Death of Alain Delon: why the French star was so “idolized” in Japan

A French “Samurai”, adored in Japan. Since the announcement of the death of Alain Delon on Sunday, the archipelago has also mourned the sacred monster of French cinema, who over the decades had forged a very strong bond with his Japanese audience and considered himself “a living God” in the country.

“He was idolized in Japan for his charm and his gestures in his films”, recalled the Japanese broadcaster NHK on its site in recent hours, while the daily Japan Times highlights “his idol image and his James Dean personality » and that the Mainichi publishes a portfolio to his glory. “His love for Japan was matched only by the passion that the Japanese have had for him for decades, he who had become a familiar presence, but still honored in the archipelago,” reacted the French embassy. on site.

The actor greeted in “delirious”

Three years later, the actor visited Japan for the first time, inaugurating a long series of visits to the archipelago, where he was welcomed as a hero by the crowd. “Delon symbolizes, in the eyes of the Japanese, the white, Western man. Going so far as to become a kind of God,” explains Bertrand Tessier, author of “Delon & Romy: An Impossible Love” (Ed. du Rocher).

The idyll strengthened over the years, as told in 1986 by Le Figaro Magazine, which accompanied the star on one of these tours. “Young people, by the hundreds, are trying to cross the roadblocks. We run behind the three Cadillacs parading in the streets,” describes the weekly. A real “delirium”, with endless offerings of red roses, fruit bowls and statuettes, while women almost lose consciousness after having managed to snatch a hug from their idol.

“In Japan, I am a kind of deity. People feel great pleasure in feeling me, in caressing my hand, in kissing my fingers,” noted Alain Delon in this interview, with the oversized ego that he has sometimes been criticized for. Ten years later, he described on France 2 a “30-year love story”, going so far as to declare: “The Japanese identified with me and if he had been lucky enough to be white, he would have wanted to look like Alain Delon.

His numerous noir films, including the gripping “Le Samouraï” by Jean-Pierre Melville, ultimately established the star’s popularity, reinforced by his participation in variety TV shows and social events. From 1961 to 1975, he often topped a ranking of the country’s most popular celebrities.

Television, derivative products, tour operator…

A continued success with a whole range of derivative products, from cigarettes to Samurai perfumes, including Alain Delon costumes, without forgetting its appearance in advertisements for Mazda cars. With this commercial arsenal, the actor quickly rose to the rank of ambassador of French chic.

Over the years, the Japanese esteem for the star has endured. “Even today, Alain Delon represents the French man in the eyes of the Japanese public, and films from his great period continue to be shown,” assures Pascal-Alex Vincent.