Why do you think so much media coverage is being given to Noriko Sakai's case?

They're bored, they like bashing females, and I'll let the JT readers fill in the blanks.

My girlfriend and I talked about this one day and this is all we could come up with after watching the news and they spent an hour on her and 10 minutes on the government's first day in office.

Japan actually has one of the highest rate of newspaper readers in the world. I would guess that most of the more intellectual people read the newspapers and those that are more into gossip and celebs watch the TV. One TV in the house and the rule is, as soon as I come home from work - it goes off. Only time it really is watched is for movies on the weekend.

I think Japan is a country of "ijime" at all level of the society...and its another case of it.

I think its a shame.

High profile celebrity who had for years been pushed by the media/corporate sponsors as a paragon of virtue (or at least the image such people would like to project) with regard to a variety of images, "the girl next door," "the young beautiful mother," etc. From a socio-marketing perspective, the importance of such images cannot be understated. It also has to be remembered that she is one of the few teen idols who graduated to different roles as she grew older. As such, because she has been in the public eye for so long, among the rank-and-file community there is definitely a sense of apparently knowing her (although most of the images projected were in fact very much controlled).

Of course, Japanese cultural morays also have something to do with it. There was the whole sense of building this thing up so that the image of contrition when she finally said "Sorry" had all the more impact.

This is the wrong question. The question should be, Why are so many Japanese fixated on such a trivial story? - The day she went to court NHK news gave 15 minutes of their 30 minute broadcast to this case.

To answer the original question - It's easy news!

The day she went to court NHK news gave 15 minutes of their 30 minute broadcast to this case.

A couple of days before that they dedicated 20 minutes of total the 30 minutes to Ichiro getting his new record.

There's only one realy conclusion you can draw from this. Don't get your news from Japanese TV.

After 10+ years here, the commercial stations' slavish addiction to this case has not been surprising - as Dis mentioned above, it's easy news, but the public also laps it up - it's like no one expects anything better - or simply WANTS this degree of bread and circus reportage.

I also have to go along with the posters comment about ijime - in Australia we have the popular 'tall poppy syndrome' where anyone who's done well, especially overseas, is constantly inspected by the media for chinks in their armour - becoming too snooty, adopting a new (usually American) accent, casting off their fan-base back in their home country etc. But even with this phenomena, it would rate the screen time devoted to such issues.

But let me return to the my first statement. I can understand the likes of Fuji and TBS trotting out this tripe, but NHK 7PM news - supposedly the legitimate voice of Japan - spending as much time on her (not to mention Ichiro's record that probably rated a few inches of column space in the US) is just appalling.

There's an old saying, "Empty vessels make the most noise". Applies suitably to this person and the media's coverage of this non-issue.

I feel NHK 7PM news devotes little time to far more important news as well as world news. Instead, it goes into too much detail when needed, reports on gossipy trash, and too much time is spent on political news as well. I really feel the fees are a waste of money. Does anyone actually pay their NHK fees? What would happen if I don`t pay them? I wonder if there is a little tick box in immigration too to see you have paid your NHK fees......

No, there's no tick box in immigration. Next time an NHK person comes around for fees, just say, "I haven't watched TV since BEFORE the Noriko Sakai problem, and I don't watch it now!" Then say "BYE-BYE". And close the door. With the 5,000 yen or so, you can go out an buy a months worth of delicious rice, or howsoever you are inclined.

Because the J public likes gossips...not only about the gei-no-jin but also about everybody around them...too!

I think this case is a good illiatration of the childish mentality of the Japanese. Their lives are very boring, and so this kind of story is what entertains them, coupled with the fact that as others have already pointed out, japan is a bullying society and they love to see people being bullied.

they have no life of their own

because society is superficial and the media takes advantage of this for a quick buck

She has a good publicist. This happened right before OBON, right? Nothing but nothing will keep this story from topping the COUNTDOWN SHOWS in late December. What was Noripi doing BEFORE this story? She was a DJ in a club somewhere. What will Noripi be doing a year from now? Hard time? No. She will be single, jetting around negotiating cosmetic lines and book deals.

Typical discrimination against women in Japan. I would like to see how there going to treat her ex-husband, who basically got her all into this mess.

Because journalists are vultures and have given this much more attention than the 5 minutes it would take to report it the first time. Japanese journalists are nothing better than asian papparazzi.

The japanese media have given so much their resources in Noriko Sakai's case. what do they want to give the people from this case?. as for me, nothing. much of the media happy to broadcast or print that kind of stories.

Because the word drug, is very flamboyant and covers a wide range of topics. I think it is this background argument-drugs, as in medical drugs, leisure drugs and stimulant drugs; and all the rest-that is trying to be purged. It is very deep, it can lead to so many other industries, it only skims the surface, as usual. Id even highlight it more that it is the seed to what comes next in places like Afghanistan too. It could even be this mental persuasion, through media, to cause a particular stance, without considering the diversity of the word-drugs-and so it can justify further action to the public about what actions governments take.

I wonder if this is all an attempt to humiliate and dog her to her end, so that the only step remains is for a "bare-all" photo session to accompany the total intrusion into every other aspect of her life. Not that it wouldn't be a huge success like Rie Miyazawa's New Mexico book of years ago.

Because drugs are BAD!!!

It's like stupid celebrity news any where else in the world, people care more about that then starving kids in Africa. Simple as that.

I really don't give a rats behind if she did drugs or not, so what, doesn't change if I liked (or didn't like) her singing / acting before.

Because she's a cuty-pie.