Japan shrugs as Americans fume over Gwen Stefani 'appropriation'

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https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023/1/15/japan-shrugs-as-us-fumes-over-gwen-stefani-appropriation-furore

Japan shrugs as Americans fume over Gwen Stefani ‘appropriation’

Japanese people say they are bemused at controversy over US pop singer’s fascination with their culture.

By David McElhinney
Published On 15 Jan 2023

Tokyo, Japan – When Eriko Sairyo, a 30-year-old professional who lives in Shizuoka, Japan, saw that American pop singer Gwen Stefani was being accused of “cultural appropriation” in Western media, she couldn’t understand the controversy.

“I personally think that it’s pretty cool that people want to incorporate Japanese styles into their fashion,” Sairyo, who works in the medical devices industry, told Al Jazeera.

“I don’t have any issues when, for example, foreigners wear kimono and walk around Kyoto for sightseeing. I actually love it that people love our culture.”

In an interview with Allure magazine published last week, Stefani, 53, sparked outrage across English-language media and social media with remarks expressing the deep sense of connection she feels with Japanese culture.

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