A young Japanese cosplayer has recently sent an apology to Vietnamese citizens after she was criticized for her skimpy cosplay outfit and provocative poses at a festival in Ho Chi Minh City last month.

Yokusou Gyo, a woman in her mid-twenties, explained on her Facebook page that her ‘inappropriate acts’ at the Japanese-themed Spring Days Festival, which was held at the Youth Cultural House in District 1 on February 22 and 23, stemmed from a lack of understanding of local culture.

“I acted inappropriately at the Spring Days Festival and left a bad impression on Vietnamese people about Japanese culture. I honestly apologize for that,” Sakana wrote.

“Before taking part in future festivals, I will discuss with locals how to be more appropriate,” she added.

Gyo, nicknamed Sanaka, came to the festival wearing a revealing schoolgirl outfit and acted provocatively, pulling up her skirt and crawling on the floor.

Many took the opportunity to take photographs of her; men even lay on the floor and pushed each other to film and photograph the girl using their phones, cameras, and laptops.

A stir broke out among the local community after photos and videos capturing her at the event went viral on many social networks and newswires.

Many young people have expressed their anger in online forums, deeming Sanaka’s acts offensive and unacceptable. Others slammed the festival participants for eagerly taking photos of the young girl in such an indecent costume.

“I think this was just a trick for fame and this kind of sexy cosplay is not appropriate in Vietnamese culture,” Anna, a local cosplay fan, told Tuoitrenews over the weekend.

“I really don’t like such sensational behavior. This worsens the images of cosplayers.”

On the other hand, a number of people have joined the fight to show their support for the Japanese cosplayer, saying her style is used in many countries.

They argued that her poses are considered normal at a cosplay festival, and people have been overreacting.

A page entitled “We support and love Yokusou Gyo” was even created on Facebook, attracting almost 1,000 followers so far.