The influencer, known as Hezuruy, who has nearly 415,000 followers, posted a photo in late April of a Chinese tourist sitting on the ground while using a public outlet to charge a mobile phone, according to the South China Morning Post.

Hezuruy wrote on his X (formerly known as Twitter) that electricity theft is a criminal act.

“Recently, we have seen an increase in Chinese tourists removing covers and tape to steal electricity. Some even steal electricity from multi-purpose toilets and stay for long periods, causing inconvenience to parents with children. If you can’t follow the rules, go back to your country.”

His post quickly went viral, amassing 8.4 million views and 61,000 likes as of May 6, triggering a heated debate online.

Some netizens expressed strong opinions, with one commenting, “Don’t come to someone else’s country and do whatever you want! If you’re going to steal electricity, buy a mobile battery and extras.”

Another added, “Why don’t tourists come to Japan after checking Japanese manners and rules in advance?”

However, others criticized the influencer’s remarks, calling them “unfair” and “unreasonable.”

One netizen argued, “In China, charging ports are provided in most public places as part of public services. The accusation that Chinese tourists steal electricity doesn’t reflect the quality of Chinese people. Tourists who can afford to travel to Japan are certainly not short of money for electricity.”

Another wrote, “I didn’t know Japan was too poor to provide free charging stations for smartphones.”

In many major Asian cities, free mobile phone charging stations are commonly available in public spaces like airports, train stations, and shopping malls.