Renowned Japanese actor and director Takeshi 'Beat' Kitano has raised eyebrows for comparing gay marriage to bestiality on national television.

Kitano enraged fellow guests and gay rights activists with the comparison, made after seeing footage of people celebrating President Obama’s recent gay marriage remarks on a popular current affairs show.

‘Obama supports gay marriage,’ said the 65-year-old best known for his yakuza gangster films. ‘You would support a marriage to an animal eventually, then.’