Taylor Swift returns to Japan

Taylor Swift continues her Eras Tour this Wednesday, with a concert in Tokyo, the first of her 2024 tour and four that await her in the Japanese capital, where she has not set foot in more than 5 years, and in the face of speculation about whether she will be able to make it in time for the Super Bowl final next Sunday. The American singer will hold her first concert in Tokyo this Wednesday at 18:00 local time (9:00 GMT) at the legendary Tokyo Dome stadium. This stadium, the largest in the capital of Japan and with a capacity of 55,000 people, expects a full hall for four days, while the artist’s followers gathered in front of it already this morning to stand in line and buy promotional items for the tour. This is her first visit to Japan in more than five years and the first time a foreign and female artist has performed at the Tokyo Dome for four consecutive days, a sign of the fervor Swift is generating in the Asian country. Tickets went on sale last June through a lottery system, with prices ranging from ¥8,800 (€55) for under-20s, ¥22,800 (€143) for a normal seat and ¥122,800 (€771) for a VIP seat. Although reselling tickets is illegal in Japan and transferring them is very difficult, many websites are flooded with offers these days, sometimes for double or triple the original price. The impact of Swift’s performances in Tokyo is estimated at 34 trillion yen (210 million euros), according to estimates by Mitsumasa Etoh of the University of Tokyo, including ticket sales, commercial products and transportation costs, among other indirect costs. For each member of the audience, the economic impact is estimated at around 150,000 yen (942 euros). A concert full of enigmas The singer’s followers set their sights on Tokyo because the concerts, which will end on the 10th, are close to the Super Bowl finale, which will take place on Sunday in Las Vegas at 6:30 p.m. local time. (23:30 GMT) and featuring his partner, Travis Kelce, of the Kansas City Chiefs. Swift has supported Kelce at most games this season, and the athlete has done the same for the singer, attending several of her national and international concerts, including one in Buenos Aires. Interest in the artist’s presence is such that the Japanese embassy in the United States even sent a statement in which it assures that, due to the time difference, if Swift leaves Tokyo after the last concert, she will be able to make it to Las Vegas in time. for the game. “Despite the 12-hour flight and 17-hour time difference, the Embassy can confidently guarantee that if you leave Tokyo overnight after the concert, you will be able to comfortably arrive in Las Vegas before the start of the Super Bowl,” they announced in a statement last Friday. Another unknown is who will be the opening act at their concerts in Tokyo. While singer Sabrina Carpenter has followed most of her tour and is already confirmed for concerts planned in Australia, it is still unknown who will take the stage before Swift today.