I think we need to distinguish between the two notions of being a hero to someone, and being a hero to me. The Japanese lieutenant is probably a hero to some Japanese, and that makes him a hero™. Though he is not a hero to me personally. Like I said in my first post... It's all subjective.
As for the Canadian teen-idol's latest faux pas, it won't even make a dent in the psudo-religious following of his "belibers". Sadly.