Ok we have two distinct scenarios? here, one that?s working on the premise that Hikaru Utada has accepted a role on US X Factor, and a second that Hikki was approached to be a judge, now "Nodo Jiman Shiroto Ongakukai", and credit to Cousin Keiko........ Japan's X Factor Celebrates 64th Anniversary...

http://www.hyperjapan.co.uk/news/52-street/198-japans-x-factor-celebrates-64th-anniversary.html

And Will Cheryl Cole Join Simon Cowell on X Factor USA......

http://www.financebehavior.co.uk/news/will-cheryl-cole-join-simon-cowell-on-x-factor-usa/08/02/2011/

Just one of the sponsors.....

http://www.just-drinks.com/news/pepsico-confirms-x-factor-sponsorship_id102758.aspx

Simon Cowell to judge "X Factor", offers $5 million prize......

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/07/us-thexfactor-idUSTRE7163SX20110207

Just the UK version, quote ?THE X FACTOR is currently shown in 17 countries worldwide with a global audience of more than 500 million?....

http://www.barcelonareporter.com/index.php?/news/comments/x_factor_usa_2011_simon_cowell_threatens_to_halt_launch_us_x_factor_if_cher/

Hiatus?s are meaningless when Utada has signed a new global contract with EMI that now rests in the governance of Citibank/group, that will redeem value over the next fiscal quarter, ironically read the e mail none other than Roger Faxon, (the same Roger Faxon that sanctioned and underwrote Utada?s new Global recording contract) sent to staff Globally.... Utada contract now is in the sole ownership of Citigroup....A bank!!!! .....

A question?.........

Why in god?s name did Mr T sign a contract with a company that was inevitably bankrupt....Mr T has been in the business for over 30 years....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/07/emi-roger-faxon-email

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/feb/07/emi-music-guy-hands-citigroup

http://www.u.tv/articles/article.aspx?cat=business&guid=ba61654e-0d05-492f-b531-01d28520eae2
http://radiojunkee.com/2011/01/23/warner-music-shares-soar-on-sale-talk-emi-a-key/

http://www.valleynewslive.com/Global/story.asp?S=13886420

Now what does this all mean to Utada and U3, Japan is a potential gold rush where the X factor formula is concerned, if Utada can bring new business revenue into Citibank by facilitating a franchise, the numbers start to rise off the scale...I have no doubt sitting next to Simon Cowell would be the last place Utada will want to be, but this is a business and Utada is a professional musician who has signed a deal, Citibank will not wait around for 5 year for a return.......

From Bloomberg Business week ......

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-02-01/citigroup-takes-control-of-emi-ending-hands-ownership.html

If the opportunity exists in the US for Citibank to gain a stake in a franchise as lucrative as the X factor format in Japan, count on the fact that personal issues like hiatuses will not come into it...

Quote:

"The U.S. bank, which funded Hands?s takeover in 2007, will own all of EMI after the debt-for-equity swap, the company said in a statement today. The deal will reduce London-based EMI?s debt by 65 percent to 1.2 billion pounds ($1.94 billion). The agreement may lead to a sale of a record label of the Beatles and Pink Floyd. Warner Music Group Corp. and BMG Rights are among bidders that have expressed interest in EMI?s publishing and recorded assets. Last year, Hands sued Citigroup, saying it had tricked him into buying EMI, and sought extra cash from his backers to stop the label breaching debt covenants in a bid to avoid losing control of his most high-profile investment?

Remember BMG............this is pivotal to the X factor element......