Photos: The People in Asia Who Don't Love Valentine's Day

February 14th, 2017

Pakistani men protest against Valentine's Day celebrations in Karachi on February 12, 2017. The holiday is increasingly popular among younger Pakistanis, many of whom have taken up the custom of giving cards, chocolates, and gifts to their sweethearts to celebrate the occasion. But many conservatives in the predominantly Muslim nation disapprove of the holiday as a Western import. This year, the Islamabad High Court in Pakistan's capital went so far as to issue an order banning the celebration of Valentine'

Pakistani women belonging to religious party Jamiat-e-Ulama Pakistan set fire to Valentine's Day cards during a protest against the holiday in Karachi on February 14, 2012. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty)

A Pakistani commuter cycles past a signboard against observing Valentine's Day in Karachi on February 13, 2013. (Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty)

A group of Japanese men protest Valentine's Day on February 14, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan. The protest was organized by a group called Kakuhido, meaning the Revolutionary Alliance of Unpopular People who aim to 'crush Valentine's Day' and to not 'fall victim to 'chocolate capitalists.' In Japan, females customarily give chocolates to males to confess their feelings for them or to express gratitude. (Chris McGrath/Getty)

Indian activists from the right wing Hindu nationalist group Shiv Sena set fire to a placard during a demonstration denouncing Valentine's Day in Amritsar on February 11, 2016. Since economic liberalization, the holiday has become somewhat popular among middle-class Indians, but right wing groups like Shiv Sena oppose Valentine's Day celebrations, citing them as a cultural invasion on the Hindu way of life. (Arinder Nanu/AFP/Getty)

Activists of the Hindu party Shiv Sena burn cards during an anti-Valentine's Day protest in New Delhi on February 13, 2009. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty)

Activists of Indian right-wing Hindu party Shiv Sena shout slogans and burn greeting cards during an anti-Valentine's Day protest in New Delhi on February 14, 2008. The Shiv Sena annually burn cards and even threaten shopkeepers selling such products. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty)

Girls from a local boarding school shout during an anti-Valentine's Day rally in Surabaya, East Java province, Indonesia on February 13, 2017. Conservative Indonesian Islamic groups have denounced Valentine's Day, saying it is un-Islamic, promoting promiscuity, casual sex, and consumption of alcohol. Some cities have outright banned the holiday, and this year there were even reports of authorities seizing condoms from some stores in order to prevent teenagers from having sex. (Juni Kriswanto/AFP/Getty)

Indonesian Muslim students campaign against the celebration of Valentine's Day in Banda Aceh, Indonesia on February 13, 2016. Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP/Getty)

Indonesian male students from a local Islamic boarding school hold anti-Valentine's Day placards during a protest in Surabaya, East Java province on February 13, 2012. (Juni Kriswanto/AFP/Getty)

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As globalization has shrunk the world in recent years, traditionally Western holidays have rapidly spread East — and Valentine's Day is no exception. Young couples (and businesses) across the continent have eagerly jumped on the Valentine's Day bandwagon, but not everyone has fallen in love with the holiday. Some see it as a religious affront; others as a gateway to promiscuous activities. Then there are those select few who see the whole thing as a scam exploited by "chocolate capitalists."

In the above slideshow, see how some protestors around Asia have sought to counter Valentine's Day's spread over the past few years.

About the Author

Eric Fish was a Content Producer at Asia Society New York and is author of the book China's Millennials: The Want Generation.

@ericfish85

Photos: The People in Asia Who Don't Love Valentine's Day

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