Absolutely. And to tell you the truth, I think American/Continental Keirins are a bit more exciting, what with the motorcycle and the shorter tracks. Japanese Keirin is run rain or shine though, which ought to shame the typical U.S. roadie.
If American refs saw what Japanese Keirin riders do to each other they'd have heart attacks, though!
The deal with fixed/SS road is a bit different, though. A friend pointed out a few "unofficial" (read: outlaw) races with a lot of folks showing up on fixxies. Very much like shorter versions of turn-of-the-century road races: few rules, simple machines, the worst and steepest roads available, complete self-sufficiency, and no-nonsense riders.
As the road scene becomes ever more effete, this is exactly the antidote, IMO. (Donning Nomex suit...)
< edit > After checking out the link, I see that they are pretty much describing American Keirin. Japanese is much different, with much longer tracks and no motorcycle. The pacer is usually another cyclist, not even a tandem. IMO, Japanese rules are much less exciting, but the level of bike handling is outstanding.