Japanese pop (or J-pop) is greatly influenced by the Western world. The term is widely used in Japan to describe many different musical genres including pop, rock, dance, rap, and soul. J-pop's history is heavily influenced by the jazz music during the early Showa period. After the Imperial Army halt of the performance of jazz music during World War II, new musical styles flooded into the country when the US soldiers occupied the country. Different types of styles came through since then, including rock-and-roll, City Pop, New Music, and R&B. Currently, R&B and Hip Hop influences in Japanese music are the strongest ever.