Considering the state of the Japanese economy, the current popularity of penny-pinching advice in the media is hardly surprising. There seems to be a fundamental paradox at work here, in that advertisers prefer programs and articles which encourage the spending of money, while the advice given out these days by "lifestyle coordinators" and "charisma housewives" is centered on the idea of making do without spending money.

In truth, though, this paradox is only theoretical -- and in any case, money saved on one thing (everyday items) can be spent on another (fun). What makes Japan interesting in this regard is how penny-pinching has become an end in itself, a competitive activity that can be graded or judged based on how little someone spends while still managing to maintain a middle-class lifestyle.

Into this economizing breach rides Martha Stewart, the American superstar homemaking maven who sells magazines and household goods, but whose only real product is herself. She is one of the few businesspeople who, like a pop star, is immediately recognizable by her first name.