Hey! Say! JUMP make international news, sorta

In a follow up piece about a stampede in Harajuku's famous Takeshita Street (or Takeshita-doori in Japanese) Hey! Say! JUMP has been brought up as the group that may have been the cause of the incident. It is mentioned in this CNN GO article that when the news reports initially came out they claimed it was a rumor about HSJ doing some kind of free concert in Harajuku that caused the street to crowd so much but by the end of the day the group being reported for the cause changed to AKB48, a popular female idol group.

I think I'm most amazed by the fact that the article actually seems accurate, something news reports outside of Japan rarely are when it comes to covering Japanese celebrities. I think the greatest mistake they make about HSJ is saying they have had singles not do well in sales, which of course isn't true as all their singles have been number ones and charted well on the yearly charts.

I have to agree with the article that it is likely Johnny's might have done something to make the news change their report to drop HSJ's name. For Japanese idols the only promotion that they can get is good promotion or things can quickly sour on them and end careers. And from the information about the stampede it would make much more sense for a male idol group to be the cause as AKB48 attract mainly male otaku not teenage girls.

I have to say the rumor seems rather hard to believe. Even when Johnny's does something for free like an appearance it's hardly impromptu and would be in a much better spot than a street that is regularly crowded. I think the Tokyo Dome City winter illumination event from last year is a good example of how free public appearances are handled by Johnny's. But even so I can see younger fans falling for the rumors. Not to say they aren't bright enough to figure out that such a thing is not likely but I don't think many have followed Johnny's or paid enough attention to how the agency runs things to realize that things don't add up with a rumor like that.

Hopefully the Japanese fans have learned their lesson in any case and will question rumors a bit more so such chaos doesn't happen again. As it could have been much worse when it comes to stampedes, especially in such cramped places such as Takeshita Street.