Sympathy for the devil

When Yano Koji takes a stroll around Beijing, strangers often call out to him, either by name, or by saying: "Are you the Japanese invader (guizi) on TV?"

The screen star, popular for his roles as a Japanese officer during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45), says he does not get offended by people calling him guizi, a term referring to "foreign invaders" or "devils".

Over the past few years, the Japanese actor has starred in 17 Chinese TV series.

"I never get attacked on the street. On the contrary, I have more and more fans in China," Yano says, with a glimmer of pride on his face.

The 33-year-old says that even though most of his characters meet with miserable ends, he doesn't get fed up of it.

"I didn't develop a deep understanding of the war until I came to China, because there are seldom movies or television programs about the war in Japan," he says.

"Because of shooting TV shows, I have been to many places where the war took place. The more I learn about it, the more ashamed I feel. History shouldn't be forgotten."

Handsome, slender and slightly tanned, Yano always wears a radiant smile. He speaks fluent Mandarin with a Beijing accent, and skillfully applies Chinese idioms. For instance, he describes himself as "dan qiang pi ma" (single-handedly, in Chinese) to make a living in Beijing.

With eight years' acting experience in Japan, Yano first came to Beijing in 2000, to shoot the Chinese TV drama Eternal Lovers (Yongheng de Lianren).

The actor was impressed not only by the attitude of the Chinese production unit, but also by the affable film crew. After three months, when he was on his way back to Japan, Yano made up his mind to try his luck in China.

"I wasn't satisfied with my achievements in Japan. I wanted a new environment to learn something new," he says.

Yano came to Beijing a year later when Eternal Lovers was screening. He thought the TV drama might bring job opportunities, but the following two years proved bleak. He eventually used up all his savings and was forced to borrow money from his parents and Chinese friends.

"The thought of returning to Japan had taken hold in my mind several times, but I kept reminding myself that I made the decision and that I had no choice but to hang on," he says.

Things started looking up for Yano in 2003, when he learned that the production crew of The Proof of Memories (Jiyi de Zhengming) was looking for Japanese actors. He tracked down the director Yang Yang and to his delight he won two roles, one as a Japanese military officer.

To get physically fit, he received short-term military training before filming. He also watched some war movies about that historical period.

Yano points out that in the past, Japanese officers were stereotyped in Chinese films or dramas, as rude and ruthless. However, "my way to play the role is to add a more human perspective, to enrich the character, from eye expressions to body movements."

After the 29-episode TV drama started on China Central Television in 2005, Yano was criticized on his website in Japan for taking the role.

"I didn't worry about it, I just ignored and deleted their words. My parents and three sisters are always on my side and fully support me. Nowadays, I no longer receive any spiteful comments on my website."

On average, the Beijing Golden Pond Movies and Television Cultural Company actor appears in no more than four TV dramas a year, bouncing from Beijing to other cities across the country.

He says that the toughest role he ever had was in Guardian Warriors with Raging Fire (Liehuo Jingang), which was filmed in Hebei Province during winter. The temperature dropped to -20 C and despite putting on heavy clothes, Yano performed with a runny nose and had difficulty speaking. One Chinese colleague then gave him a small bottle and told him to drink up.

"It was Chinese spirits, strong, but it kept me warm. I was so glad that I didn't wind up drunk by the end of the shoot," he says.

His frequent appearances on TV have raised interest from Chinese media, and recently he was invited to appear on various TV shows. Also, the Japanese media has paid more attention to the actor over the past year, noticing Yano's ability to humanize his characters. "Although I am just an actor, I have a responsibility to help Japanese people know the good things about China," he says.

Yano wants to settle in Beijing, but doesn't have enough money yet to buy a house.

"I hope the price of real estate in Beijing will go down after the Olympic Games," he says.

But the actor's biggest dream is to play Chinese characters, although he admits that his Mandarin needs improvement first.

(China Daily 12/20/2007 page20)