Yoshiki and Marilyn Manson pose for press photos at the Asia Girls Explosion fashion event in Tokyo.

Months ago, after X Japan’s first U.S. performance, I asked if America was ready for its first, mainstream Japanese band. The answer, if one can be reached, is still a long way off. What I can say with certainty is that X Japan’s Yoshiki Hayashi is continuing draw attention in the states – the kind of attention any band from any country would kill for.

Yesterday, The Washington Post, The Seattle Times, Salon, Yahoo News, and just about every other news source with an entertainment section, picked up an Associated Press piece on Yoshiki in which he declared his intentions to achieve “global rock glory for X Japan.”

It must be nice to hold so much sway that merely declaring your intentions for success is enough to capture the world’s attention. I mean just think about it. X Japan hasn’t released their upcoming album yet. Their North American tour ended months ago. What’s the time peg?

Well, Yoshiki did throw a little fashion event last weekend. Called “Asia Girls Explosion” the event took over Tokyo’s Yoyogi Baseball Stadium. During the event, Yoshiki unveiled his own fashion line dubbed “Yoshikimono.” And who did he recruit to help model it? None other than the crowned prince of American shock rock, Marilyn Manson who had this to say about X Japan’s stateside chances in the AP article:

“They can make it wherever they want.”

Check out these images from Asia Girls Explosion via a link provided by Yoshiki on his twitter account.