Is Johnny's letting Jin go?
So I was trolling through Yahoo Japan and came across this article. It doesn't look as if it is yet 'official' news, as I did not see it reported on any of the major news outlets, but I did think it had some interesting things to say. So I post it as more of an internet report than 'news.'
I have included the original article and link for those who are interested and potentially offering an alternative perspective.
I checked out the Johnny's website, and did see that there is bare minimum in terms of information on his artist page. And even on the US tour website they have removed the Johnny Kitagawa presents from the main page, and sort of backed away from being so visible. It's almost as if they expect him to fail. I personally think it's just fear and perhaps a bit of jealousy that someone would even think of doing something different by breaking away from/out of a Johnny's group (since people are usually removed as a sanction for inappropriate behavior or something like that). Whatever happens, I don't think he is going to fail. He may not meet his goal, but that doesn't mean he won't keep trying.
Okay, enough commentary from me, read on!!
As usual, it's a quick and dirty translation, and I am not native Japanese, so any comments/corrections would be appreciated. Sorry if some places are clunky.
ようやく決まったのに......赤西仁の全米ツアーを巡る不可解な動き
2010/9/21 12:29
「あの話も幻に終わるのでは......？」と多方面から心配されつつも、ようやく発表となった赤西仁の全米ツアー『YELLOW GOLD TOUR 3010』。"1000年後のクラブ"をイメージした最先端のライブとなる予定で、11月7日のシカゴを皮切りに、10日サンフランシスコ、13日ヒュー ストン、16日ロサンゼルス、21日ニューヨークと5カ所を巡る。当初は「9〜10月開催で全米7カ所」と発表されていたが、若干ながら規模を縮小して開 催に至ったようだ。
“Are you saying that dream is over….,” expresses the many worries from all sides, but finally Akanishi Jin’s U.S. ‘YELLOW GOLD TOUR 3010’ was just announced. “It’s a cutting edge show, set in a club 1000 years from now,” with shows in five venues, November 7th in Chicago, the 10th in San Francisco, the 13th in Houston, the 16th in Los Angeles, and the 21st in New York. Originally it was announced that it would show in “seven venues from September to October,” but they decided to cut back (decrease) the number of venues.
これと同時に、10月3日、4日、Zepp Tokyoにて、日本のファンに向けたイベント『赤西仁全米ツアーファンクラブ壮行会！ We'll be together with you！』計4公演の開催も決定。こちらは現在ジャニーズのコンサート事務局公式サイト「Jticket」にて申込み受付中だ。
At the same time, on October 3rd and 4th at Zepp Tokyo, there is to be an event, a total of four performances for Japanese fans as part of the ‘Akanishi Jin U.S. Tour Fan Club Farewell Party! We’ll be together with you!’ Johnny’s official concert website [Jticket] is currently accepting applications for tickets to this event.
これと同時に、10月3日、4日、Zepp Tokyoにて、日本のファンに向けたイベント『赤西仁全米ツアーファンクラブ壮行会！ We'll be together with you！』計4公演の開催も決定。こちらは現在ジャニーズのコンサート事務局公式サイト「Jticket」にて申込み受付中だ。
This time for the U.S. tour, two major companies ANA and ZOJIRUSHI have stepped in as sponsors. It doesn’t appear as though Johnny’s Jimusho is going to spend the usual amount of money in the least for PR activities. Even though the Farewell Party seems to be a big deal, on the official Johnny’s website there is no mention of ticket information for the U.S. tour on Akanishi Jin’s page, only the schedule has been uploaded. Why is that I wonder, it’s strange don’t you think?’ [a reporter to Johnny's]
アメリカツアーの会場を見てみると、それぞれ収容人数は約1,500席〜4,300席で、一日1公演だとすれば、フルで客席が埋まったとしても動員数1万2,000人程度。対して、日本で行われる壮行会には2日間で約1万人が動員される計算となり、ほぼ同数といえる。
If you look at the U.S. tour venues, they each accommodate between 1,500-4,300 seats, if the seats are full (sold-out) for each of the dates, then in the end the total could be about 12,000 people. As for the Farewell party event in Japan, over a 2-day period, the total number of people could reach about 10,000; so they are approximately the same.
「いずれにせよ規模の小ささは否めませんが、とりあえず言ってしまった以上、形だけでも全米ツアーは行って、そのうえで少しでも日本で集金できれ ば......というのが事務所の考え方なのかもしれませんね。アメリカでの活動についてノータッチの姿勢を取っておけば、失敗した際にも『関係ないよ』 という顔ができるわけですから......」（同）
‘It’s probably the thinking of Johnny’s that, while they won’t deny it is small in scale, let’s just say the even though it’s just a U.S. tour in words, that more than that they can still make money here in Japan. Since they are taking the position of having nothing to do with his activities in the U.S. tour, if he ends up failing, they can say ‘we have nothing to do with that…’ [same source]
現在、CDシングルの発売も予定されており、ファーストアルバムのために楽曲を制作中だという赤西。CDの発売元なども含め、今後彼がどのような扱いを受けるのかが気になるところ。まだまだ目が離せなさそうだ。
Currently there is planned a CD single release for sale, and Akanishi says he is writing songs for his first solo album. He needs to have an agency for the CD sale, but he must think about how they will treat him from now on. It seems as though he isn’t quite able to break away from them yet.
(http://netallica.yahoo.co.jp/news/142111)