MJ in Japan

News of Michael Jackson's death shocked the world causing Twitter to crash and disrupted Google traffic. In Japan, major FM radio stations such as J-Wave, Tokyo FF, and Inter FM aired tributes to the "King of Pop" that included messages from listeners about how shocked and saddened they were by the news. Fuji TV and NHK also had special programming about MJ since he was wildly popular in this country during the peak of his career and probably influenced many local aspiring artists. We all know that there was a dark side to MJ, but most in Japan seem to prefer to remember his achievements rather than examine his faults.

Video of MJ in Japan


Billie Jean in Yokohama 1987

[youtube]2UUeC9BM5nM&feature=related[/youtube]

I did not know Michael Jackson as a person, so I just feel bad for his family for their loss just like I do whnever I hear of someone's passing.

As a musician, Michael Jackson had been dead for many years as far as I am concerned.

I caught some pasrts of last night's special on Fuji TV (at least I thought it was on Fuji...) and could not help but notice the gap in the "tempratures" between the Japanese media and the public at large, except for those who remember him from the 80s. They had a couple of young (in their 20s?) celebrities as panelists, and they looked like they didn't know why they were there.

Comments like "The music/entertainment world will never be the same" from the other panelists that included that Ogura guy who hosts morning shows and Dave Spector (I don't know what he does) sounded rather hollow to my ears. The show was the station's blatant attempt to cash in on the event and nothing else.

What they should have done was wait until this media circus has calmed down a bit, then gather a panel of people who know music, and really discuss his art if they wanted to pay tribute for Mr. Jackson.

I am surprised that the death of Farrah Fawsett has not received any coverage whatsoever here in japan.

Was FF popular in Japan? She was popular here because of obviously her status as a sex symbol due to Charlie's Angels.

Putrefaction said:

Was FF popular in Japan? She was popular here because of obviously her status as a sex symbol due to Charlie's Angels.

Click to expand...

"Angels" was aired in Japan, too and she was quite popular. She also appeared in ads on Japanese TV.

I wouldn't watch a TV tribute to Farrah Fawcett. I doubt if they even had one in the U.S.

But I do listen to Michael Jackson's music; as I do to Elvis' and the Beatle's music.

Dogen Z said:

I wouldn't watch a TV tribute to Farrah Fawcett. I doubt if they even had one in the U.S.
But I do listen to Michael Jackson's music; as I do to Elvis' and the Beatle's music.

Click to expand...

Oh, for sure there were several as well as a re-broadcast of her cancer documentary, "Farrah's Story." ... You may be too young to relate to her huge impact on culture and tv back in the day. The mediocre pinup turns out to be a fairly decent actress, and a feminist at that. "The Burning Bed" was a cultural milestone. Even with all the fluff and glamour the TV series Charlies Angles was, in my view, empowering for women in it's own way at the time. Not that I watched past the Michael special, either...

And I agree about Jackson's music. Many of his albums are are perennial bestsellers because an awful lot of it is quite good. Against a huge disco backlash, "Off the Wall" pretty much singlehandely revied dance music once again for the next generation.


As a human being, of course, the abuse, exploition, and slander against him was unrelenting.

Rest in peace Micheal.

Yeah, too bad about Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. MJ had the biggest influence on me since I grew up on a lot of his music. Despite all the weirdness during his adult years... the dude was definitely an original and an innovator in his early years. I was shocked when I heard the news really that he had passed. A lot of my friends here couldn't believe it either, he was so hugely popular (and still is no doubt).

Iron Chef said:

Yeah, too bad about Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. MJ had the biggest influence on me since I grew up on a lot of his music. Despite all the weirdness during his adult years... the dude was definitely an original and an innovator in his early years. I was shocked when I heard the news really that he had passed. A lot of my friends here couldn't believe it either, he was so hugely popular (and still is no doubt).

Click to expand...

David Carradine and now Billy Mays (the OxyClean guy) as well have died.

It's really tragic, so many people who have had such a cultural impact.