Gov't turns to AKB48 to sell bonds

The picture for this article is from AKB's Washington DC concert. I was there, and it was awesome. When you buy the government bonds they should offer limited edition collectibles and fans will probably snap them up.

AKB48 can run Japan better than the actual politicans? Hmm.. let me think about that one.

Sad to say but they probably could. They could form their own party just from all the '48' group members.

I can see the headlines now. Senbatsu election to decide the leader of Japan. ;)

i can't believe my tax dollars are being spent to support the thing i despise more than anything in the world.

(sarcasm) Yeah, genocide, war, fratricide, corruption, and man's general inhumanity to man all pale in comparison to AKB48 (/sarcasm)

i can't believe my tax dollars are being spent to support the thing i despise more than anything in the world.

My name is Bond... James Bond...

More like AKB48 saves this bond. Saving Japan would require a whole new bond issue.

Reality is that even though the Fitch's recent downgrading of Japan's national bond didn't raise its interest, or perhaps because of it, the bond is not popular with individual investors. So MOF resorts to the trump card. AKB48 saves Japan.

Time to bring this discussion back down to reality.

This is just a bond drive, people. They're not handing the keys of the Diet to AKB48 (though I imagine some people would consider that an improvement). With ANY bond drive you try to get high-profile celebrities to support it and regardless of how much you, personally, hate those girls for being popular, they ARE popular and would be an obvious choice for this Bond Drive.

If the CEO gets AKB48 voting rights I can imagine companies changing investment strategies.

Another day another AKB48 story on JT. Do you think we could go at least one week without hearing about these over-hyped talent-less "singers"?

Jeez....how low can a government get? This must be a new benchmark....

Where can I buy shares in AKB48. The people who make money off them have the ultimate cash cow. Then again, what happened to morning musume?

No wait a minute, I don't want to know.

LOL! really?! xD

Coupon payment: tickets to next AKB show.

What's next?

Gov't turns to AKB48 to run gov't

The group’s bubblegum pop and synchronised dancing has proved a huge hit with pre-pubescent girls.

Right.

We are * ** now. Love the guy who rants about us never been to Japan and they do it better... Another national embarrassment.

Mitoguitarman -

No, thinking OF the box.

LMAO! :-)

CajunH2O

And to all these people trash talking Japan....have you ever been there? HAve you ever lived in Japan.

You may just be surprised at the number of people on this forum who not only HAVE actually been to Japan but who have in fact lived here for several years - even decades... Enough is enough! Many of us are sick and tired of these feeble efforts by the Japanese Gvt...

God bless you AKB!

I would be more than happy to " bond " with AKB48..............................LOL

Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% distillation

1% perspiration and 99% titillation.

If it's popular and it works, then bravo!

@Cajun, dude, you are soooo right. Japan is leading the way in bond selling. Surely other nations will follow suit and maybe even start a new high yield bond called "The jail bait special".

I agree its thinking outside the box. To each their own. And to all these people trash talking Japan....have you ever been there? HAve you ever lived in Japan. A lot may seem silly from a distance but they do a lot of things a hell of a lot better

Just imagine where this gem came up. A long session in the izakaya followed by a nightclub. A scantily clad young hostess lighting up his cigarette. Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% distillation.

Moody's rating: "Overvalued. Many years to maturity -- if ever."

AKB48 should just run parliament too. Kick out all the politicians and just let AKB48 run it. The TV ratings for parliamentary debate would skyrocket, and instead of Ozawa and others blocking things for weeks and months they can just do the janken game when they can't agree.

Yeah, weekly janken games for who is this months PM. Would it really be so different?

hahahaha....

...Because there just isn't enough government debt yet in Japan... Don't you think its a bad sign that they need AKB bimbos to help them sell bonds???

Do Otaku have money for bonds?

Peddling debt by using minors, how incidious.

This is just far too funny to be able to put into words..

AKB48 should just run parliament too. Kick out all the politicians and just let AKB48 run it. The TV ratings for parliamentary debate would skyrocket, and instead of Ozawa and others blocking things for weeks and months they can just do the janken game when they can't agree.

Yeah, weekly janken games for who is this months PM. Would it really be so different?

The U.S. did pretty much the same thing during WWI and WWII. "War Bond" drives would use Hollywood stars and starlets to go around and urge people to buy the bonds to help fund the war effort. From Wiki:

The government appealed to the public through popular culture. Norman Rockwell's painting series, the Four Freedoms, toured in a war bond effort that raised $132 million. Bond rallies were held throughout the country with famous celebrities, usually Hollywood film stars, to enhance the bond advertising effectiveness.

The only difference here is the bond is for Tohoku Restoration rather than a war.

Godan: "AKB48 to the rescue! And since nothing else has helped fix the "lost decade" (going on 20 years now!) why the heck not? Isn't this thinking outside the box?" No, thinking OF the box.

Running the gamut from girl-next-door to sultry temptress, the group also has a substantial male following—many of whom are older—who support a vast merchandising industry.

Creepy, I bet the money is going to roll in though.

So if I buy a 10,000 yen bond it means that in 10 years I will get 10,088?

I don't know who is more annoying AKB48 or lady gaga

How sad is the government here? Not that I would buy any bonds anyway, but I DEFINITELY wouldn't now.

AKB48 is the savor of all Japanese!! Hurry hurry.... buy those bonds!!!

I'm pretty sure the AKB48 members don't know at all what the government bond means.

"The group’s bubblegum pop and synchronised dancing has proved a huge hit with pre-pubescent girls...who don't buy bonds!!!

I love Japan but it's government has some really bizarre ways of conducting business.

Whatever next !?

AKB48 to dance scantily clad for olympic bid, ask for donations for disputed Islands, remove fuel rods from stricken NPP ?

If an AKB girl comes with the offer... deal!

Would have liked to have seen the meeting where they came up with this idea... pathetic little ojiisans in suits chuckling about the idea, but actually serious...

This approach to raising ¥ is as low the rate.

The government is completely devoid of any ideas. A bunch of old guys sitting in the Diet think if it has "AKB48" on it, it will sell. Want to start a Suicide Hotline? Use AKB48. Want to save the economy? Appoint at minister who can dance like AKB48 (shudder). What's next? The AKB48 Summer Energy Saving Program? I can see it coming...

0.88% return means that the J-bonds are at least for the time being the safest financial instrument.

0.880% return? I am sure you are better off trying your hand at pachinko.

OMFG!! you know the Japanese economy is in serious trouble when they recruit AKB to help them raise revenue! pathetic .88% return on investment!! you`d have to be desperate or dumb or both to buy JGBs

0.8 return sounds very unPopular to me ...............

The group’s bubblegum pop and synchronised dancing has proved a huge hit with pre-pubescent girls. So the government wants pre-pubescent girls to buy JGB's?

What about their other fanbase? surely too busy spending money on AKB merchandise to "invest" in bonds.

Seems to me the fact that Japan is overborrowed (>200% of GDP and climbing) will eventually come back to haunt us all.

"...a 2010 campaign suggesting that public debt-buying men may attract the opposite sex."

All of us guys would like to know how that turned out. Was it worth it?

SillSly people would be the Japs to buy. Otherwise, on any rational market, bonds interest would just raise, ending the no-limit debt increase, that will one day need to be reimbursed, or system will fall. Akb48, Hakuo or Sama are not plaing on the right scene or field, they will realize they made a big mistake.

Hakuho is a new AKB member?

About par for this country. A corrupt and bankrupt government using a lolicon fetish to borrow more money.

LOFL!

Japan’s cash-strapped government

How is J-gov cash-strapped? They seem to be pouring money and donations to Euro crisis, Chile and so many other countries, upkeeping non-profitable whaling fleet and it's security etc.

Oh, I guess looked from the Tohoku victims side J-gov seems very conveniently cash-strapped indeed.

By the way, seemingly uncomprehensible J-gov finances became very clear in Alex Kerr's book "Dogs and demons".

Good idea. I wonder if it will work.

Pray for Japan!

Better still, just cut to the chase and ask AKB's billionaire maestro to dip his hand in his pockets. Hookers sell their bodies; AKB48 sells...well, everything.

As with every communication, there are 2 messages that is always communicated: direct and implied. The direct message may make Joe/Jane consumer to purchase JGBs, but the implied message is that of desperation--Japan is reaching a state of desperation with its unmanageable and spiraling debts.

AKB girls have to wear little tiny skirts to sell lots of bonds to save Japan. Funny, but it may work only in Japan. Ahhhh....speechless..

DisillusionedMay. 28, 2012 - 08:58AM JST

Cash strapped? Didn't they just give $500 million to the Pacific islands? I think I am starting to understand they J-Gov. They want to appear rich and generous on the international front, but plead poverty domestically. Sad!

Welcome to the truth. Japan is run like a beehive, where the workers toil for the collective and the pleasure of Japanese politicians/drones to strut their thing on the world stage.

Cash strapped? Didn't they just give $500 million to the Pacific islands? I think I am starting to understand they J-Gov. They want to appear rich and generous on the international front, but plead poverty domestically. Sad!

They should hold softball games dressed in swimsuits all over the country to raise money.

Bonds...Japan Bonds

and so the bank of japan continues to inflate its bond bubble.... this isnt going to end well for japan

Well said, Hereforenow, well said. :-)

I prefer Captain America.

AKB48 you now have the duty of saving your country from financial turmoil. We want you to get YOUR fans to give Japan's government the money....thus making your cut smaller.

Dance and Sing girls........for your country. Can we get an upbeat rendition of Kimigayo while you're at it?

Isn't this thinking outside the box?

Gosan, acvtually its "Thinking below the belt". Get men's lillte heads to make decisions their big heads know are crazy -- .88% interest.

AKB48 to the rescue!

And since nothing else has helped fix the "lost decade" (going on 20 years now!) why the heck not? Isn't this thinking outside the box?

Running the gamut from girl-next-door to sultry temptress, the group also has a substantial male following—many of whom are older—who support a vast merchandising industry.

LOL. The solution to the 239% debt ratio is not fiscal discilpline nor raising taxes. No, it's using young girls in short skirts. No wonder no one but Japan takes it seriously.

AKB saves the world economy. You have to be kidding

Jgov = pathetic!

Capitalism at all time low !