Nikkei Entertainment, September 2012 (part 3-end)

[shiisnikki]

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

Comments

[taiwanf4sale]

and since we're already on the topic of doing international concerts...

honestly...this has what i've always felt, and ARASHI has acknowledged this before: that there was period in their career when they didn't know how to position themselves among the many groups in JE; how they felt like no one really knows them...not until they had their asian tour in 2006, followed by another one in 2008.

i had been a fan since 2005 and i was able to see the hard days they had at that time, up to the point that no DVD of their ONE concert was even released or how the supposedly-to-be-released SUBARASHIKI SEKAI PV (which i personally btw)did not come to be.

wasn't it only at that time they did AAA that the japanese market has started to take notice of them? they must have thought, who is this group that even if they don't promote overseas, their concerts are well-attended by international fans?

wasn't it only at that time that arashi was allowed to perform in tokyo dome? i can't help but feel like it was the international fans who made the japanese fans realize what they're missing on.

and the rest, as they say, is history.

anyway, i think international fans are not asking much. if only the tickets are not limited to FC members; or the FC membership is not limited to those with a Japanese address, then international fans won't be buying ridiculously expensive concert tickets from scalpers who get the most of the profit, i must say.

i'm pretty sure, international fans would be more than willing to be an FC member and pay the annual membership as well just to be able to legally buy concert tickets.
i hope JE will be able to consider this thought too.

[mjlights]

Yup this has always been my stance too. They were recognized outside their country by international fans, then suddenly the arashi boom in japan

[taiwanf4sale]

deshou?

but then again, japanese people, in general are very nationalistic. and so i also understand where they're coming from. plus to add, i think they had all the more sense of being nationalistic after the tsunami happened.

though i also hope the JE jimusho would again help arashi to see their international fans just like what they did when they had AAA before. another AAA won't probably hurt, right?

[mjlights]

Yup.
Embracing the 'outside' of Japan wouldn't hurt. And besides all their concerts would be around Japan anyways. That in itself would be acknowledgement of international fans and a chance to promote their 'cool Japan' image.

I have nothing against their nationalistic views but sometimes it narrows the prospective chances of all concerned.

[taiwanf4sale]

i guess their history of being locked-up from the world has still great influence until today ^^;