Hamasaki Ayumi and Avex face investigation by Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department

[Polyrhythm]

So Japan wants to persecute one of one of its only significant resources Shame on them...

[taskinillusion]

Oh how stupid! Get over it, Japan! YOU created her to be the huge star that she is!

[Ayumiko]

The event itself (with the tent set up and everything) was ok right? Ayu got in crap coz she showed up and walked around? wow...

[dreamland2.0]

This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard!!
They really don't have anything better to do, than fine famous people, because their fans get too rowdy!???

[ren'ai]

Omg that is so silly!! She should be allowed to go wherever she wants, not ask for permission!
And why are they bringing this up now? It all went well didn't it? She should just be told for future events etc.. jeez

[Chef+Vanny]

I dont really get it
why should she ask for permission...its the fans that's crazy chasing her around
anyway...prison sentence nono!

[shineestar]

dont know what to say about this :| hope everything gets resolved~

[ArchangelLegend]

"In Shibuya? Heehaw. I should be allowed to move where I want, without having to submit an application specifically for this," she said, smiling.

What?! The investigation was an unintended consequence of her actions and Ayu should know better. Yet even after this, she cutely continues acting she can do whatever she wants regardless of what law that can possibly be broken. I would have prefered her to apologize and learn from her actions and simply pay the fine. She should have known that there can very possibly and probably be "chaos" on the streets. Overall, I still don't see this as a big deal.

Regardless, this is just plain stupid news. It's just about some road traffic law, and it gets violated everyday anyway. It's only on the media because it's Ayu, so people will be interested in it. There are probably more serious news out there in Japan that could have been covered, but knowing the audiences' interests, they might as well cover Ayu's petty traffic fine that I might be able to pay off.

Anyway I always wanted to say this that's not out of randomness - Ayu you naughty naughty girl!!!

[maikaru]

Originally Posted by ArchangelLegend

What?! The investigation was an unintended consequence of her actions and Ayu should know better. Yet even after this, she cutely continues acting she can do whatever she wants regardless of what law that can possibly be broken. I would have prefered her to apologize and learn from her actions and simply pay the fine. She should have known that there can very possibly and probably be "chaos" on the streets. Overall, I still don't see this as a big deal.

Regardless, this is just plain stupid news. It's just about some road traffic law, and it gets violated everyday anyway. It's only on the media because it's Ayu, so people will be interested in it. There are probably more serious news out there in Japan that could have been covered, but knowing the audiences' interests, they might as well cover Ayu's petty traffic fine that I might be able to pay off.

Anyway I always wanted to say this that's not out of randomness - Ayu you naughty naughty girl!!!

Her sentence is translated in english a bit rudely, but I agree with her 100%.
I do not buy some crap other people are saying in this thread about being famous, etc.
Tell me again when it became illegal to walk into stores?
Tell me again when it became illegal to walk the streets?
Regardless who you are, you have the same rights as anyone else, and it cannot be taken away.

Just because she is a famous celebrity, doesn't mean she must mind her own business, and live in a prison.
Let's impose the same limits upon the people who say that because she is a famous person she must go through this, and see how long you could survive.
How about lets fine you guys for walking through the streets of your own city.

I dont think she should apologize at all for what happened.
I wouldnt want to have the same restrictions on myself, so I dont wish for her to apologize for her freedom.
I would rather her popularity drop thousands of points than apologize for exercising her right to freedom.

[ImpactBreaker]

Originally Posted by maikaru

How about lets fine you guys for walking through the streets of your own city.

I'm not a famous star that draws crowds of peoples, so this comparison makes no sense to me. However, if i gather together a lot of people and make a riot that blocks the streets with no further permission, I'll actually be recived with smoke bombs and some hard beating from the police. People keep on comparing how would it feel to be on ayu shoes...We aren't celebrities like she is. That's the one and huge difference about it. If you think celebrities get the same treatment and have lives exactly as regular people in this world, maybe it's time for a reality check to really know there's a real life out there, instead of only reading artists pre-produced blogs and thinking life revolves around those.

Originally Posted by maikaru

I wouldnt want to have the same restrictions on myself, so I dont wish for her to apologize for her freedom.

You aren't a celebrity And the concept of "freedom" is relative. ayu doesn't have the right for having the freedom of taking people's right of passing/driving through the streets like making a crazy appearance causing twisted fans to block the traffic.

[emi♡]

Originally Posted by ImpactBreaker

You aren't a celebrity And the concept of "freedom" is relative. ayu doesn't have the right for having the freedom of taking people's right of passing/driving through the streets like making a crazy appearance causing twisted fans to block the traffic.

Exactly. Which she knows and has always understood.

Which makes it most likely that she had her staff check for her first before she went anywhere.

Which means that it's their fault for telling her she had the okay, and now her being in trouble for it.

Of course she recognizes these charges as totally ridiculous...and so I'm hoping perhaps she won't fire anyone...but like I've said...I highly doubt it.


None of the rest of the details even matter because when it comes down to it, Ayu does in fact need permission to go places, which is in the hands of her staff. She asks them "can we do it" they check and say yes or no.

She doesn't know any different. What she does has always been in other peoples hands...now how she acts about it, is another thing...we don't know if she's difficult, or makes a fuss...or if she's passive...or what...

So I mean...if they said no, and she gave them a hard time and stormed out or something marching to the stores...I mean, that's different...then it is on her.

[ArchangelLegend]

Originally Posted by maikaru

Regardless who you are, you have the same rights as anyone else, and it cannot be taken away.

This is not about equal rights. This is about her and the effects of what can happen when a popular celebrity starts bringing a lot of attention to herself on the public streets. Any celebrity should have the responsibility to notify what they intend to do so others can prepare especially if there's going to be road blocks. That way the police, medical personal, or firemen can plan accordingly in case of an emergency. This is a smart thing, Ayu will look very bad if someone didn't get to the hospital on time because she wanted to promote her book.

People may have the same rights, but everyone has different responsibilties. Ayu should know better. Most people don't have that responsibilty so they can freely walk whereever they want. Ayu cannot or should not, so I strongly disagree with what she said. I encourage everyone else to disagree with her statement because it's healthy, that shows we are concern for her public image, but more importantly, the safety of others.

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by ArchangelLegend

This is not about equal rights. This is about her and the effects of what can happen when a popular celebrity starts bringing a lot of attention to herself on the public streets. Any celebrity should have the responsibility to notify what they intend to do so others can prepare especially if there's going to be road blocks. That way the police, medical personal, or firemen can plan accordingly in case of an emergency. This is a smart thing, Ayu will look very bad if someone didn't get to the hospital on time because she wanted to promote her book.

People may have the same rights, but everyone has different responsibilties. Ayu should know better. Most people don't have that responsibilty so they can freely walk whereever they want. Ayu cannot or should not, so I strongly disagree with what she said. I encourage everyone else to disagree with her statement because it's healthy, that shows we are concern for her public image, but more importantly, the safety of others.

I agree with half of the things you and Impackbreaker said.
First since what she said is translated from 3 languages it could be lost in translation.
Secondly if this is what she said she was sure that the permission was given.
It's not in her own responsibility to ask for it. Accroding to what she said she most likely told that there was a given permission and was instructed to go to that event normally. That's why the blame shouldn't go to her. Her job was to simply go there a promote it, asking for permission is a staff of her company job and to make sure it's given.
That's why I don't jump to disagree with what she said.

I agree with the safety of the people is the most important thing in the whole issue. Still, we can't blame it on her. She did her job going to promote the book and as she said in the statement she was noticed that there was a permission and that she could go normally (things were taken care of) and to go there normally. If there wasn't a permission it was the company's responsibility to cancel the whole event because the permission wasn't given.
It's not ok at all to threat safety of others, but it's not her fault and I don't think the statement is that unresponsible sounding. She did say she was told things were taken care of in that matter, and she herself shouldn't ask for the permission and be responsible for those issues, it's not her job.
You could say she was kind of "decieved" while she wasn't literally.

[Namie]

Originally Posted by ArchangelLegend

This is not about equal rights. This is about her and the effects of what can happen when a popular celebrity starts bringing a lot of attention to herself on the public streets. Any celebrity should have the responsibility to notify what they intend to do so others can prepare especially if there's going to be road blocks. That way the police, medical personal, or firemen can plan accordingly in case of an emergency. This is a smart thing, Ayu will look very bad if someone didn't get to the hospital on time because she wanted to promote her book.

People may have the same rights, but everyone has different responsibilties. Ayu should know better. Most people don't have that responsibilty so they can freely walk whereever they want. Ayu cannot or should not, so I strongly disagree with what she said. I encourage everyone else to disagree with her statement because it's healthy, that shows we are concern for her public image, but more importantly, the safety of others.

Amen to that

[kumi duff]

OMG! wow so weird...
thanks 0_0

[Bigtop]

Uh-oh...

This seems to be bad here...

[evolution7931]

LOL that's stupid

[teamMessAge]

The government is a little out of control on this one. I think that Shibuya is a crowded place anyway, and a person should be allowed to walk on the streets without permission like she said. And if the fans don't have enough sense to stay out of the road, maybe they should be hit. (Okay, that was a little extreme. They should just be careful.)

I think Ayu handled it well and hopefully this incident will raise album and book sales!

[panda♥]

Just shows people will do what they can to get money, whether it be the police or not.

[Bad Wolf]

Originally Posted by panda♥

Just shows people will do what they can to get money, whether it be the police or not.

. Sad, isn't it? This whole situation is so damn stupid, too.