Vladimir Putin’s 2019 calendar has emerged as a bestseller in Japan, outselling those of all the country’s domestic celebrities.
Loft, a popular Japanese store with exclusive rights for the calendar, said the product has been the most popular across all of its stores nationwide.
A recent explosion in the number of self-proclaimed “Putin fans” in the country appeared to be the reason for its huge popularity, Japan Times reported.
The newspaper also speculated that the Russian leader’s calendar was flying off the shelves as many people were buying it as a “practical joke”.
The edition begins with an image of Mr Putin dipping into the freezing Lake Seliger for January’s shot. He is also pictured playing in the snow with dogs for December’s slot.
It is not the first calendar of the Russian leader to be sold by Loft in Japan. In 2016 it launched one featuring an infamous image of Mr Putin fishing topless in Siberia.
According to Soranews24, the second highest selling calendar in Japan had been popular TV and film star Kei Tanaka. In third place was the country’s two-time Olympic figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin poses for series of macho holiday snaps
