I flipped through the newspaper (old and outdated by half a month) just the other day and read a report on an up-and-coming rising Japanese artiste who happens to be a pan-Asian living in Las Vegas previously before relocating to Japan to pursue a pop career instead of chasing the Hollywood dream. Leah Dizon knows little Japanese and is apparently more proficient in her native language, English and had happen to found a friend in New York-born Hikaru Utada. But, the Japanese press criticsed Leah Dizon for "being "Japanised" to appeal to the average salaryman - going from a brazen, open-minded American girl to a shy, cutesy "'Japanese wannabe' ". Now, this line is really very contradicintg to me. Just less than 3 months ago, the same newspaper ran a report on the newly crowned Miss Universe (Miss Japan) being criticised by the Japanese press from "being a shy cutesy Japanese to a brazen, open minded shrewd Miss Universe". So, are the women in Japan supposed to be 'shy and cutesy' or 'brazen and open-minded'? This is really one big question that's running through my head currently. If you're shy and cutesy, you'll get criticised. But if you're brazen and open-minded like an American, you'll get criticised too. Japan, make up your mind!!