For many, wearing a beautiful wedding dress for one of life's most significant moments is absolutely paramount.
However, a Japanese woman recently sparked a heated debate on X (formerly Twitter) after complaining about renting a wedding dress for her photoshoot, only to discover it had previously been worn by former AV actress Yua Mikami. In a late-night post on July 27, she wrote, "If I had known they'd lend the dress to an AV actress, I never would have signed the contract." This statement quickly drew accusations of discrimination, dividing Japanese netizens.
▼ By noon on July 28, "Yua Mikami" and "former AV actress" were trending keywords.
The user further explained her frustration, stating that the gown was an original design from a specific studio, exclusively available there. She had been "super excited," even preparing her own shoes and accessories and planning the photoshoot theme. To find out it had been worn by "a certain former AV actress" at an event left her "totally shocked and annoyed."
However, her complaint ignited a fierce two-sided debate among Japanese netizens. One camp slammed her comments as "occupational discrimination," arguing, "Isn't it a rental dress? If anyone can rent it, why get so upset and 'glass-hearted' over someone's profession? Wouldn't it be better to just make your own original dress?"
On the other side, many sympathized with her perspective, noting that the studio hadn't disclosed this information, making her feelings understandable for such a significant life event. "Imagine if someone saw your photos and said, 'I saw that on Instagram, isn't that the one Yua Mikami wore?' You'd want to die," one user commented. While it might be fine for regular clothes, a sacred wedding dress is "simply unacceptable."
After her complaint went viral on X, drawing widespread criticism, the original poster fired back:
"So many people are replying with 'That's exactly the kind of dress an AV actress would wear,' and it's so annoying! Seriously, who would ever imagine a wedding dress specialist lending gowns to an AV actress? That's beyond anyone's wildest dreams!" she retorted. "Besides, I wore more classic, formal wedding dresses for my pre-wedding shoot and the wedding itself. For the post-wedding shoot, I wanted something more unique to show off my style. Please stop acting like I'm the one causing trouble or that I'm in the wrong. I feel incredibly wronged."
In reality, Yua Mikami retired from the AV industry in 2023 and now works as an entertainer and CEO of clothing and beauty brands. However, her past profession continues to spark boycotts whenever she appears in public for endorsements or business collaborations. Even two years ago, when she was invited to throw the first pitch for Taiwan's Wei Chuan Dragons baseball team , she faced criticism from Japanese netizens.
It seems that in Japan, her "former profession" continues to be a never-ending public trial.