Japanese Popular Music in Taiwan through History of Cover Songs YABUKI Motoko This paper focuses on analyzing cover songs to explain the background of Japanese popular music in Taiwan. The cover songs, that Chinese words add to Japanese melody, have continued existing after WW II until now. However, depending on the time, the meanings of cover songs have changed; 1) after WW II to 1960s, cover songs were made as a last resort because of the linguistic policy. 2) From 1970s to 1980s, they wanted a large number of songs, and sought for cover songs as gstopgap h. They often hid that those melody were from Japan. 3) After 1990s, cover songs have used for the promotion between Japanese and Taiwanese singers. Cover songs have positive meanings and those with appearance of exist of Japan have increased. Key words: cover songs, Japanization, Japanese popular music, Japanese popular culture, g Japan h Osaka University Graduate School of Human Science 17
Ching, Leo 1996 gimaginings in the Empires of the Sun: Japanese Mass Culture in Asia h John Whittier Treat (ed.) Contemporary Japan and Popular Culture, University of Hawall Press, 169-194. Universal Music Taiwan, 2001, g2001 J-POP Market Update h