ARTICLE: Selling 'Japan-ness': Japanese Retailers Try Trendier, Cheaper Approach As They Expand Into U.S. [subscription required]," by Amy Chozick, Wall Street Journal, 14 July 2006, p. A9.

Believe I cited Foreign Policy article of that name ("Japan's GDC") in BFA.

Basic fashion world article, but one that highlights Japan's growing content clout in globalization. No one calls them "cultural imperialists," and yet their impact is no different from ours: the selling of the cool and new that crowds out any locality's old and traditional--if given the chance:

"People don't just think of shrines and temples when they think of Japan now, " says Nobuo Domae, chief executive officer of Uniqlo USA. "This is the perfect time to take advantage of our Japan-ness."

So if the New Core (Brazil, Russia, China, India, Korea) set the new rules, I guess the Old Core (especially Japan and US) still set the new style.

And in a Left Brain world, that's pretty cool.