1. Girl group bases style on Nikkei ups and downs
BY JUN HONGO
MAY 3, 2013
edited slightly from:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/05/03/national/girl-group-bases-style-on-nikkei-ups-and-downs/#at_pco=cfd-1.0
Kanon Mori, Yuki Sakura,
Hinako Kuroki and Jun
Amaki have been following
the Nikkei 225 stock average
obsessively since Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe took
office in December. The
oldest of the foursome is
Mori, but she is still only 23.
The youngest is Kuroki, 16
and still in high school. None
of them are studying for a degree in economics. Instead, the four are members of a new
idol group, Machikado Keiki Japan, and stocks play an important part in their
performances.
“We base our costumes on the price of the Nikkei average of the day. For example, when
the index falls below 10,000 points, we go on stage with really long skirts,” Mori explained.
The higher stocks rise, the shorter their dresses get. With the Nikkei index ending above
13,000, the four went without skirts altogether on the day of their interview with The
Japan Times, instead wearing only lacy shorts.
While some have raised eyebrows over the group’s daring concept, Mori explained that
they are merely letting the economy take charge of how they dress — mimicking economic
trends of the past. The miniskirt boom of the 1960s coincided with Japan’s strong
economic growth in the era, she pointed out. The disco boom of the late 1980s also saw
women dancing in short skirts in Tokyo discos as the Nikkei kept breaking record highs
until the collapse of the bubble economy ended its run above 38,000.
Machikado Keiki Japan (roughly translated as Economic Conditions on the Streets of
Japan) released their debut single, “Abeno Mix,” on April 7. It pays homage to Abe’s
ultraloose economic policies that have been dubbed “Abenomics” by the media.
1

2. “Fix the yen’s appreciation. Quantitative easing. Don’t forget public investment,” a line in
the dance-pop tune goes. “Monetary easing. Construction bonds. Let’s just revise the Bank
of Japan Law.”
The group’s fans — who not surprisingly are 95 percent male, from high school to their 50s
— have special chants that they perform during the song’s interlude.
“They yell out economic terms during our concerts, something like Shinzo Abe! Monetary
policy! Private investment!” Mori said.
Sakura, 20, a University of Tokyo student hopes that her group’s concept and
performances, as well as their music, can add to the positive domestic vibe that is
beginning to heat up. Stocks are at their highest in nearly five years after an Abenomics-
driven hammering of the yen and a newly compliant BOJ sent investors flocking to sure
bets in exporters. Abe also still enjoys a high support rate, although he won’t reveal his true
economic policies until June.
But Sakura warns that much more needs to be done for the public to be able to enjoy the
good economy.
“Previous administrations were overly conservative and couldn’t push forward huge
changes. We expect the administration to implement drastic changes that will stimulate
individual spending,” she said
“The image I have of the bubble economy in the ’90s . . . is people dancing around and
exposing their body,” said 17-year-old Amaki, who was born in 1995, well after the bubble
imploded. “I think Japan needs to seek strong economic growth, but it should be
sustainable,” she added.
Kuroki said she had no interest in economics before joining the group.
“But now I know what is going on whenever I check the news,” she said. “The idea of
having my skirts getting shorter surprised my mom, but she is very supportive today about
what I do.”
Much of Machikado Keiki Japan’s future remains uncertain at this point, just like the
economy. Members say they could call it quits if the Nikkei reaches a certain level, or if it
falls too low. But as an idol group, their eyes are set on cheering up their fans and maybe
even stimulating the market with their anthem and their performances.
“We don’t see AKB48 and other idol groups as our rivals,” Mori said.
“If I had to pick our rival, I’d say it is an economic depression.”
2

3. Source citation:
“Girl group bases style on Nikkei ups and downs.” Hongo, Jun. The Japan Times. May 3, 2013.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/05/03/national/girl-group-bases-style-on-nikkei-ups-and-
downs/#at_pco=cfd-1.0
Notes from article:
What / Who / How
★ 16-23 yr. girls’ band Machikado Keiki = “Economic Conditions on the Streets of Japan”)
★ singing about econ. /Abe’s “Abenomics” policies --> “Abeno Mix” (pun)
★ using econ. phrases in lyrics: “yen appreciation”, “public investment”, etc.
★ (even tho they had no interest in econ. until now)
★ gimmick => Nikkei stock prices ↑ --> skirt lengths ↑
★ some criticism, but doesn’t say who
Why / Why now?
★ want to “cheer up fans” and “maybe even stimulate the market”
★ TIMING:
★ stock prices => highest since ’08
★ Abe => high support
! ! => but his Abenomics policies are not clear yet
★ (accdng. to band members) mimicking fashion trends assoc. w/ previous economic booms
➡ 60s => miniskirts
➡ 80s (bubble) => short skirts
My opinion:
★ just a gimmick / a way to make money, taking advantage of the trendiness of “Abenomics”
★ seems very silly --> one member said her image of the bubble economy was “people dancing
around and exposing their bodies” --> very shallow, no understanding of what econ. really is

4. ★ Trying to sound smart ( .... how the administrations before this were “overly conservative” )
--> what are the repercussions of “talents” saying this ?? Shallow.
★ Her mom is really OK w/ this?
★ OTOH, anything that gets ppl interesting in news / econ / politics is a good thing?
Summary:
This article introduces a 4-girl singing group named Machikado Keiki (“Economic Conditions on
the Streets of Japan”), whose first single is called “Abeno Mix,” a pun on current PM Abe’s new
economic policies, which have been called “Abenomics” by the Japanese media.
The girls are young (late teens to early 20s) and previously had no interest in economics, but
their songs include economic terms. The reason they are in the news is because of their
gimmick: they announced that if the Nikkei stock prices go up, so will the length of their skirts.
They reasoned that in the past, when the economy was good, fashion changed and women wore
short skirts: it happened in the 60s and again in the disco craze of the 80s. They hope the same
thing will happen again.
Some have criticized their idea, although the article doesn’t say who. However, one member’s
mother seems to support them.
My opinion:
It seems like just a silly gimmick to me. It’s a way to make money, taking advantage of the fact
that the terms “Abenomics” seems to be very trendy now, even though it seems clear that they
may not really have an understanding of what his economic policy is. But neither do the rest of
us, as the article says that he hasn’t even clarified his policy and won’t until June.
When one member criticized previous governments for being “overly conservative”, she may be
right, but does she realize how difficult it is for administrations to make significant policy
changes, especially when there is so much in-fighting? And anyway, I don’t believe their fans
really care about anything except how short their skirts are. They could be singing about cats
and dogs, and it probably wouldn’t make much difference. What’s wrong with their parents,
though? It feels like they are sexualizing their daughters to make money.
On the other hand, if a group like this actually gets anyone interested in learning more about
Abe’s policies, history, and the current state of the economy, I’ll support them too. I just wish they
didn’t have to make it about sex appeal. Are we really so shallow?

5. Questions (CQ and RQ)
✓ What is “quantitative easing”? What are some examples from the past?
✓ What are “construction bonds”?
✓ What has Abe actually said in regard to his “Abenomics” policies, and how much is it just the
media putting words in his mouth?
✓ What have economics experts said recently about Abenomics?
✓ Why is Abe waiting until June to “reveal his true” policies?
✓ What does the DJP say about Abenomics?
Discussion Questions (DQ)
Do you ever talk to your parents about economics? Have they talked about what it was like in
the late 80s / early 90s before the bubble burst?
Do you feel like the economy is bad? Good? Getting better or worse? How does it affect your
daily life?
What is your understanding about what “Abenomics” is?
Do you like any of the “idol” groups? Who and why?
Do you think groups like AKB48 or the K-pop girl bands rely too much on their sexuality? How
about female singers from other countries? Do they do the same thing? To what end? And
how about boy bands like Exile?
Why do you think the trend in J-pop and K-pop now seems to be multi-member groups?
Do you think this group will be a “one hit wonder” or will they have staying power? Will they
inspire a new trend?
Do you think a story like this makes Japan look bad or good? If you think it makes Japan look
bad, what would you do to try to change the image for the better?
If I were to continue this general topic, what would my next search terms be?
- “the 80s economy and fashion”
- “the 60s economy and fashion”
- “Abenomics details”
- “age of consent in Japan / definition of pornography in Japan”

6. Vocabulary / Language structures
word / structure found in this context meaning examples
raised eyebrows
“While some have raised
eyebrows over the
group’s daring
concept ...”
means that people
think it’s strange or
inappropriate
When I told my mother I was
going to get my nose
pierced, she raised her
eyebrows and said, “Over
my dead body!”
daring concept (see above)
a courageous or
unusual or risk-taking
idea
I was talking to my colleague
about the idea of changing
the educational system to
stop focusing so much on
grammar & translation, and
he said, “It’s a daring
concept, and I don’t think it
will be so easy to change the
system.”
“the ....er (Noun
+ Verb), the ....er
(Noun + become)”
“The higher stocks rise,
the shorter their dresses
get.”
When A happens, then
B also happens.
The hotter it gets outside, the
colder the trains become. It’s
too extreme!
to play an
important part
(with “in”)
“...stocks play an
important part in their
performances.”
It’s important / a key
part / vital
I think that communication
should play an important
part in language education,
but unfortunately, too many
schools just focus on
memorizing grammar,
translating, and taking test.
pay homage to
“It (their single ‘Abeno
Mix’) pays homage to
Abe’s ultraloose economic
policies that have been
dubbed ‘Abenomics’ by
the media.”
It means “show respect
for” by naming
something after
someone or doing
something highly
influenced by that
person. / To dedicate
something to someone
In Obama’s 2008 acceptance
speech, he paid homage to
MLK because his election
showed that MLK’s “dream”
had, in part, come true.