, the dance pair said they were deeply disappointed that a dance intended purely to spread joy had been criticized by biased netizens. He said, "Cultural exchanges should be as pure as dance, free from political stances and prejudices."

"The world becomes more diverse through communication between people. Prejudice should never diminish those colors," he said.