Oh come on. The schoolyard challenge to "prove it"?!People often make empty exaggerated claims about skaters' popularity in other countries I find. Give me the receipts. And I don't mean a few Japanese fans spazzing over her online.
If I cannot name someone who swam across the English Channel, does that mean nobody has achieved it? -_-
Or how about I ask for your proof, that "people often make exaggerated claims about skaters' popularity in other countries"?
It's all pointless. If you are sceptical of such a claim, then just say so.
Anyway, it does seems to me skaters are well received in Japan no matter who they are or where they come from. For my evidence, I point to the cheering and encouragement they've received at every competition I've seen in Japan, if not actual (Japanese) fans waving banners for them. I've never seen a skater "badly" received, except perhaps by certain factions of Takahashi fans... aimed at Hanyu...