Japan’s soccer win motivates Yamapi as Japan’s pop star representative
Johnny’s star Tomohisa Yamashita (25) went into the second day of his Hong Kong concerts motivated by his friend’s tournament-winning form at the 2011 Asia Cup, reports Nikkan Sports, Chunichi Sports, and Sports Hochi.
Yamashita’s solo Asia tour had kicked off in Hong Kong on January 29, and that night the pop star watched the Asia Cup soccer final between Japan and Australia from his hotel. It has been reported he had paid extra attention at Yuto Nagatomo (24), his friend and Meiji University junior. The two had met each other following the 2010 World Cup and Yamashita had said they had gone out for dinner a number of times and were occasional texting buddies.
“(The final) was amazing. I got really excited, and seeing people from my own country giving their all on a world stage like that only gives me a confidence boost.
“(Nagatomo is) amazing when he plays soccer, but he’s also a good guy,” he said.
Yamashita had said he was worried about the language barrier before his concert, but watching Japan win the tournament had fired him up as a pop star representing Japan.
“What I think I can do is keep going until the end. If I could manage myself until the last concert. Then I hope I would’ve done what I had needed to to bring the world closer to me,” he said.
The pop star performed 25 songs in front of more than 4000 fans who welcomed him with Yamapi chants. On a stage with a multitude of special effects including lasers, fire, and a 360 degree stage, it has been reported all of the sets had been taken up 10 trucks-worth of space, each truck holding up to 10 tons of equipment.
Yamashita had previously performed in Taiwan with his Johnny’s group NEWS, but this marks his first solo tour.
Ever since Johnny’s senior star Masahiko Kondo (46) had performed the agency’s first overseas concert in Hong Kong in 1984, the city has had a special meaning to Johnny’s. Other groups who have performed here include Shonentai, TOKIO, KinKi Kids, and V6.
While it is the first time in nine years Johnny’s have performed in Hong Kong, Yamashita’s popularity was made clear after his tickets had sold out within an hour, prompting two more concerts to be added to the tour.
Yamashita’s tour is scheduled to go around cities in Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, and Japan, and is expected to attract more than 260,000 fans in total.
Source: Nikkan Sports, Chunichi Sports, Sports Hochi, Momoedgewood