Seeing that relations between China and Japan are at an all-time low with all the kerfuffle about the Senkaku Islands, is it a wise move by Aki-P to send two AKB48 members to Shanghai where they could be subjected to abuse and violence against them? We’ve all seen the violent ugly outbursts that has happened in various cities over the past couple of months with Japanese businesses and people attacked. There’s no doubt in my mind that Sae and Mariya will get some kind of abuse by the Chinese nationalists. It’s gonna be like a red rag to some of them if they know some famous Japanese idols are living in Shanghai. I fear for the safety of the two girls I really do. I thought that Aki-P would have at least delayed their transfer. I wonder if the two girls are apprehensive about going? I read that Sae had her farewell party the other night with Team K and said that going to China would give her a chance to do things she wouldn’t be able to do in Japan. It makes me wonder if any of the SNH members harbour any hatred of Japan inside them – how will they feel seeing Sae and Mariya amongst them? I do hope they’ll get some proper protection. Thankfully this transfer is only going to last between 6 months and 1 year.
Sae/Mariya – please be careful and look after yourselves. I wish both of you the best of luck in Shanghai.
Also well done to Sasshi for her 2nd no.1 single. Although sales figures were down compared to Soredemo Suki Da Yo, she still beat KARA by 10k to secure the top spot.
I’m also loving the new AKB48 single Uza. It’s the best thing they’ve released this year.
IXA Ready - Fist On! 
[…] Is It Wise To Send Sae & Mariyannu To China? – IXA Ready Expressing concerns about how these idols may be caught in political conflict. […]
The anti-Japanese protests in China ebbs and flows. The same thing happened around a decade ago with the textbook controversies, and that eventually died down, and this latest drama is also showing signs of pacifying. I presume the 48 girls will be protected by their handlers, and won’t be thrown into the countryside while wearing the rising sun flag. Shanghai is an international metropolis with many foreigners living there, including a pretty significant Japanese population. There’s definitely going to be some abuse in store for the girls, especially by Chinese netizens, but I doubt it’s going to become a lot more extreme than what the Chinese girls in Morning Musume endured from Japanese nationalists when they were in Japan. Unless of course, China and Japan actually go to war over those islands, but that’s a highly unlikely outcome.