Yua Fukuda Breaks Her Silence After New Zealand Deportation and Online Rumors
Japanese AV actress Yua Fukuda has spoken publicly about her unexpected deportation from New Zealand, rejecting online claims that she had traveled there with the intention of engaging in prostitution.
Fukuda's trip was originally planned as a personal getaway. She wanted to experience New Zealand's famous night skies, but the journey took an unexpected turn when immigration officials questioned her for several hours before detaining her and ultimately sending her back to Japan.
The incident became widely discussed online after Fukuda revealed on X in June that she had been refused entry. Soon afterward, speculation spread across social media, with some users connecting her deportation to the growing issue of Japanese women traveling overseas for sex work. Fukuda strongly disputes that explanation.
A Holiday That Quickly Turned Into an Interrogation
Fukuda said she had planned the trip independently without creating a detailed itinerary. She had arranged accommodation and a return flight but had not booked specific tourist activities. After initially passing through immigration, she was reportedly taken aside for further questioning.
The questioning lasted almost six hours and covered several aspects of her trip, including her occupation, travel plans and flight arrangements. Officials eventually determined that the purpose of her visit was not sufficiently clear.
“I signed a document saying that I wasn't being recognized as a tourist because my purpose of travel wasn't clear,” Fukuda explained in an interview with Spa!. She added that she cannot say with certainty whether authorities actually suspected her of intending to work in prostitution because such a reason was not explicitly written in the documents she received.
Overnight Detention Before Being Sent Home
The situation became even more serious when Fukuda was held overnight. She described the detention room as a small space roughly equivalent to four and a half tatami mats. According to her account, the room contained a mattress on the floor, a small viewing opening in the door and an exposed toilet.
The following day, she was taken to an aircraft and deported to Japan. The experience left Fukuda shocked, particularly because she says she had not expected her holiday to end with detention and forced removal.
Fukuda Rejects the Rumors
After news of the deportation spread, some online users suggested that Fukuda's clothing, appearance or profession might have attracted the attention of immigration officials. Fukuda rejected those theories.
She said she had deliberately dressed casually because of the long flight and was wearing very little makeup. She also described her appearance that day as far from glamorous. Although officials asked about her occupation, Fukuda said she did not feel that they focused excessively on her work as an AV actress.
Instead, she believes her circumstances as a young Japanese woman traveling alone may have played a significant role. She showed officials documentation including hotel reservations and evidence of income earned in Japan, but those documents did not change the final decision.
“I think being a solo Japanese female traveler was the thing that worked against me,” Fukuda said.
A Wider Issue for Japanese Travelers
Fukuda's experience comes amid increased attention surrounding Japanese women traveling overseas for sex work. She expressed criticism of people who cause problems in foreign countries and said travelers should remember that their behavior can affect how others from Japan are perceived.
“When I go abroad, I consider myself a representative of Japan. If I do something strange, Japanese people as a whole may be looked at differently,” she said.
Her comments reflect her concern that individual incidents can contribute to negative stereotypes about Japanese travelers abroad.
She Still Wants to See New Zealand
Despite the difficult experience and the criticism she received online, Fukuda says she does not regret becoming an AV actress. She explained that her career has provided her with both financial freedom and opportunities to travel internationally.
However, the deportation could make future overseas trips more complicated. Rather than giving up on her original dream, Fukuda says she hopes to return to New Zealand someday. It may take many years before she feels comfortable attempting the trip again, but she still wants to experience the spectacular night sky that originally inspired her journey.
For now, her New Zealand adventure remains an unexpected chapter in her life—one that began with a simple desire to see the stars and ended with hours of questioning, detention and deportation.
