Sex appeal and JPOP:does it even exist

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by hyl

Both statements look like offensive generalizations to me

Thanks for quoting that...

People are attracted to cute sluts.

Forgot the question mark.

People are attracted to cute sluts?

not some house decor and sex toy....

I was talking about if I had an idol for a wife.. lolss.... Let me expand that ok?

I wanted a wife that is a good potential mother for my kids.... and not some house decor who puts make up every now and then talking with her BFF by the phone and entertaining firends without interest of having children coz it'll ruin her figure or worst her career.....

...and not some sex toy like those with affairs with business man and politicians has.... just using their body to get influence to support their career...

My bad.. I watch too much showbiz and talk shows.....

[hyl]

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

I was talking about if I had an idol for a wife.. lolss.... Let me expand that ok?

I wanted a wife that is a good potential mother for my kids.... and not some house decor who puts make up every now and then talking with her BFF by the phone and entertaining firends without interest of having children coz it'll ruin her figure or worst her career.....

...and not some sex toy like those with affairs with business man and politicians has.... just using their body to get influence to support their career...

My bad.. I watch too much showbiz and talk shows.....

You seem to be entirely missing the point what a generalization is. Your post still suggests that you think that most idols are "house decors" or "sex toys", eventhough you have no clue how they are outside of their idol life

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by hyl

You seem to be entirely missing the point what a generalization is. Your post still suggests that you think that most idols are "house decors" or "sex toys", eventhough you have no clue how they are outside of their idol life

SOME.. please... don't make this big ok? SOME...

If you continue to focus on the errors I have committed in my previous posts as if it's some documents to be presented in court though I tried to clearing it out what I really meant then... it's pointless.... It's not anymore my problem....

Go ahead and keep on analyzing it again and again and again....

I said what I have to say, ok?

If I failed to do so... then blame my bad English.... I was bad since in Elementary...

[momobunny]

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

So you say.. We're completely wrong and you're completely right? I encourage you tomake a stand there and have mine as well... I never said that all idols are sluts, but we can never say that not some are sluts ( in character and not prostitutes) IRL. People judge people by their actions ok? Again, I'm not generalizing that all idols are sluts... well SOME are...

The word "slut" is what is offensive... and what does "in character" even mean...? Girls are shamed for having sexual relationships with people they either don't know or aren't involved with romantically all the time... that's not okay, it's a double standard that doesn't do anything but make half of the world's population feel badly about either themselves or each other and it affects a lot of/if not most or all women's lives. You used an offensive term loosely, and you're not even attempting to understand why all of what you said is offensive... you're stubbornly arguing against it.

I wanted a wife that is a good potential mother for my kids.... and not some house decor who puts make up every now and then talking with her BFF by the phone and entertaining firends without interest of having children coz it'll ruin her figure or worst her career.....

... You should probably stop, you're just digging yourself into a deeper and deeper hole...
(If you want to have a relationship with a woman who's interested in having children then fine... but what you seem to be doing is shaming women who don't have any interest in that)

And if your English is what's painting you in a negative light... which I doubt it is because I understood what you're saying... and that's the problem, then I'd suggest working on it a bit more... but I don't think that's the problem here.

[Same_Shark]

The Japanese music industry suffers because the really talented artists are outshined by groups like Morning Musume and the location-number groups(AKB48 and the like). They are groups with cute girls and very little talent. There may be two or three girls that are actually good singers, but you'd never know, because they're carrying a bunch of cute girls. Grab a bunch of cute girls, put them in magazines, release a few gravure DVDs and books, and BOOM! You have success. The lyrics and the music sucks, but oh well, these girls are cute! Korea is guilty of these as well, but the general qualities of the songs are better. The top music producers and vocalists in Japan are not very popular, making eroge theme songs, or working on those damn Touhou Project albums.

[momobunny]

Originally Posted by Same_Shark

The Japanese music industry suffers because the really talented artists are outshined by groups like Morning Musume and the location-number groups(AKB48 and the like). They are groups with cute girls and very little talent. There may be two or three girls that are actually good singers, but you'd never know, because they're carrying a bunch of cute girls. Grab a bunch of cute girls, put them in magazines, release a few gravure DVDs and books, and BOOM! You have success. The lyrics and the music sucks, but oh well, these girls are cute! Korea is guilty of these as well, but the general qualities of the songs are better. The top music producers and vocalists in Japan are not very popular, making eroge theme songs, or working on those damn Touhou Project albums.

I've noticed this sort of trend... I'm not an expert on it or anything though (in fact my knowledge on it is below minimal since it's not something I follow that closely anymore), how do you feel artists like Utada Hikaru, Crystal Kay, Namie Amuro, and Ayumi Hamasaki (among others) compare to groups like Morning Musume and AKB48 in terms of popularity and promotion? I know Utada is in the middle of a hiatus, but I always thought she was one of the more popular artists in somewhat recent years.

[Wanderer Blue]

Originally Posted by Same_Shark

The Japanese music industry suffers because the really talented artists are outshined by groups like Morning Musume and the location-number groups(AKB48 and the like). They are groups with cute girls and very little talent. There may be two or three girls that are actually good singers, but you'd never know, because they're carrying a bunch of cute girls. Grab a bunch of cute girls, put them in magazines, release a few gravure DVDs and books, and BOOM! You have success. The lyrics and the music sucks, but oh well, these girls are cute! Korea is guilty of these as well, but the general qualities of the songs are better. The top music producers and vocalists in Japan are not very popular, making eroge theme songs, or working on those damn Touhou Project albums.

You definitely make some good points, i believe it is due to this type of marketing scheme that the consumer is becoming dull and far less cerebral than his predecessor. All this type of marketing does is in a way is create a baser and less intellectual demographic.

[Same_Shark]

Originally Posted by momobunny

I've noticed this sort of trend... I'm not an expert on it or anything though (in fact my knowledge on it is below minimal since it's not something I follow that closely anymore), how do you feel artists like Utada Hikaru, Crystal Kay, Namie Amuro, and Ayumi Hamasaki (among others) compare to groups like Morning Musume and AKB48 in terms of popularity and promotion? I know Utada is in the middle of a hiatus, but I always thought she was one of the more popular artists in somewhat recent years.

Personally, I don't find Namie Amuro to be that great of a singer, but that really depends on the song. I do like all of those singers though. They were all part of a time when the really talented singers were really popular. It sucks because that was when you could hear singers like the ones you mentioned, more readily. Morning Musume was the beginning, but when Perfume debuted is when things went into full swing. Don't get me wrong, I love Perfume, but I constantly wonder if they have any real talent with all that autotune. Mitsuki Aira and Saori@destiny are guilty of autotune, but they both write their own lyrics and have released songs with little to no autotune. AKB48 and their sibling groups are only about cute faces and cheap, cheesey music.

[asaqe]

Also something from mdo of ANN about the decline of JPOP

I've been watching Arirang TV's Showbiz Korea and this segment got my attention, it talks about Korea's idol nuturing system which is how K-pop idol are trained in talents. It looks like the K-pop idol nuturing system is being used in other countries like China, Indonesia. Also on the video the CEO of Universal Music Japan, Koike Kazuhiko said this:

Koike Kazuhiko, CEO of Univeral Music Japan wrote:
5 elements of song, singing talents, dance, looks, and entertainment are professional, and no such form exist in Japan.


Yes the idol nuturing system South Korea used doesn't exist in Japan. It's no wonder why K-pop are doing well in Japan and have many fans in Japan. Korea's K-pop idol training is modeled from Japan yet K-pop idol take their training system one step further. Could Japan learn from this, it's possible.

Pretty depressing situation Japan is in.

[NoemiChan]

Originally Posted by momobunny

... You should probably stop, you're just digging yourself into a deeper and deeper hole...

Whatever.... file a suite if you want....

[slidingk1]

I find this interesting. What is the definition of a slut anyhow. I mean is it that uncommon to engage in sexual behavior with someone else before marriage. While men want to have a woman that has a low "number" but realistically does her number really matter. Yet it's inverse for men where it's socially acceptable to have a rather high number. In fact it's idolized to a point where it seems rather sad. But guess what and I'll let most guys in on something that my good friend told me once. While it's true that "men" might have a higher number of "partners", women will always beat guys in number of times the act is done.

Whatever happened to enjoying the journey. If you happen to form a relationship with someone and you take the next step fine so be it. Then if that relationship just doesn't work out are you doomed to be forever alone so you can keep your number low? So what's the big deal. Sex is an acquired skill set. No one in their first sexual experience is good no one. No matter what people may claim. For men they finish in a blink of an eye for women few reach orgasm in their first sexual experience. The entire reason why "virginity" was so coveted was the concern of children. If a woman was a "virgin" then the likelihood of her carrying another man's seed is non. Thus ensuring the man that if she does bare a child it's his. In this day of things like birth control and there are many forms you idiots. The pill, condoms, implants etc.... Does this entire virgin thing really matter anymore?

Now back to this entire matter about the sex lives of idols. The people that care are just sad. Unless they are inside their social circle why does it effect them. Ok unless the idol has some twisted sexual depravity like tying up school girls and peeing on them (RKelly lol that's some gross stuff) why does it matter? Yes I get it Idols sell an image but does image really matter.

[momobunny]

Originally Posted by Same_Shark

Personally, I don't find Namie Amuro to be that great of a singer, but that really depends on the song. I do like all of those singers though. They were all part of a time when the really talented singers were really popular. It sucks because that was when you could hear singers like the ones you mentioned, more readily. Morning Musume was the beginning, but when Perfume debuted is when things went into full swing. Don't get me wrong, I love Perfume, but I constantly wonder if they have any real talent with all that autotune. Mitsuki Aira and Saori@destiny are guilty of autotune, but they both write their own lyrics and have released songs with little to no autotune. AKB48 and their sibling groups are only about cute faces and cheap, cheesey music.

I feel the same way about Perfume, I like them and their songs... but there's so much autotune that I often wonder if they can really sing...

And I'm not a fan of AKB48... I mean, aside from the scandals and the overtly sexual music videos... I'm just not a fan of their music. I wish them the best but they don't really produce anything that caters to my taste...

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

Whatever.... file a suite if you want....

Originally Posted by slidingk1

I find this interesting. What is the definition of a slut anyhow. I mean is it that uncommon to engage in sexual behavior with someone else before marriage. While men want to have a woman that has a low "number" but realistically does her number really matter. Yet it's inverse for men where it's socially acceptable to have a rather high number. In fact it's idolized to a point where it seems rather sad. But guess what and I'll let most guys in on something that my good friend told me once. While it's true that "men" might have a higher number of "partners", women will always beat guys in number of times the act is done.

Whatever happened to enjoying the journey. If you happen to form a relationship with someone and you take the next step fine so be it. Then if that relationship just doesn't work out are you doomed to be forever alone so you can keep your number low? So what's the big deal. Sex is an acquired skill set. No one in their first sexual experience is good no one. No matter what people may claim. For men they finish in a blink of an eye for women few reach orgasm in their first sexual experience. The entire reason why "virginity" was so coveted was the concern of children. If a woman was a "virgin" then the likelihood of her carrying another man's seed is non. Thus ensuring the man that if she does bare a child it's his. In this day of things like birth control and there are many forms you idiots. The pill, condoms, implants etc.... Does this entire virgin thing really matter anymore?

Now back to this entire matter about the sex lives of idols. The people that care are just sad. Unless they are inside their social circle why does it effect them. Ok unless the idol has some twisted sexual depravity like tying up school girls and peeing on them (RKelly lol that's some gross stuff) why does it matter? Yes I get it Idols sell an image but does image really matter.

This is actually an interesting discussion... the entire concept of virginity is kind of ridiculous to me... but it's there, clearly affecting how millions of people see somebody they know nothing about personally. I quite honestly don't see it, I have no concern for what a celebrity does in their private time... I don't think it's anybody's business unless they want to share and even then a degree of civility should be carried. So the entire idea of "not being allowed to date" kind of leaves me with an uncomfortable feeling.

[Siegel Clyne]

Originally Posted by Same_Shark

The Japanese music industry suffers because the really talented artists are outshined by groups like Morning Musume and the location-number groups(AKB48 and the like). They are groups with cute girls and very little talent. There may be two or three girls that are actually good singers, but you'd never know, because they're carrying a bunch of cute girls. Grab a bunch of cute girls, put them in magazines, release a few gravure DVDs and books, and BOOM! You have success. The lyrics and the music sucks, but oh well, these girls are cute! Korea is guilty of these as well, but the general qualities of the songs are better. The top music producers and vocalists in Japan are not very popular, making eroge theme songs, or working on those damn Touhou Project albums.

Sad but true.

There are many internationally acclaimed Japanese-born music artists in all different fields - from Western classical music (e.g., conductor Seiji Ozawa; Japanese-born, naturalized British pianist Dame Mitsuko Uchida; historically informed period instrumental and choral ensemble Bach Collegium Japan, directed by founder and keyboardist Masaaki Suzuki; blind pianist and composer Nobuyuki Tsujii) to jazz (e.g., jazz sextet SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS; Manchurian-born, Japanese-raised, US resident jazz pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi; pianist, composer and group leader Makoto Ozone; pianist, composer, and group leader Hiromi Uehara) to "traditional" Japanese (e.g., the taiko group Kodo/Kodou) to electronica (e.g., 1970s and 1980s legendary band Yellow Magic Orchestra, one of the most influential groups on world electronic music*; techno DJ Ken Ishii; trance DJ Satoshi Tomiie) to Shibuya-kei (e.g., 1990s legendary band Pizzicato Five) to hip-hop (e.g., DJ KRUSH) to punk/pop/rock (e.g., Shonen Knife) to salsa (e.g., 1990s legendary band Orquesta de la luz) to whatnot.

This is just a short list off the top of my head of Japanese-born music artists in various fields and genres who have received critical acclaim and have won plaudits and awards OUTSIDE of Japan.

Check them out on YouTube, Vimeo, and other video sharing sites.

*According to the AllMusic Guide: The trailblazing force behind the emergence of the Japanese techno-pop sound of the late '70s, Yellow Magic Orchestra remains a seminal influence on contemporary electronic music -- hugely popular both at home and abroad, their pioneering use of synthesizers, sequencers and drum machines places them second only to Kraftwerk as innovators of today's electronic culture. YMO was formed in Tokyo in 1978 by keyboardist Ryuichi Sakamoto, who at the time was working on his debut solo LP; among his collaborators was drummer Yukihiro Takahashi, himself also a solo performer as well as a member of the art rock group the Sadistic Mika Band. The third member, bassist Haruomi Hosono, boasted an even more impressive discography, including four solo records as well as a number of production credits.

I forgot to add the title "Dame" - the female equivalent of "Sir" - in front of Dame Mitsuko Uchida's name. She received the esteemed honorary UK title from Queen Elizabeth II.

[houkoholic]

Originally Posted by Same_Shark

The Japanese music industry suffers because the really talented artists are outshined by groups like Morning Musume and the location-number groups(AKB48 and the like). They are groups with cute girls and very little talent. There may be two or three girls that are actually good singers, but you'd never know, because they're carrying a bunch of cute girls. Grab a bunch of cute girls, put them in magazines, release a few gravure DVDs and books, and BOOM! You have success. The lyrics and the music sucks, but oh well, these girls are cute! Korea is guilty of these as well, but the general qualities of the songs are better. The top music producers and vocalists in Japan are not very popular, making eroge theme songs, or working on those damn Touhou Project albums.

I have to disagree here. If the talented singers aren't getting exposure in domestic Japan, why are they not promoting themselves overseas then and try to break into that market instead? In fact, if they are not popular domestically, that should mean they aren't stuff full with their local schedule which should mean they should have a lot more time to go overseas in person to do promotion, like the Korean artists are doing now, no? Because one of the major excuse popular artist of Japan uses to avoid going overseas is that they have a busy work schedule in order to keep their domestic appearance rate high to keep the fans happy, so by that logic the talented but not popular artists shouldn't have this issue and thus have more free time to promote themselves overseas. So this comes back full circle to what was said before - the bottom line issue is that the Japanese artists are not successful overseas is because they never set their sights on the overseas market - they always think about conquering their relatively large Japanese market first and foremost and forgets about the rest of the world. And what happens when they succeed in conquering their domestic market is that they then get too busy to cater to the niche and small overseas market and management puts short term gain over long term return and as a result they again put the overseas market on hold indefinitely, only when they hit stagnation domestically they turn to the niche market for extra revenue only to find that with how the internet age works their overseas popular actually goes in union step with their domestic popularity, thus completely missing the wave which they should have rode to hit status. Counter example to all of this is Psy with Gungnam Style - that guy fly EVERYWHERE just to promote his cheesy horse-riding dance song in complete union step to merely internet viral word-of-mouth popularity, that's the sort of inititive the Japanese artists are missing.

So in conclusion, the problem with Japanese artist not succeeding overseas has nothing to do with their talent (there are plenty of bad artists out there who still gets popular not base on actual talent, Justin Bieber anyone?) but purely with their business practice. Until that changes J-pop artist will never become popular overseas like the K-pop artists will. The only thing that J-pop artist needs to learn from K-pop artist (and even Western artists) is their willingness and eagerness to prompt the hell out of themselves at every opportunity which presents itself, think of the world as one market and not as tiered markets which needs to be taken in ranks of priority, nothing more and nothing less.

[Siegel Clyne]

I love it when it is mostly latino salsa aficionados who upload videos on YouTube of usually live performances by the legendary Japanese salsa band Orquesta de la luz.

That was (still is?) one helluva a salsa band - especially live.

[Siegel Clyne]

While many East Asians and some Southeast Asians succeed in Western classical music, with very rare exceptions, only the Japanese in general seem to actively pursue and succeed in the historically informed performance (HIP) movement and early music movement of Western classical music, which include Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque musics.

Singaporean-born, naturalized British fortepianist and pianist Melvyn Tan, one of those very rare exceptions, only got involved in HIP after moving to the UK, one of the world's HIP centers.

[Siegel Clyne]

One of the things the Japanese as a whole do much more than other Asians - much more than most nearly any other people - is exploring, enjoying, and performing music from all over the world.

An example is Japanese singer MINMI - who sang the Samurai Champloo ending theme song "Shiki no Uta," composed by the late Nujabes - delving into and performing soca, a musical style which originated in Trinidad and Tobago, with roots in calypso and steelband music, and is popular all over the English speaking Caribbean and English speaking Central America, from Barbados to Belize.

Here are some videos of MINMI performing soca music, including a collaboration with soca king Machel Montano and singing live in Trinidad and Tobago:

Minmi sha na na (japanese wine) ft Machel Montano

YouTube

https://youtu.be/bshxijAJb1k

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Dailymotion MINMI SUMMER TIME!! a ミュージック video

YouTube

https://youtu.be/9z4z0Rwr2_g

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MINMI - Sha na na -Japanese wine- [LIVE@Trinidad & Tobago Soca Monarch 2007 Finals 2007.02.17]

Spoiler:

YouTube

https://youtu.be/5rkFLWWU6fU

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[Siegel Clyne]

Many, many examples...

While it may be a niche market there, a number of young Japanese have embraced a subgenre of rap/hip-hop music and culture, Chicano (i.e., Mexican American) hip-hop, which emerged in Southern California during the 1980s and 1990s.

Some in the Mexican American community think it's great. Others, disturbed by the negative aspects of street gang culture associated with it, think it's not so great.

Without getting into all that, here is an example of Japanese Chicano hip-hop music performed by perhaps the leading music proponent of Chicano hip-hop in Japan, the female rapper MoNa a.k.a. Sad Girl (she's a real Japanese chola!):

【OFFICIAL】MoNa a.k.a. Sad Girl "MAP" Music Video

YouTube

https://youtu.be/ooYxrVerTJQ

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【OFFICIAL】MoNa a.k.a. Sad Girl "Laugh Now Later" Music Video

YouTube

https://youtu.be/6-PdJPQEXag

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For a very different kind of latino music experience by a Japanese-born artist, check out some music videos by Japanese native Junko Seki, whom I first heard of singing Mexican mariachi songs, but since has branched out into various latino musical genres, mingling salsa, cumbia, latino pop, and whatever else. She speaks Spanish and English in addition, of course, to her native Japanese and leads her own her band, KoTolán:

La Boca de Cultura - Kotolan

YouTube

https://youtu.be/zOj8uI3xbUw

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KoTolan "Sayonara　さよなら"

YouTube

https://youtu.be/m2AichaXoz8

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"La boca de cultura" is performed in a salsa style and sung in Spanish.

"Sayonara" is performed in a cumbia style and sung in Japanese.

In addition to singing, Junko Seki plays the accordion in "Sayonara."

Salsa originated from Cuban music and dance; its rhythmic foundation is the Afro-Cuban clave. It developed in New York City during the 1960s and 1970s, largely by musicians of Puerto Rican background, incorporating jazz, Puerto Rican, and other musical influences, and it since has spread throughout Latin America and the Latin U.S., to the UK, to Japan...

Cumbia originated in Colombia; it has African, Amerindian, and European roots. It has since spread throughout Latin America and the Latin U.S. Colombian singer Shakira has performed her share of cumbias during her career.

Turning 180 degrees...

Japanese-born fiddler Shoji Tabuchi, the "Emperor of Branson," realized his American Dream, and built a fortune and a musical empire in Branson, Missouri.

Here are some videos of Shoji Tabuchi:

Shoji Tabuchi - The Emperor of Branson

Spoiler:

YouTube

https://youtu.be/sKthbnNacCw

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Shoji Tabuchi in Branson

Spoiler:

YouTube

https://youtu.be/JndgNIq9ux0

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[Siegel Clyne]

Japan's Orquesta de la luz (lit., "Orchestra of the Light") was (and apparently, still is) a great salsa and Latin jazz band. Period.

Fronted by the extraordinary, engaging, and vivacious lead singer NORA (aka Nora Suzuki) for over the past two decades, Orquesta de la luz especially excel at live performances.

With notable exceptions like the late Cuban-born American singer Celia Cruz - know as "la reina de la salsa" ("The Queen of Salsa") and "la guarachera del mundo" ("The Salsa Singer of the World") - and La India, female lead singers (well, female singers and musicians in general) have always nearly been nonexistent in the almost totally male dominated, "macho" world of salsa music.

So add in Japan's penchant for female singers and turning traditionally male subjects into female ones, we get the wonderful Nora fronting Orquesta de la luz.

Like Junko Seki, Nora speaks Spanish and English, in addition to her native Japanese.

Here are some music videos of Orquesta de la luz, which include, among other things, a stunning, mostly English, partly Spanish bilingual rendition, done in the salsa romántica or salsa sensual style, of The Carpenters's 1971 hit song, "Close to You," as well as Orquesta de la luz's live performance with two Latin music giants, the late Nuyorican timbalero, composer, and bandleader Tito Puente ("El rey de timbal," or "The King of Timbales") and Venezuelan sonero (salsa singer), bassist, and bandleader Oscar D'León:

Orquesta de la luz - Close to you

YouTube

https://youtu.be/2DkC0MwC7hk

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Orquesta de la Luz, Oscar de León y Tito Puente

YouTube

https://youtu.be/qD5XTJDiL1U

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秘密の愛 オルケスタ・デ・ラ・ルス AMOR DE SECRETO Orquesta De La Luz

YouTube

https://youtu.be/wHNVySFhNi4

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[asaqe]

Originally Posted by houkoholic

I have to disagree here. If the talented singers aren't getting exposure in domestic Japan, why are they not promoting themselves overseas then and try to break into that market instead? In fact, if they are not popular domestically, that should mean they aren't stuff full with their local schedule which should mean they should have a lot more time to go overseas in person to do promotion, like the Korean artists are doing now, no? Because one of the major excuse popular artist of Japan uses to avoid going overseas is that they have a busy work schedule in order to keep their domestic appearance rate high to keep the fans happy, so by that logic the talented but not popular artists shouldn't have this issue and thus have more free time to promote themselves overseas. So this comes back full circle to what was said before - the bottom line issue is that the Japanese artists are not successful overseas is because they never set their sights on the overseas market - they always think about conquering their relatively large Japanese market first and foremost and forgets about the rest of the world. And what happens when they succeed in conquering their domestic market is that they then get too busy to cater to the niche and small overseas market and management puts short term gain over long term return and as a result they again put the overseas market on hold indefinitely, only when they hit stagnation domestically they turn to the niche market for extra revenue only to find that with how the internet age works their overseas popular actually goes in union step with their domestic popularity, thus completely missing the wave which they should have rode to hit status. Counter example to all of this is Psy with Gungnam Style - that guy fly EVERYWHERE just to promote his cheesy horse-riding dance song in complete union step to merely internet viral word-of-mouth popularity, that's the sort of inititive the Japanese artists are missing.

So in conclusion, the problem with Japanese artist not succeeding overseas has nothing to do with their talent (there are plenty of bad artists out there who still gets popular not base on actual talent, Justin Bieber anyone?) but purely with their business practice. Until that changes J-pop artist will never become popular overseas like the K-pop artists will. The only thing that J-pop artist needs to learn from K-pop artist (and even Western artists) is their willingness and eagerness to prompt the hell out of themselves at every opportunity which presents itself, think of the world as one market and not as tiered markets which needs to be taken in ranks of priority, nothing more and nothing less.

Still, given Japan's situation in investing in a foreign market while dealing with an already hyper competitive environment that will make Korea blush. Attempting to promote themselves outside of Japan will mean resources taken in the domestic field and right now, reception towards Japan is lukewarm at best and cold at worst. AKB48 for example will literally have to have the girls be reinvented as sexier vixens instead of the pure idol approach which will alienate the home market when they come back for instance since no one will buy into the purity bit (sorta like T-ara when they make Japan versions of their videos, lacing cuteness with their usual sexy bits). And given the limited 2-5 year shelf life of an idol...

Japan to start though needs to remove their ip lock on their music videos if they want to get noticed. Then they can start their expensive hawking of their expensive singles.