ABSTRACT
This chapter explores how media consumption in everyday life impacts upon the changing lives and identities of youths in Japan today. In recent years, a large number of young Japanese have been migrating to New York City, London, and other Western cities for the purpose of engaging in the production of art and popular culture, in areas such as dance, fashion design, fi lm, fi ne arts, hairstyling, photography, popular music, and so on. Some follow a conventional way of ryūgaku (studying abroad), by attending college or vocational school. But many others fi nd a new way of participating in cultural production overseas-they acquire student visas through English language schools, as a means of legally remaining at their destination. Actually, many of them rarely attend school, but instead practice dance or play music in studios, make drawings in their rooms, or work in clothing shops or beauty salons. These young Japanese tend to attempt to stay at their destination as long as possible, changing their visa status between different categories (for example, tourist, vocational or language student, and academic student).
