Naomi Osaka has come under fire for speaking out about Black Lives Matter according to the Washington Post.
Protesters around the world, including in Japan, are rallying in support of Black Lives Matters following the murder of George Floyd.
Osaka, who was born in Osaka to a Japanese mother and Haitian father, encouraged people to attend a Black Lives Matter march in Osaka on Sunday.
The No.1 tennis star continued to remain vocal on the issue surrounding race-relations on Twitter.
“When you tweet about the lootings before you tweet about the death of an unarmed black man,” she wrote in on tweet.
“I’m torn between roasting people for only posting the black square this entire week…Or, accepting that they could’ve posted nothing at all so I should deal with this bare minimum bread crumb they have given,” she tweeted on BlackOutTuesday.
Her comments irked some of her followers, with one calling her a “terrorist.”
“Naomi Osaka does not seem to be the pride of Japan,” one person tweeted. “This is my own personal view after all, but I now recognize her as a terrorist. In the future I do not want her to get involved in tennis, a sport played by gentlemen.”
Osaka snapped back at her haters, tweeting, “I hate when random people say athletes shouldn’t get involved with politics and just entertain.”
“Firstly, this is a human rights issue. Secondly, what gives you more right to speak than me? By that logic if you work at Ikea you are only allowed to talk about the ‘GRÖNLID’?”
Others supported Osaka, commending her for speaking up despite the backlash.
Infectious-disease expert Kentaro Iwata said, “That makes me respect her even more,” he said.
“She must have known that [her comments would generate a backlash], and I am sure her PR people and publicists were aware of that, but she is telling them ‘I am going to do what I want to do.’ I like that.”
Last month, Osaka opened up about her shyness and her regrets.
In related news BTS fans have matched the Kpop group’s $1M donation to Black Lives Matter in 24 hours.
お願いしいます🥺🤲 https://t.co/G1xoliook0
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) June 4, 2020
I’m torn between roasting people for only posting the black square this entire week…Or, accepting that they could’ve posted nothing at all so I should deal with this bare minimum bread crumb they have given.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) June 3, 2020
When you tweet about the lootings before you tweet about the death of an unarmed black man 🤡🤡🤡🤡
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) June 1, 2020
I hate when random people say athletes shouldn’t get involved with politics and just entertain. Firstly, this is a human rights issue. Secondly, what gives you more right to speak than me? By that logic if you work at IKEA you are only allowed to talk about the “GRÖNLID” 🤷🏽♀️?
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) June 4, 2020
