Shiho Fujita was once a typical "gal," as the tribe of deep-tanned, garishly dressed young women who wander the streets of Tokyo's trendy Shibuya district in search of the latest fashions are called. Now a company president, Fujita is at the forefront of what she calls a "gal revolution."
"Social prejudice against gals is stunting their potential. I want to open up new possibilities for many gals" by changing people's perceptions of them, said the young entrepreneur, blinking her heavily mascaraed eyes.
Dressed in a micro miniskirt with accessories jingling around her neck, the 21-year-old Fujita looks every bit the gal, or "gyaru," as the term is mispronounced and given its own definition in Japan. But don't let the look fool you. In 2005, she set up SGR Inc. -- Shiho Gal Revolution -- a marketing company that specializes in products catering to gals -- from cosmetics, perfume, shoes and clothing to video games. In her first year, she racked up sales of 70 million yen.