Nikkei Entertainment, September 2012 (part 3-end)
Arashi’s style and ideas of global activities (part 3)
In Japan, in the past 2-3 years, we also see many entertainers from various countries entering the market, so how do you feel about it? Sakurai san, I think, since you're also a news caster, perhaps there are many occasions when you come in contact with discussions about the weakening of Japan's competitiveness, such as in automobile and electrical appliances industry.
Sho: True, for example K-POP is promoting around the world, and they gained popularity also in Japan. I'm often asked "Isn't it frustrating? Aren't you upset?", but I think you can't compare us with K-Pop, because the preconditions in South Korean and Japanese markets are different.
Ohno: Maybe also because of that, I again realized that Japanese people are attentive to details. And I think that is something others can't imitate. For example, we want to be closer to the fans, so we think of various things.
Aiba: Me too, I have no intention to compete with overseas artists. I don't have such rivalry sentiment. I feel strongly for how to entertain people who support us though.
Nino: If someone asks, what's from Japanese entertainment you can be proud of? Rather than us showing them this and this, maybe something that is pointed out by foreigners while telling us, "You should cherish this more", is something we can be proud of.
Emphasizing Japan more than localizing
In the future, if you were to hold concerts overseas, how much do you want to utilize local elements?
Sho: In our previous Asia Tour, we added elements of Japonism by wearing kimonos, with lightsabers resembling Japanese swords.
Rather than adapting to local elements, we emphasized on the Japanese elements.
Nino: Maybe we didn't feel we adapted.
Aiba: We did sing a few songs in local language, but at first, the fans didn't notice (laugh)
Sho: That's because they usually listen to the songs in Japanese.
Nino: They never heard it before, so it must have been a mystery for them.
Sho: It's like if Bon Jovi came to Japan and sings in Japanese (laugh)
Nino: That! That's exactly it (laugh)
Sho: Yeah, the logic is like, if Bon Jovi sings: dan dan♪ "Watashino jinsei~" [T/N: Bon Jovi's "It's my life..."], would the fans get excited or not.
Aiba: It's My Life
Nino: A mysterious phenomenon of "Watashino jinsei, watashino jinsei~♪" will occur, right? (laugh)
Sho: You don't have to translate it into Japanese! something like that?
Aiba: The Japanese translation has too many words it won't fit! (laugh)
All: Laugh
Nino: Do the fans want to hear something that adapted local elements to that extent? Probably not (laugh)
Ohno: They might be delighted if it's not too much
Jun: Yeah, just a little will make them happy
Sho: I think my theory on "Overseas Bon Jovi" is rather accurate (laugh)
Jun: But yeah, we hear a lot of requests to do concerts overseas, right?
Sho: That's right. Just like I said, it's only that our awareness isn't going to change, regardless which country or region we might visit, it doesn't mean we decided not to go.
Leader, is there any countries you think will be interesting to take Arashi there?
A country to perform that Ohno has in mind
Ohno: In one of the concerts, I saw "Mongolia" was written on a board or something.
Aiba: Yeah, I saw that too (laugh)
Ohno: It said "I'm Mongolia". I thought, "Really?" (laugh)
Sho: Very likely it wasn't a name.
Jun: Nobody has "Mongolia" as a nickname either
Nino: Yeah, none from among us.
Ohno: If they want us to come, anywhere is okay. I'd like to go to a place where the people there invite us, more than the place I want to go.
Jun: Besides, basically a concert isn't something you could do only because you want to. It can only be done if people come.
Aiba: Right. There are so many countries I want to visit in private, but if we're talking about concerts, that's another thing. Going to a place where we are invited will make both sides happy.
Nino: Yeah, as far as possible, I want to visit places with such high motivation.
Sho: Every year we consider about it though
Jun: For us too, we also feel much more fun being near with the fans, and want the fans to see us in a size that they will be able to see our finger tips as we dance. Related to that, before, it wasn't a concert but we went to Miyazaki for special lesson, we had an event at Super Arena for the first time in 5 years, the size of the venue and everything else, it felt nostalgic. I'm glad I could go there.
But first, we have 24 hr TV.
You continue to work on important themes.
Nino: We're still the same though. When people told us about it, like now, we become aware of it, and move on to the next stage, I think.
---fin---
Translators note/commentary:
I'm really sorry if this interview upsets you, and seeing how I ended the first half, I can see why people are sad and upset. But I hope after you read through to the end, you'll see that it's possible for them to have concerts overseas, they consider it every year!
However, I also understand the difficult position they're in, because I know Japanese fans are very sensitive on this matter. They would say "If they have the time to go overseas, why don't they add more days to their tour in Japan? We're dying to see them too" or something along the line. About foreigners can't have an FC membership if they don't have an address in Japan, you know Johnny's management, they prefer the old safe ways. And they can milk lots of money from Japanese fans already, they don't need to look outside. Like Sho said, the market scale is different, Japanese market is the 2nd biggest or the biggest even this year? in the world.
Also, maybe some readers don't get why they were surprised seeing a girl bringing Aiba's uchiwa on Japan Expo, and feel like it's condescending. Believe me it's not, on the contrary, I think they were flattered, because they never imagined people outside Japan have their goods, and the idea of bringing an uchiwa to events other than exclusive events for the group is surprising for them, and even for me! I spend my whole fangirling years in Japan so even I didn't know fangirls around the world normally do that.
Nevertheless, I guess it's an undeniable truth that the management doesn't have any plans to promote them internationally. All they care is to cater to domestic demand, and that alone is already a lot of work. Quoting Ohno, Arashi really feel the Japanese fans who made them this big, not because of their talents, etc. So in the mean time, like Jun said, they're focusing on trying to give back, and after the disaster 2 years ago, there's still so much to do. Arashi understand very well their strong influence to Japanese people, especially to the fans, and now, I think they are being very careful on what to say and do because of that.
This edition of Nikkei Ent. focuses on Japan pop culture advancing to the world, with coverage on Japan Expo, Cool Japan, Perfume going to Asia, etc, and Arashi isn't going anywhere, so I think the editors wanted the interview to explore possibilities of Arashi going international, hence the later questions.
Well, I think we have to accept that Arashi is really really an introverted group, without ambition to go international, and they are content with that.
Apologies for the ramblings, I came home very late, finished the interview and now am very sleepy but, lol-ing forever at the "mysterious phenomenon, "watashino jinsei~~♪", lol
Please feel free to discuss anything in the comments.
Thank you for reading and commenting :)
Good night and have a nice weekend :)
In Japan, in the past 2-3 years, we also see many entertainers from various countries entering the market, so how do you feel about it? Sakurai san, I think, since you're also a news caster, perhaps there are many occasions when you come in contact with discussions about the weakening of Japan's competitiveness, such as in automobile and electrical appliances industry.
Sho: True, for example K-POP is promoting around the world, and they gained popularity also in Japan. I'm often asked "Isn't it frustrating? Aren't you upset?", but I think you can't compare us with K-Pop, because the preconditions in South Korean and Japanese markets are different.
Ohno: Maybe also because of that, I again realized that Japanese people are attentive to details. And I think that is something others can't imitate. For example, we want to be closer to the fans, so we think of various things.
Aiba: Me too, I have no intention to compete with overseas artists. I don't have such rivalry sentiment. I feel strongly for how to entertain people who support us though.
Nino: If someone asks, what's from Japanese entertainment you can be proud of? Rather than us showing them this and this, maybe something that is pointed out by foreigners while telling us, "You should cherish this more", is something we can be proud of.
Emphasizing Japan more than localizing
In the future, if you were to hold concerts overseas, how much do you want to utilize local elements?
Sho: In our previous Asia Tour, we added elements of Japonism by wearing kimonos, with lightsabers resembling Japanese swords.
Rather than adapting to local elements, we emphasized on the Japanese elements.
Nino: Maybe we didn't feel we adapted.
Aiba: We did sing a few songs in local language, but at first, the fans didn't notice (laugh)
Sho: That's because they usually listen to the songs in Japanese.
Nino: They never heard it before, so it must have been a mystery for them.
Sho: It's like if Bon Jovi came to Japan and sings in Japanese (laugh)
Nino: That! That's exactly it (laugh)
Sho: Yeah, the logic is like, if Bon Jovi sings: dan dan♪ "Watashino jinsei~" [T/N: Bon Jovi's "It's my life..."], would the fans get excited or not.
Aiba: It's My Life
Nino: A mysterious phenomenon of "Watashino jinsei, watashino jinsei~♪" will occur, right? (laugh)
Sho: You don't have to translate it into Japanese! something like that?
Aiba: The Japanese translation has too many words it won't fit! (laugh)
All: Laugh
Nino: Do the fans want to hear something that adapted local elements to that extent? Probably not (laugh)
Ohno: They might be delighted if it's not too much
Jun: Yeah, just a little will make them happy
Sho: I think my theory on "Overseas Bon Jovi" is rather accurate (laugh)
Jun: But yeah, we hear a lot of requests to do concerts overseas, right?
Sho: That's right. Just like I said, it's only that our awareness isn't going to change, regardless which country or region we might visit, it doesn't mean we decided not to go.
Leader, is there any countries you think will be interesting to take Arashi there?
A country to perform that Ohno has in mind
Ohno: In one of the concerts, I saw "Mongolia" was written on a board or something.
Aiba: Yeah, I saw that too (laugh)
Ohno: It said "I'm Mongolia". I thought, "Really?" (laugh)
Sho: Very likely it wasn't a name.
Jun: Nobody has "Mongolia" as a nickname either
Nino: Yeah, none from among us.
Ohno: If they want us to come, anywhere is okay. I'd like to go to a place where the people there invite us, more than the place I want to go.
Jun: Besides, basically a concert isn't something you could do only because you want to. It can only be done if people come.
Aiba: Right. There are so many countries I want to visit in private, but if we're talking about concerts, that's another thing. Going to a place where we are invited will make both sides happy.
Nino: Yeah, as far as possible, I want to visit places with such high motivation.
Sho: Every year we consider about it though
Jun: For us too, we also feel much more fun being near with the fans, and want the fans to see us in a size that they will be able to see our finger tips as we dance. Related to that, before, it wasn't a concert but we went to Miyazaki for special lesson, we had an event at Super Arena for the first time in 5 years, the size of the venue and everything else, it felt nostalgic. I'm glad I could go there.
But first, we have 24 hr TV.
You continue to work on important themes.
Nino: We're still the same though. When people told us about it, like now, we become aware of it, and move on to the next stage, I think.
---fin---
Translators note/commentary:
I'm really sorry if this interview upsets you, and seeing how I ended the first half, I can see why people are sad and upset. But I hope after you read through to the end, you'll see that it's possible for them to have concerts overseas, they consider it every year!
However, I also understand the difficult position they're in, because I know Japanese fans are very sensitive on this matter. They would say "If they have the time to go overseas, why don't they add more days to their tour in Japan? We're dying to see them too" or something along the line. About foreigners can't have an FC membership if they don't have an address in Japan, you know Johnny's management, they prefer the old safe ways. And they can milk lots of money from Japanese fans already, they don't need to look outside. Like Sho said, the market scale is different, Japanese market is the 2nd biggest or the biggest even this year? in the world.
Also, maybe some readers don't get why they were surprised seeing a girl bringing Aiba's uchiwa on Japan Expo, and feel like it's condescending. Believe me it's not, on the contrary, I think they were flattered, because they never imagined people outside Japan have their goods, and the idea of bringing an uchiwa to events other than exclusive events for the group is surprising for them, and even for me! I spend my whole fangirling years in Japan so even I didn't know fangirls around the world normally do that.
Nevertheless, I guess it's an undeniable truth that the management doesn't have any plans to promote them internationally. All they care is to cater to domestic demand, and that alone is already a lot of work. Quoting Ohno, Arashi really feel the Japanese fans who made them this big, not because of their talents, etc. So in the mean time, like Jun said, they're focusing on trying to give back, and after the disaster 2 years ago, there's still so much to do. Arashi understand very well their strong influence to Japanese people, especially to the fans, and now, I think they are being very careful on what to say and do because of that.
This edition of Nikkei Ent. focuses on Japan pop culture advancing to the world, with coverage on Japan Expo, Cool Japan, Perfume going to Asia, etc, and Arashi isn't going anywhere, so I think the editors wanted the interview to explore possibilities of Arashi going international, hence the later questions.
Well, I think we have to accept that Arashi is really really an introverted group, without ambition to go international, and they are content with that.
Apologies for the ramblings, I came home very late, finished the interview and now am very sleepy but, lol-ing forever at the "mysterious phenomenon, "watashino jinsei~~♪", lol
Please feel free to discuss anything in the comments.
Thank you for reading and commenting :)
Good night and have a nice weekend :)