Singer Hideki Saijo's impromptu event in Shibuya broken up by police

Friday 23rd May, 10:37 AM JST

TOKYO —

Singer Hideki Saijo, 53, tried to hold an impromptu event (called “guerrilla” in Japanese) in Shibuya on Thursday, but police soon ordered the organizer to stop because the event was not authorized beforehand.

Saijo appeared on the roof of a building in Shibuya’s main shopping street as part of a promotional event for a dating and matchmaking company. He started shouting out love messages to passersby 20 meters below on the street. As more spectators started to gather below, police went up and told organizers to leave.

Saijo said, “I thought we wouldn’t be able to do it, but the organizers said it would be OK.”

15 Comments

himasan at 11:13 AM JST - 23rd May

Loser hasbeen copycat!
romulus3 at 11:55 AM JST - 23rd May

stupid cops. why cant there be spontaneity in japan? remember the b-sharps? Didn't Chief Wiggum also muscle in and break up an event? I seem to remember..."get the tear gas Lou".
papasmurfinjapan at 12:22 PM JST - 23rd May

they shoulda locked the bum in jail and thrown away the key.

No Hideki is good Hideki.
blvtzpk at 12:25 PM JST - 23rd May

"Nothing to see here. Move along!!!"
thepro at 12:43 PM JST - 23rd May

How embarrassing
pathat at 01:29 PM JST - 23rd May

Singer Hideki Saijo, 53,

Is he an old U2 fan? Maybe he thought it would be a good idea to try the rooftop thing in Shibuya like U2 did in LA many years ago.
timorborder at 02:40 PM JST - 23rd May

Didn't this guy try this same stunt about 5 years ago and end up with the same result? Not a big fan of Japanese music but I seem to remember he ripped off that Ricky Martin song. Anyone care to comment?
cleo at 02:49 PM JST - 23rd May

timorborder -

I think you're thinking of Go Hiromi. He did a cover of La Vida Loca, and also did a 'guerilla' performance in the middle of Tokyo somewhere once. I think it was a bit more than five years ago, but my sense of time isn't what it was....
timorborder at 02:55 PM JST - 23rd May

Thanks for that Cleo. I think you are right. I think the location was Shibuya, somewhere along Dogenzaka. Although Go Hiromi didn't get arrested, I think the company that organized it got a verbal tongue-lashing from the guys in blue. Isn't it amazing what these "has beens" will do for a coin? Plastic surgery adverts, etc.
Nessie at 03:28 PM JST - 23rd May

Wow. Inches away from the first coup d'etat in decades. Surprised they hang him for treason.
borscht at 06:49 PM JST - 23rd May

Timorborder y Cleo,

The Go Hiromi thing was in Shibuya but he performed on a flat-bed truck and while the company go a tongue-lashing, the driver of the truck got fined. I believe it was quite a large amount - over 100,000? I'm not sure.

Anyway, Go was promoting one of his own records; Saijo is shilling for a 'dating' company. Sad. But it pays the rent; maybe.
fingerless at 07:30 PM JST - 23rd May

Why doesn't he just get himself a pancho and panflute like the rest of them.
Soochi at 12:59 AM JST - 24th May

Singer Hideki Saijo, 53,

Is he an old U2 fan? Maybe he thought it would be a good idea to try the rooftop thing in Shibuya like U2 did in LA many years ago.

Who themselves copied the Beatles from '69. Although that U2 video was indeed the mutt's nuts.
Bogi at 01:16 AM JST - 24th May

He's a crap singer and a boring entertainer. Thank God they broke it up. He was only trying to make a quick buck anyway.
borscht at 08:36 AM JST - 24th May

And if you look at a photo taken of the event, you can't even see him. In fact, some people on the street couldn't hear him, couldn't see him, and didn't know who he was. So, if the police did nothing, this article probably wouldn't have been written. The dating company should thank the police for the free publicity - much better than Saijo's actual 'performance.'