With South Korean acts dominating the Japanese music scene for the past few years, Chinese bands are now making a big noise. When Taiwanese boy band F4 made a whirlwind visit to Japan earlier this week for the Taiwan tourism authority, more than 4,000 Japanese fans turned out at the Tokyo's Narita Airport to welcome them.
The group - (above from left) Jerry Yan Cheng-xu, Vic Chou Yu-min, Vanness Wu Jian-hao and Ken Chu Xian-tian - also received widespread coverage in the media, with more than 200 hacks attending their Tokyo press conference.
The Taiwan tourism authorities reportedly paid NT$80 million (HK$19 million) for the four stars to act as spokespersons. As well as attending press conferences, the group will make TV commercials and a TV programme to promote Taiwan tourism.
It was rumoured that the four would make a new TV drama series for the tourism authority, but that project was shelved because Yan was reluctant to get involved, upsetting the other three.
Responding to the rumour after the press conference, Yan said: 'I can feel the power when the four of us are together. I also hope this [power] can help our nation.' But Yan said that, with two movie ventures, a record deal and a coffee table book in hand, he wouldn't have time for any other projects.
Wu, who formed the R&B group Kangta & Vanness with South Korean star Kangta (Ahn Chil-hyun) added: 'The four of us are very good friends. We're not putting on an act.'