lol there's people wondering where the error is in all this... Anyone can go anywhere, but for ayu is simply not safe without prior arrangements. Can't believe her staff just said okay go ahead. If she randomly popped up at my university, everyone'd totally flip out, squee, make pics, hold her hands, hug her and whatnot. She'd be totally harrassed!

Of coarse the office of Team Ayu needs to save her public image. I would say the same thing and they will try to focus the blame on other people. Though I'm glad she will not be prosecuted, but it is really an unintended consequence of her actions. She's an adult and already been through these kind of procedures before, so placing full blame on someone else is just wrong and I don't want to see anyone get fired.

Now I wonder if her book sold more since it was pretty much advertised on major news networks and newspapers. OMG maybe it's a conspiracy!!!

Now you're just making up excuses for what you said before. Sad.

But still, -yawn-.

I'm sorry, but I DO NOT think that it's up to Ayu to get the applications for this kind of event, it's up to her PR/Management team to do that sort of thing. So I am glad to hear Ayu herself is not going to be involved in this. She really does need to get better people on her team, if things like this keep happening.

Since you like to call them that, these "excuses" are the same as I said before. I said nothing new. Reread what I said, it's the same thing. And why do you say that like you don't want me to care about Ayu's image? Also, I rather have you talk about what I said, not at me personally.

If they're apologizing, it proves that the police is right in investigating this incident and trying to find whoever was to be blamed on this. The lack of planning could even have put ayu's life in danger, so it surprises me how fans get so touchy over the subject, thinking this was something to be overlooked. The police is not the one blowing this out of proportion, they're just investigating the matter because it indeed caused an issue. The media and ayu's sensitive fans are the ones blowing this out of proportion, the first by putting it stamped all over (but then, really, she's a celebrity so it's expected that media can work like a double edged knife), and the latter by saying this is being taking too far. ayu's reply was also sort of inconsiderate and up to misinterpretation, egoistically disdaining a public interest decision as if her egoistical needs are more important than other people's rights. She should be more careful before making public speeches (she has a brain after all and shouldn't let her diva moments get all control of her vocal chords), or else she might hurt her career like koda kumi did. Oh but "that's how ayu is", yeah, but that's how koda was, and now she can barely sell a spoon with her name (before that, all >35 yo women were naming their babies "kuu" :laugh)

Because this has nothing to do with Ayu's image really. Anyone in Japan got information on what people are feeling?

"Eh? Who cares!?"

I wonder what FRIDAY's source is since, Ayu probably knows better than to speak directly with one of the most infamous tabloids ever. Out of context maybe?

All I know is that no matter how much you say that this is going to affect Ayu/how much Ayu is wrong, it's not going to make it true.

^ exactly. She didn't do anything which could hurt her image in any way. And why are people still discussing this matter? The TA msg should be more than enough to prove that the woman didn't do anything wrong nor for that matter offended anyone in any way.

thanks for the news!
:yatta:shimmy:syesyes:bshake
this was all so ridiculous!

Well, first, this whole issue brings a negative light over "ayumi hamasaki". You can't say I'm wrong here, because that's EXACTLY what the Team Ayu management is doing, saying that ayu is not to be blamed on this "negative" issue, otherwoiise they would have just shut up and let this isuue die. The tabloids pick this negative news and add hamasaki ayumi's name. The casual reader could just associate ayu with the negative event, even if the fault was from her management (and the reason why they're sweating now to take ayu's name out of it, because they don't want to get her name stained). And then she doesn't help much, saying whatever she wants, questioning the police decision saying she is free to do anything she wants. Maybe this wont really hurt her image much, but she should be more careful next time. Verbal diarrhea doesn't match a person who has a strong public image.

Which is why I suspect that the FRIDAY publication took her words out of context. They're a tabloid! Anything to sell papers. Ruining people's lives especially.

But meh. In the long run, this really doesn't matter. Just like how the ~disabled audience member who was really Ayu's friend~ story "hurt her image" but really it was load of bull.

The TA message is proof that it's the other way around, otherwise that message wouldn't exist. It is about her image. That's why the media is picking up on this and making it into a big deal (which it shouldn't). I'm not talking about the tabloids either, I'm talking about the normal news and newspapers. The media will make controversy out of anything especially when a celebrity is involved.

For the case of Ayu, I know she does not mean any harm, but she should be more professional when talking in public because it not only effects herself, but her company and others as well. If it's just about herself, that's fine I'd prefer her to say anything she wants. But if it involves others, she has a greater responsibility. Either way, I wish Ayu the best.

The TA message is them acknowledging this. What do you expect them to do? Not post something? In any case, anything they do is lose-lose in your scenario.. -sigh-

Like I said, probably out of context. FRIDAY needs juicy materials. I don't even get how they got the ~interview~ with Ayu..

It is only natural that they admit they should've payed more attention to organizing the event. People here are making bigger deal out of this than the Japanese medias, what she said will not hurt her image in any way (considering many here thought Rule x DBE would ruin her it's safe to say that this won't). She didn't offend anyone nor had shown any kind of disrespect. So I can't see how possibly can this hurt her image.

Yes, it is a lose-lose scenario. It's that way because her image been "tainted" already. And I expect them to continue doing what they doing knowing they will be criticized for it. But that's their best option.

Yes, the media is out of context. That doesn't make Ayu any more better off (I'm just saying Ayu should know better when handling this situation). But yes, a lot of us are saying that the media is making a simple scenario controversial because she is a celebrity. That's one of the first things I've pointed out before.

But what if they were asking her about causing people to get excited by going to record stores? There's no way to 100% know if FRIDAY was being ~truthful~ in their reporting.

Please. Her image is about as tainted as when that "handicapped" audience member was 'told to stand up'. Meh, Ayu probably doesn't have much to say about this because it's quite RIDONKULOUS. It's lose-lose in your scenario because no matter what happens, you're the one who is "right".

What do people expect her to do? Have a teary apology for taking a stroll?

That's why I like Ayu, she does not do that. Though that's not why her image is at stake, it's because, like many other humans, she can be shallow. She didn't seem to recognize the safety issues involved. To many of us, her image is great. I think so. But I'm worried that the media will influence some people to view Ayu in a negative way.

lmao ia. :roflmao

I don't think we even know how Japan feels about this. Perhaps someone can enlighten us on whether or not people give a hoot?