This research highlights the differences between Japanese pop music from other pop music and examines Japan in relation to the country's popular music genres including insight to globalization. This in-person research conducted in Japan analyzes the impact of the U.S. and Japan’s relationship in regards to the music industry.The central questions of this research is how Japanese and American fandoms differ in the context of cultural exchange and how Japan’s relationship with the U.S. has affected this exchange. Fan communities, data from album and concert sales of Japanese Pop and Rock artists are analyzed in order to evaluate the reception of these genres in domestic and foreign markets. This research considers the historical relationship between Japan and the U.S. before and during the development of this genre.This study provides insight into Japan’s global cultural identity by showcasing globalization in Japan through the lens of the Japanese music industry. Japan’s history with the U.S. sheds a new perspective on the pop culture breakout of Japanese media, and the growing collaborative relationship with America. From using weapons of war to culturally influencing one another, this research lends insight to the changing relationship between these two countries.
