Jakarta - An Indonesian film-production company has cancelled a planned visit by a Japanese porn star to Jakarta for the shooting of a comedy after protests from hard-line Islamic groups, its producer said. Maria Ozawa had been due to arrive Wednesday in Indonesia for the filming of Kidnapping Miyabi, but members of the Islamic Defenders' Front had threatened to throng the Jakarta airport to force her to return to Japan.
Acting Tourism Minister Muhammad Nuh later issued a letter requesting the production company, Maxima Pictures, to cancel Ozawa's visit.
"We have decided to cancel the visit because the situation isn't favourable," said Oddi Mulya Hidayat, the producer of the film.
Last month, the head of the Indonesian Council of Muslim Scholars, Amidhan, who like many Indonesians goes by only one name, warned that an appearance by a porn star in a local film would tarnish the image of the country, which has more Muslims than any other nation.
Some Indonesians have criticized attempts to stop Ozawa from coming to Indonesia, arguing that the planned film was not pornographic.
Most Indonesian Muslims are moderate and women can be seen wearing sleeveless shirts in the country.
In the film, the character played by Ozawa was to be accidentally kidnapped while visiting Jakarta by three Indonesian students who try to save her from being mobbed by fans.
Local media said Ozawa, known as Miyabi early in her career as an adult video star, is among celebrities most searched for by Indonesians on the internet.
