oginome comments

As for "war mongering," the vast majority of armed conflicts taking place in the world now involves Muslims. Now wonder: the Koran makes 41 references to "jihad," which involves the violent death to all unbelievers "wherever they may be."

It's very clear where the inspiration for this terror comes from.

That still doesn't give Americans the right to invade wherever they want. You're implying the US isn't 'war-mongering' because the Middle East is already war-torn? That doesn't let America off the hook, sadly. Its greedy oil-grabbing adventures is what it has made it one of the most disliked countries in the world.

Serrano

How about removing the threat to these embassies?

How about the US stops being an imperialistic, war mongering nation that encourages the rise of terrorism which threatens these embassies?

@ Chucky

BoA is still the biggest international female pop star Korea has ever produced, no matter how much of a has been she's considered to be nowadays. Who's the next example I can use, a homegrown female superstar who's still popular in Korea, maybe Hyori Lee? Are you going to tell me she's a vocal powerhouse? What about the multitude of girl groups? How many great voices are there in Kara, GG, 2NE1, Sistar, the list goes on. My point was that success in the music industry, all over the world, has little to do with voice anymore. Japan, Korea, the US, are all the same in that respect.

The girl in your clip is really nothing special, nice voice, but no star quality. Are you going to tell me there are absolutely no girls in Japan, with a population of 126 million, who can match up or surpass her vocally?

Chucky, posting a video of a reality TV singing contest doesn't mean anything. Most of the major pop stars do not have massive five-ocatve range singing voices, whether it's Japan, Korea or the US. Look at Ayumi, Britney, BoA, all have diminutive voices at best. There are people with big singing voices in every country, including Japan, believe it or not, but it doesn't inevitably follow that you'll become a star. The girl in that video you posted had no star quality, sorry to say.

You're so eager to show that America has influenced every other country, when are you going to admit the massive influence Japan has had on South Korea over the last 60 years, from how Korea built its economy, to its idol culture?

Disagree, this article has obviously hit a raw nerve here, for some reason, with all the negative reactions that it has generated.

Yes, the Japan bashers and Korean nationalists have come out pretty strong on this one.

Then how about this? Jpop rocks the world, it's the most awesome music of all, because it's sung in Japanese and Japanese as you know, are the most awesome of the awesome because they are Japanese. Japanese singers are unique and they have their own unique style. This Quincy Jones is a moron for not recognizing this. He should have went to Japan and praise Japanese singers, instead of going to our most hated enemy the Koreans! I am sure this Jones dude got bribed by the Jew... oops I mean the Koreans... this is so maddening! I won't stand for it! I will hold my breath until this Jones dude change his mind! I'm turning blue!

Still utterly ridiculous. I never saw anyone even implying this in the comments on the article here. Lots of insecure boasting about how much better K-Pop was though. Try harder again and make a more accurate parody.

Chucky, are you seriously using a song from 1996 against one from 2013? How laughable, Namie Amuro alone is a more charismatic, interesting figure than the vast majority of generic, boring K-Pop 'stars'. Please take a less disingenuous and sly approach please next time you compare J-Pop to K-Pop.

Why not use a Namie song from 2013 to compare against Ailee?

K-Pop is just American music with Korean lyrics, no thanks. I'll take the Japanese music scene any day, which for all the AKB and SMAP crap, is still much more diverse than Korea's.

smithinjapan

How many J-pop bands/artists are popular in SK vs. the other way around? And it has nothing to do with the island issue on one side and not the other, if at all.

Are you serious? Compare the size of the Japanese and Korean music markets. The Japanese music market is about to overtake the US in overall size, Korea's is tiny. What financial incentive is there for J-Pop stars to go over to Korea? K-Pop on the other hand NEEDS Japan to even survive in its current state since Japan is basically where nearly all its revenue comes from. And even the biggest Korean success stories in Japan still don't compare to the successes of Japan's homegrown stars, the narrative that K-Pop completely infiltrated and took over Japan was completely overplayed and exaggerated from day one.

@ yabits, the full article is online at Rollingstone.com

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/jahars-world-20130717

She's not a good writer.

This reminds me of that case in the 80s where a student was being bullied and his class (including his teacher) held a mock funeral for him just before he killed himself. Horrendous.

Funny how the US isn't expressing any sign of remorse or shame at the human rights violation they've committed. So arrogant as usual.

Not a fan, personally, and isn't less than two years not quite the minimum? Maybe it depends on what branch you're in. In any case, while I think he's overrated, he DOES, as ribstick said, have some moves at least and a decent sense of humor. In his case if he's referred to as a 'tarento' at least he has some, unlike most others.

Is this another indirect dig at Japan?

YuriOtaniJul. 07, 2013 - 01:16PM JST

The USA has no respect for other countries.

So true. They think they can do anything they want. It's disgusting.

Return the money if you're really so sincere about your mistake, Lopez.

I don't know what the big deal is. The original 1995 recording hasn't been destroyed, this is simply a re-recording for the Japanese market to help TLC (has beens). Namie is the one who did them a favour. She's still massive in Japan, whereas TLC haven't been relevant in over a decade. This has got them more publicity than they've had in years.

What disgusting, demeaning thing to do to a 61 year old woman.

I still say the 2008 financial crisis was the fault of gaikoku

Yeah, you're right, the US definitely had a big hand in it.

I think those who haven't done any of the three would pass a character test based on the above.

Exactly, tmarie. He's not a saint, no matter how the non-Japanese media try and portray him. That's not to say he doesn't deserve his apology and compensation, but it's important to be balanced and not get carried away with painting him in the most positive light possible. To me, I don't find him that likeable, he cheated on his wife, he knew the prostitute who was found murdered because he'd paid for her services before, and he just strikes me overall as quite a callous, unsavoury figure to be honest. Using the high standing he has in the Hindu caste system by his defence lawyer also shows he buys into that discriminatory mindset. Hope his book does well but I won't be buying it.

He's not necessarily a good man just because he was the victim of a gross miscarriage of justice, he solicited prostitutes and cheated on his wife back home, I agree he deserves an apology, but let's not make him into some sort of sainted martyr figure please.

Hmmmmmmmmm, "can you feel this love, can you feel this love, can you feel this love, can you feel this love, can you feel this love" - How many times can you repeat the same line within 3 seconds? If that's Pop, I don't wan to meet Mum!

Namie's amazing, good vocalist, great performer, can sing and dance at the same time, and her music is better than Gaga. She's the only J-Pop star that has true international appeal, Hikaru Utada is too boring to be the big push J-Pop needs in the West if it's to make it.

Britney Spears - people don't even treat her like a human being, she's the ultimate in celebrity objectification and commodification.

I'm more excited about Namie Amuro's new album out next month. She's J-Pop's true star.

If you are referring to Iraq, we had every right to go in, I'm not even going to do this and leave it at that. I was there, I was reporting at the time working for NBC. You are 100% wrong.

You had no right to go in and invade a sovereign nation. The US does not have some divine right to go invade any country it wants. This is the arrogance I'm speaking about.

I do and Yes, Europe, always has this, we are the epitome of the world, so we know what's right and how everyone thinks. We are the nations of entitlements, so the US has to follow lock step and be like us, even though we technically dependent on the US.

If Europe has this 'we're the epitome of the world' then it would have invaded the US by now, just like your country does in the belief that the American way is the only way. The 'nations of 'entitlements', entitlements aren't what led the EU into the mess its in now, the countries that continue to have the strongest economies also have the most robust social safety nets, it was reckless lending from the banks that caused the chaos.

For liberals and progressives, I think you are totally right.

So 'progressives' is negative word in your dictionary? Says everything.

Many countries in the world don't like the US because of their own inadequacies, and shortcomings whether its socially or financially, it's always the US fault. When I hear people say that, show me a country that is a utopia and blemish free of any wrong doing and that is perfect and the answer is none. Has nothing to do with Palin.

Other countries don't like the US because of its war-mongering foreign policy and its distasteful habit of invading sovereign nations and creating wars. Has nothing to do with these other countries own 'shortcomings'. Please try and keep up. Palin epitomises this ugly, dangerous aspect of US thinking, the idea that the rest of the world is fair game for America's bombs and armies to take over. Disgusting.

Traitor. I hope he likes living in China. That's the only place he will be able to live without having to constantly look over his shoulder wondering why the hammer will come down on him.

A traitor for exposing how the US government willfully disregards and violates the basic human rights of its citizens? You're right, maybe he'll find the freedom in China that clearly doesn't exist in America despite all their talk about 'the land of the free'.

People like Sarah Palin are the reason why the rest of the world dislikes the US so much.

She's such an uninspiring has-been. In her twenties and still trying to pull the rebellious teenager shtick.

Wada Akiko needs to shut up. She should know herself how rude it is to wade into such a private matter publicly, especially when it has nothing to do with you.

smithinjapanJun. 14, 2013 - 12:48PM JST

I wholeheartedly agree that Yaguchi needs to issue an apology -- TO HER HUSBAND! There's been no word that she has; just the kind of half-hearted apology she murmured to fans. However, I DON'T agree with this 'rules of showbiz' bull. Yaguchi was simply caught red-handed; this kind of thing happens ALL the time.

Why should she have to apologise to anyone, least of all her husband? If she was cheating on him, then obviously the marriage wasn't going that great to begin with. And what the rumours of him being physically abusive? If they're true, then she can cheat on him all day long as far as I'm concerned.

By the way, I love how so many of the Japan bashers on this site love Kyary Pamyu because she's been adopted as the latest ironic icon of cool by Western hipsters. She'd be bashed to high heavens for her infantile voice and weird dressed sense by users on this site if she didn't have that seal of endorsement from the West.

Excited about the PS4. What a surprise, looks like Microsoft is being undone by its own arrogance.

papasmurfinjapanJun. 16, 2013 - 06:34PM JST

I'd rather just read a good book, but to each their own.

You can do both.