JAPAN: Live Earth concerts in Japan prepare to promote awareness of global warming, but Tokyo lags on the global hype

Japan is gearing up for Live Earth global concerts to be held globally this Saturday (July 7) in an attempt to raise awareness of global warming. Starting off in Sydney and travelling west around the world, Live Earth's global concerts are expected to attract more than a million people to see over 100 musicians. At this venue east of Tokyo, 11 artists, including twice Grammy-awarded Linkin Park, R&B singer Rihanna and Japan's hot-selling pop artist Kumi Koda will performing in a bid to raise about 750,000 dollars to help fight climate change, organisers say. "We think it would be great if these artists will use their power to tell young people that it's cool to be green and hopefully that will translate in to action," said Tatsu Kitagawa, executive producer of Live Earth Japan. Kitagawa admits that the charity event is still relatively unknown in Japan but his hopes are high. "The actual Live Earth concert name is not well known here yet and there are people that wonder what it's all about," Kitagawa said. "But I really think it will become an event where people will come here and join in with the artists to think about the environment," he added. Other artists, such as the Police, Madonna, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, will also join the worldwide event staged in nine major cities in the world, including New York, London and Shanghai. Environmental activists, led by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, began the global concerts to mobilse action to stop global warming. On a Tokyo street, many said they had not heard of the Live Earth campaign but supported the idea of promoting environmental protection. "It's easy to start these things from one's hobby, so a live concert event is an interesting idea," said 25-year-old Kaori Nara. But living a "green" life would not be easily obtained, Kaori's mother, 48-year-old Yukari Nara, said: "Once you get used to the convenience of life, it's pretty hard to have to cut back on it," she said. Tokyo, though, is not the only Live Earth concert in Japan. Kyoto, the home of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, will also host a "Special" Live Earth concert, highlighted by a one-off revival of the Japanese electropop band Yellow Magic Orchestra, which also influenced early techo and acid house music. ENDS.

ITN Source | July 12, 2007