Activism
By Amanda Liaw
Part of examining the role of activism in Asia, particularly within a sociocultural and political context, involves looking at a working definition of activism that considers the potential for it to mobilize social and political change under an Asian, often paternalistic, form of government. Key to this discussion is the acknowledgement that not all activism is necessarily political in nature, at least not with the assumption that to be political is to actively demand or motivate a change in the existing political structure. While this was the focal point of Scholarism and the Occupy Central movement in Hong Kong, which could fall under the broader category of grassroots activism, the form of activism that emerged in Japan following the 3.11 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster had an entirely different intent that was largely apolitical in nature. In this specific instance, where activism was borne of the idol culture that was already a staple in Japanese society, the call to action was more of a way for idols and fans to unite - a notion that also bears connotations for understanding the ethical and political systems of Japan, and the identity it constructs as a nation.
The documentary Tokyo Idols explains idol culture as a phenomenon that draws largely middle-aged Japanese men to young, innocent girls whose public personas perform an act of service for them by offering solace, familiarity, and inspiration to those who might otherwise be lonely. Within such a subculture, defined as such because these fandoms are not considered part of mainstream society, there already exist multiple nuances with regards to the blurred lines between these idols' persons and personas, as well as the boundaries of any idol-fan intimacy that are shaped by the relationship's own transactional nature. While, on the surface, it might be tempting to dismiss this community as problematic, the wake of the 3.11 incident has shown that not only is idol culture rooted in, and reflective of, anxieties underpinning Japanese society as a whole, but that idols are also influential social tools that can be employed by the state to incite action. The collectivist culture present in most Asian societies, and especially Japan, informed much of the values being touted by idol groups like AKB48, which included universal truisms such as "we should help others".
However, it is necessary to distinguish here between activism and humanitarian aid, of which the latter idols performed plenty. Tension between this top-down idol approach, fused as it is with a certain element of grassroots activism that sees idols organizing on-the-ground handshake events and so on, and bottom-up fan approach is clearest in anti-nuclear protests organized by fans of Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi. As one of the few celebrities in Japan who verbalized his frustration towards the government and the large electric company responsible for the Fukushima power plant TEPCO, his assuming a more political stance was given greater leeway because of his status as a rock artist. With this consideration of genre, it is doubtful that any idol would've been allowed to gain such political stride. Even then, the public reacted mostly negatively towards the activities Nagabuchi inspired. This brings into question the actual versus perceived sphere of influence of Japanese celebrities, as well as the effectiveness of idol culture in encouraging activism. At the same time, it needs to be decided if all activism is inherently political, and if to be political necessarily means to be oppositional.