Japanese Idol Fined 650,000 yen for breaking love ban rule. Should AKB48 worry?

Here's the New York Daily News' take on the story, complete with a large headline photo of Miichan with her shaved head, and in their second photo they've used a picture of Nogizaka46 to illustrate AKB48.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wor...r-fined-bringing-fans-hotel-article-1.2370879

 

Well I understand why they bring up AKB by way of illustration and I understand why they would confuse Nogizaka with AKB.

 

Miichan shaving her hair was literally the 9/11 of armchair feminists. 10 years later you'll probably still have them bringing that up outside of any context.
NEVER FORGET THE FALLEN HAIR OK PRAISE JESUS

Also I can't help but find ridiculous the part about "a similar controversy" (except neither of these cases have anything in common, both in circumstances and consequences, but I bet someone will end up believing so anyway) and translating "交際禁止ルール" as "celibacy clause" for extra scaremongering.

At least they admitted to the fact that it wasn't simple a "date with a boyfriend" and that the "fine" was basically asking back the money for lessons and lodging expenses, something that the other examples of foreign articles were carefully omitting from their reports because *agendas*.

 

Japanese people's comments must be very dry if they ever cared enough to talk about purity ring.

 

The funniest thing is that when something happen western media blows up with some funny headlines

Remember the akbingo episode with the cicada blowing tube? It was seen everywhere in western media, and peoples response was like "wtf is wrong with Japan"
This gives the exact same response. Including human rights violations etc etc.

 

Not surprising at all, though. Internet forums/blogs, social media, and even many proper media outlets aren't really conducive to in-depth discussions. They offer simple easily digestible information for those who aren't interested in more meaningful discussion and analysis. So what you're left with usually gets reduced to an echo chamber for the same sensationalism, propaganda, and manufactured outrage. It's not worth taking too seriously and getting dragged down into that ignorance abyss.

And on that note, I'm off to watch some cute idols be silly and make me smile!

 

Same as this one. People overreacted to this episode of "EbiSho!" WAY too hard that it even appeared on big social media sites like worldstar.

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhs1dqOjETmGxchAhF

 

can't believe they reacted like that on the AKBINGO episode lol, and yet no one said wtf is wrong with america when they watched jacka$$ or fear factor for the matter. eating a cow's genital.

and back on topic. if it's stated on the idol's contract that dating is prohibited and she signed it then of course it's her responsibility to follow the rules or suffer the penalty though I'm not saying it's right to blamed her for the disbandment of her idol group and fined her with that big amount of money for all we know there might be a bigger problem that group is facing and she was just use as a scapegoat.

 

Am I the only one who wonders which group they are talking about? Are there any hints out there to know what company it was represented by, etc?

 

The article I quoted in post #32 names the group allegedly involved.

 

Ohhh, it'd make sense. The website is defunct and everything (though it disbanded in June?). Very interesting and kind of sad for the other girls .

 

This Ameblo post is so far the only piece of evidence to "prove" that it's that one group.

http://ameblo.jp/moyu-hatakeyama/entry-11640793137.html

The dates of debut and breakup do match with the Nikkan article, actually.

 

What entertainment act doesn't do this? All of entertainment is basically trying to sell you some delusion in place of actually trying to make a meaningful connection with another human being. That's part of the reason why entertainment is so popular - all the benefits of human interaction, with none of the downsides.

 

No not all entertainment

 

I actually wrote an essay about AKB and their "love-ban" and I remember reading great articles written by Japanese-sociologists about the Love-ban rule and how it actually is against human-right codes/violations. U cannot sign away your freedom of "love". As weird as that sounds, it's just not possible. Owning someone's body is illegal and therefore owning someone's ability to "love" is illegal too (under Human rights, but there are many countries that are against women openly dating whomever they want and of course LGBT people in general; and there are laws that can hurt you).

I can see this case being a big mess or just a mistake. She was a minor and will be judged as a minor since the contract was signed as she was not of legal-adult age (also, who signed that contract? Cause minors can't, correct?). I, personally, would love to be in that court room. I think, if it goes far enough, her lawyer can really make a grand statement about the Idol-world and how no love-ban should exist. If one chooses to abstain themselves, they have the right to do that, but to forbid someone from experiencing an everyday human-event, then we're really getting into the dirty-ness of the idol-world. IDK if it'll go to trial...seems a little "reaching" since it should be settled. Maybe she shouldn't pay the full fine. Maybe just half/a quarter; like does she even have the money to give? Also, this company putting that in their contracts is shady af. Can u imagine signing something that forbids u from any experience of love/human-sexual nature? That is not allowed in any job (u may not be able to date a co-worker tho).

U can talk to the idols and explain why they shouldn't. And yes, maybe it's best they leave the group if the fans get that pressed that their "precious" idol does what they do (sex, dating, etc...), but I never see it that way. I do think if u put that image out there urself, maybe it really is better u don't date. Like ex-MM member Sayumi. She was really into her idol-life. She did not think dating was suitable and I agreed with her. It's even weird calling it a "Scandal". It's not lol. It's literally human-nature. We're really in a conflicted situation, I find. If it was written in the contract then it's really a weird legal issue with a minor who was just dating/having sex with someone/people. I think there's a reason why it's a social thing cause you can't forbid someone from dating? IDK Japan's law all to well, but that judge agreeing to this is fishy.

But this is really interesting. Sad, but interesting. It's such a social taboo to date as an idol (IDK about sex tho? That's probably a different topic), but it's not an illegal thing. I've never heard of an idol being sued for this...cause I can't imagine a company actually adding it into their contracts...seems ridiculous to make it a legal issue. I don't even remember Kago Ai being sued by H!P? Did she? I don't remember. And her's was pretty big lol - sorry for the long msg, I'm just so fascinated by this now lol.

 

Well, I guess she was sued because she somehow caused the group to disband. So unless an AKB member's scandal causes the entire 48g to stop existing, I don't think we'll have a problem with this

I don't mind the love-ban rule at all, if you wan't to join a certain industry and you know beforehand that such a rule exists, then you should get punished for breaking it. If you want to disagree with that rule, then don't join that industry. No matter if the rule is stupid or not, it's not a difficult concept to grasp: if you join, you follow the rules. For any job. Even a 12 year old knows this, it is no secret at all. So if you say a 12 year old unwillingly signed this contract without realizing what they were signing away, and then now as a 16 year old she wants to date and be a "normal kid", then she can graduate. And go to school, date, study, join clubs... just like any other 16yo girl in Japan. Idols aren't slaves, you can leave whenever you want lol

The only problem I see is if you joined and then after you all joined, they create such a rule, then you can say something against it.

BTW, love bans exist in other high school things in japan too you know. My roommate in school was studying abroad from Japan. In high school he was in the swim team and the soccer team. Both of them didn't allow relationships because they were super serious about competing in prefecture/nationally. He hated it, and he said he could understand idols feelings. But he also said that they were the rules and he knew them before getting into it so he would follow them or stop.

edit: That's a pretty badly written poll... I didn't realize when I voted you wrote "should accept any form of punishment". It'd be much better if you just write "should accept their punishment".

 

I'm definitely not dismissing the fact that the rule does exist, but it cannot be done via legal measures. Using ur example: nowhere is it stated that they cannot date legally, but it's just a rule. So, if they do that, they are entitled to that right. In this case, they literally signed off their right to "love", which is not allowed (via Human Rights, u know). I think it makes things a lot messier and should never be done via legal measures...it infringes on several things and is really debatable especially when it comes down to such jobs like Idols.

 

I guess you can say that you can't legally put it in a contract. But then you have to take into account that this would be enforceable even without a contract in Japan. Why? Because Japanese personalities. It is such a huge part of Japanese culture/personality that you don't break rules, in order to not bother others, that even an unstated rule (contractually unstated) would be followed just because that's what you do. If you've lived in Japan, you see this everyday. Most people just don't break rules. They don't litter, they don't talk on phones in trains, they don't cut in line .... there are so many examples, but I always tell my friends this one:

Spoiler

One day I was walking on a sidewalk and came up to an alleyway that ended at a road, and had a stoplight at the intersection with the road. The light was red, so you shouldn't cross. But since it was an alleyway, not a road, you could literally cross it in 2-3 steps. I mean I could've literally jumped to the other side. There were no cars at all, literally zero danger, and yet there were about ~5-10 people on each side of the crosswalk, just waiting for the light to turn green so they cross. Because (I guess) they didn't want to break a rule, even though there was zero chance of getting caught. I couldn't believe my eyes. But even me, not wanting them to think bad of me, I stayed and waited with everyone else. I would have never done this in America, and nobody else I know would either lol.

Sure not everybody will follow rules, and people litter, smoke/drink underage, do bad things. But if you're trying to be an idol, you will go out of your way to appear as if you don't do anything bad. Especially something that can harm those around you/your group. Thus it doesn't even need to be in a contract to be followed/punished. Japan is really different. People will give up many personal rights/individualism in order to make the group function better/have a better atmosphere. Even if they have the right to date legally, they won't (or they'll be super secret about it) and they can get punished (i.e. nobody will really white-knight for them) because it's what they are supposed to do.

I think that is the biggest point of contention whenever these things come up, is that most westerners just can't understand how you can give up/be expected to give up your personal rights for others' benefits, where that's innately part of Japanese culture. Anyway, that's my take on this after having lived there for a couple years.

Sorry for the long post lol

 

Quote us the section of the Human Rights legislation that you are basing this assertion on.

 

True. We break rules all the time. Jay-walking, people who smoke weed in places that Weed is not legal lol, underage drinking, smoking, gambling, and many more. I like their mentality, but I think it's a little sheep-ish too. No one place is perfect of course, but live a little lol.

But this case is definitely overboard. Rules are not always the same as the law, so I wished it was never stated in this idol's contract cause I just feel like "love" is one of those things that are impossible to control. I think I like the way the 48-family has been handling those situations. Really puts into perspective that it really doesn't matter...just don't get caught lolol~

Chapter H.19, if u wanna be super specific, but this case would just be under "Driscimination" - just as if she was being denied the right to express her affection for someone publicly (like LGBT people; sexual orientation discrimination, contract discrimination - especially since she was a minor, possibly sexual harassment if u wanna take it a step further - not allowing an idol to express love and forcing them to please their fans via fanservice can be classified as sexual harassment, but who knows if that can be a winnable case).

Human Rights can be specific - and since I am not a lawyer, nor am I in Law-school - this is my basic information and Chapter H.19 would probably be used for this case if it was brought into trial under Human Rights violation. I would love to be more specific, but not my field of expertise. Also, H.19 covers discrimination for anyone under 18 as well (but not every country follows the Adult = 18 rule, so I may be remembering Ontario Human Rights code since I am from Ontario lol.

Also, under Article 14 under Japan's constitution state: "All of the people are equal under the law and there shall be no discrimination in political, economic or social relations because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin." Which is funny cause sexual orientation isn't involved and gosh does that bother me. Sorry, side-note. Article 17 is what this company is using to sue the idol-girl. Essentially not doing what the contract entails, but there are more Articles under the constitution that would counter an "Idols" job. Like Article 25: "All people shall have the right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living." Aren't idols human too? It's a tricky business we're getting into if we put the Idols' job into the law. That's probably why companies do not put "No dating/falling in love" in their contracts cause it's not a simple issue.

EDIT: This was a translation, so like, if u know Japanese and could read their constitution, i'm sure the meaning might be different. Sorry, forgot to mention that. I'm sure that one AKB member (Natsuki?) who knows the constitution would be better at this lol

EDIT: I found this one to be really interesting. Article 31: "No person shall be deprived of life or liberty, nor shall any other criminal penalty be imposed, except according to procedure established by law." I feel like that could be used against her case too. U really gotta word it to suit ur case, u know.