These days, you have to accomplish a lot before calling yourself a Japan expert. Knowing the language, geography, history and customs of Japan is simply not enough.
In fact, to show your deep understanding of contemporary Japan, you must be able to recite, off the top of your head, the names of lead characters in Japanese TV anime programs both new and old. A true Japanophile would also know the added total of the numbers worn by three Japan-born star players in the Major League Baseball — Ichiro of the Seattle Mariners, Hideki Matsui of the New York Yankees and Daisuke Matsuzaka of the Boston Red Sox (which comes to 124). Got that one right?
On top of all that, you must demonstrate your compatibility with karaoke, the quintessential Japanese pastime. And in so doing, you cannot keep your perhaps slightly off-key voice in your usual cozy karaoke room — you must go up on stage and sing the entire tune in front of more than 800 spectators.