Censorship by the increasingly militaristic government continued through the 1930's and World War II, although its guidelines were largely ignored. The US occupation temporarily banned pre-1945 films and clamped down on the sword-wielding jidai-geki. But after control of the movie industry was handed over to the independent Motion Picture Code Committee in 1949, they soon came back in force.

Sayaka Ando - Japanese Hot Idol

In the 1970s, idols had an aura of mystique that left much of their lifestyles secret. Their public and "private" lives were carefully orchestrated—they always appeared perfect in all situations and seemed to enjoy a lavish lifestyle that most Japanese could only dream about. In reality, however, they were placed under continuous surveillance by their promoters and were unable to enjoy the private lives invented for them. Their pay was surprisingly low. They were often overworked and even if their songs sold well most of the money went to the musicians and writers. Fans had few opportunities to see them beyond a few minutes on TV or radio and it was difficult to share their interests. Magazines were the best source for information and many idols had an official fan club that periodically mailed what little information could be released.

The culture of Japanese idols has changed over the years and it is questionable whether past idols would have the same amount of success if given the same opportunity today. Most of those called idols have sung songs that would fit J-Pop and they are generally pretty, cute, or fresh-faced, if not beautiful. However, there are exceptions to the norm.

Nana-mi Kuroki - Japanese Hot Babe

The potential is clearly massive. In Japan, graphic novels have been a major part of society since the late 1940s, and the art form has become a key export to countries both in Asia and the West. But while printed books are costly to translate and distribute, digital propagation could make manga's influence practically limitless. Takarajima Wondernet already has fledgling plans to offer its stories to mobile phone users in the United States or around Asia once it finds partners in those countries, and faces relatively low costs to do so. In addition, it will be easier to tweak the digital content to suit foreign users.

JTG is an international broker of technology-based intellectual property, serving as a link between U.S. companies and untapped, promising Japanese innovations. The company provides access to a wide pool of technology sources in Japan, including government, academic, and private research centers, and also provides legal and communications support as well. Our mission is to promote, foster, and add value to transpacific technology transfers between Japan and the United States.