One of Japan’s major rail operators, JR Kyushu, announced on Tuesday (Oct 24) that it is conducting an investigation into four foreign YouTubers who are suspected of riding trains without paying for tickets. The incident has caused frustration among locals, as it is another case of fame-seeking foreigners engaging in disruptive activities in Japan.
The YouTuber known as Fidias, who has a subscriber base of 2.38 million, recently uploaded a video wherein the four individuals are seen travelling on various trains across Japan without purchasing tickets. In one scene, Fidias hides in a bullet train’s toilet and pretends to be ill when a ticket collector approaches. He then manages to evade them and boards another train, repeating the same trick.
Another segment of the video shows Fidias entering a hotel and pretending to be a guest in order to enjoy a free breakfast. He proudly boasts to the camera, “I just gained access to a five-star Japanese buffet. And we’re leaving the hotel without getting caught and without any problem.”
The footage also captures the four individuals, one of whom is believed to be the YouTuber Night Scape with 1.7 million followers, begging locals for money to pay for their train tickets. It remains unclear when the video was filmed or if the group is still present in Japan.
JR Kyushu, the regional train operator, is currently reviewing the footage to determine whether they should involve the police. A spokesperson stated, “We are aware of the case and investigating the facts surrounding it.”
Unsurprisingly, social media users expressed their frustrations with these YouTubers’ actions. One commenter said, “Another strange, annoying YouTuber from abroad has emerged. In addition to this guy Fidias, the three others should be arrested.” Another individual added, “Surprisingly, the comments section on his online post is full of applause. The police should arrest him to prevent copycat crimes from happening.”
A third commenter wrote, “Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. I don’t want visitors to destroy the environment. If there are a lot of foreigners like this, we won’t want them anymore.”
Fidias released an apology on his YouTube channel, expressing remorse to the Japanese people for any discomfort caused. He stated, “I apologize to the Japanese people if we made them feel bad… from now on, I am going to do more research on the cultures we visit and try to prevent this from happening again.”
This incident follows the arrest of an American livestreamer named Johnny Somali last month. Khalid, the 23-year-old YouTuber, was apprehended for allegedly trespassing into a construction site. According to video evidence, he repeatedly shouted “Fukushima” at construction workers, referring to the stricken nuclear power plant. Khalid, who identifies as a former child soldier, also harassed train passengers by making references to the US atomic bombings of Japan in 1945.
In 2017, another American YouTuber, Logan Paul, stirred controversy by posting a video depicting a dead body in a Japanese “suicide forest”. The video amassed six million views before being taken down.
