I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 181 The Excited Mayor of Daqu City! The Formation of a New Agricultural Model!
In the conference room on the third floor of the city hall in Daqu City, the atmosphere was as somber as ever.

The winter morning sun slanted through the window and onto the desk piled with documents, but it couldn't dispel the weariness that permeated the air.

Kenji Ito, the mayor of Omagari City who is nearly fifty years old, is sitting at the head of the conference table. His face, which is always adorned with an official smile, now shows a hint of weariness that is hard to hide.

He held a pen in his hand, tapping it absently on the table as he listened to the reports from his subordinates.

“Mayor, the governor of Akita Prefecture has put even more pressure on us to revitalize rural areas.” A section chief with a beer belly was the first to speak up. He sighed heavily, his voice full of helplessness: “Since the second half of last year, he has been urging us to submit various revitalization plans, which has made us work overtime until late at night every day. We’re almost losing all our hair.”

“Yes, Your Excellency Mayor,” another young section chief echoed, pushing up his glasses with a bitter expression on his face. “Our small town is suffering from severe population loss; young people don’t want to stay in the countryside. What can we do to get those young people back?”

"Exactly, those people in Akita Prefecture are just talking without understanding the situation," a female civil servant couldn't help but complain. "They can just sit in their offices and issue orders with a few words, but what about us? We have to implement them, run errands, and go door-to-door to persuade them! But those young people just don't listen. They all say they want to live in Tokyo and work in big cities!"

For a moment, the office was filled with complaints and sighs.

Faced with mounting pressure from above and a lack of cooperation from below, these civil servants felt a profound sense of powerlessness.

As Kenji Ito listened to his subordinates' complaints, his brow twitched slightly.

He certainly knew these difficulties, after all, he had also climbed up the ranks step by step from the bottom.

He raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet. His voice, though not loud, carried an undeniable authority: "Alright, everyone, stop complaining. This is a task personally assigned by the governor of Akita Prefecture. As his subordinates, we can only do our best to complete it."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his tone tinged with helplessness yet brimming with politician pragmatism: "However, we can't just sit here and wait to die. We have to find a way to report our achievements to higher authorities, right?"

He pondered for a moment, and a figure appeared in his mind.

"By the way, how's Nohara Sashi doing lately?" Kenji Ito suddenly asked, a glint of light flashing in his shrewd eyes. "Isn't his Nohara Agricultural Co., Ltd. doing quite well? Now he owns over 500 acres of land and raises nearly 2,000 Akita dogs as a pet breeding base. These... should be enough to boost his performance in the first half of the year, right?"

His words immediately lifted the previously somber atmosphere in the office.

The civil servants exchanged glances, all seeing the same "hope" in each other's eyes.

“Mayor is right!” The beer-bellied section chief nodded first, his face full of smiles: “President Nohara Saji’s side is indeed doing a good job! His Akita dog breeding base can now be a calling card for our Oguri City! Although… it doesn’t seem to have any sales channels yet, at least those Akita dogs look very cute, and some young people like them.”

“That’s right!” the young section chief echoed, his eyes filled with envy. “President Nohara Saji’s Akita dogs are purebred and of excellent quality. It’s just that they’re not for sale right now. If they were, they would be quite good in the pet market if the price was right! And his farmland is also very well managed, with yields much higher than others!”

"So, could we continue to report Nohara Agriculture Co., Ltd.'s achievements as a model for rural revitalization in Omagari City?" Kenji Ito looked at the expectant eyes of the crowd, a subtle smile curving his lips.

However, at that moment, a female civil servant who looked to be around forty years old and experienced broke everyone's "wonderful" fantasy with a light cough.

“Mayor, this… I’m afraid that won’t work.” She spoke softly, her tone carrying a perfectly timed reminder: “We already submitted President Nohara Saji’s report on his achievements in the latter half of last year. Moreover, you were publicly praised by the Governor of Akita Prefecture for it, Mayor.”

She paused, a wry smile appearing on her face: "Although it's developing again now, if we report it again, I'm afraid... I'm afraid the governor will reprimand us. After all, the governor said last time that we can't just focus on Nohara Sashi."

Upon hearing this, Kenji Ito's smile instantly froze.

He then remembered that in the latter half of last year, he had indeed made a great splash because of Nohara Sashi's achievements.

He coughed awkwardly, but couldn't help feeling a pang of melancholy.

"Sigh..." He sighed deeply, his tone filled with helplessness: "Isn't there anyone else who is still investing in rural areas like Nohara Sashi? Is this the only good example that our Daqu City can boast about?"

His words plunged the office into dead silence once again.

The civil servants exchanged glances, a strange expression appearing on their faces.

“Mayor, as you know, these days, who’s willing to invest in the countryside?” the beer-bellied section chief said with a wry smile, his tone revealing a hint of helplessness. “Those who are capable have all gone to work and live in the city. There are more opportunities there. You can just buy a house and wait for it to appreciate in value. It’s much better than farming in the countryside.”

"Yes, Mayor," the young section chief sighed, his eyes filled with longing. "Back in Tokyo, even a casual job pays better than farming in the countryside. Who would want to come back?"

"Moreover, not everyone has a wealthy younger brother who is also willing to respect his older brother and father who love agriculture and is willing to invest in rural areas."

The female civil servant couldn't help but complain, her tone tinged with undisguised envy and jealousy: "With that kind of money, you could buy several houses in Tokyo, where they'd appreciate by 30% in just six months. Even investing in the stock market would make you a fortune. Putting that money into a small place like our Oguri City is just burning money!"

"Exactly! He's got money to burn! Hiroshi Nohara, I hear, earns over ten million yen a month these days!"

"Ten million yen? I heard that Hiroshi Nohara gets tens of millions of yen in dividends! And it's only him; who else would invest money in the countryside!"

"Those two Nohara brothers are really... so strange! Are all rich people so indifferent to money? No wonder everyone says Tokyoites are arrogant, Hiroshi Nohara must have picked up some bad habits in Tokyo!"

"But he's so rich! I'm even thinking of quitting my job and going to Tokyo to try my luck! Ten million yen a month, that sounds so enviable!"

The office was soon filled with various complaints and sighs.

Everyone complained helplessly, their voices filled with both curiosity about Hiroshi Nohara and Saji Nohara's "bizarre" behavior and envy for their "rich and willful" attitude.

Kenji Ito couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion as he listened to these words.

He nodded subconsciously, feeling that these words were indeed to the point.

Rich people can do whatever they want!
However, he quickly realized what was happening.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Kenji Ito slammed his hand on the table, instantly silencing the noise in the office. "What nonsense are you all spouting?! We are civil servants of Daqu City! Our duty is to find ways to bring back capable people to invest! To get those young people back to their hometowns to build them up!"

He looked at the embarrassed faces on everyone's faces, and his tone became authoritative: "So, everyone, you all need to perk up! Keep thinking of ways! Keep trying! Understand?!"

"Yes, Mayor, we understand!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices carrying just the right amount of "fear" and "cooperation."

Kenji Ito looked at the "well-behaved" expressions on everyone's faces and felt a sense of helplessness. He knew that these guys could say nice things, but he couldn't control what they were really thinking.

He coughed lightly again, steer the conversation toward another "hope".

"By the way, how's Hiroshi Nohara doing lately?" Kenji Ito suddenly asked, a glint of anticipation in his shrewd eyes. "I heard he's preparing to film a movie called 'Hachiko Monogatari'? And I heard even the Governor of Tokyo has expressed his support for it?"

He paused, a hint of well-placed boast in his tone: "Moreover, during a meeting in Akita Prefecture a few days ago, the governor of Akita Prefecture heard about this and was quite interested. He even specifically asked me if Hiroshi Nohara, as a resident of our Omagari City, could help promote Akita Prefecture!"

His words immediately lifted the previously somber atmosphere in the office.

All eyes turned to Kenji Ito, their gazes filled with envy and curiosity.

"Wow! Mayor, is what you said really true?!" the beer-bellied section chief asked excitedly, his large face filled with disbelief and shock. "Even the governor of Akita Prefecture is interested in Hiroshi Nohara's movies?!"

“Of course!” Kenji Ito sighed, “Not to mention the governor of Akita Prefecture, didn’t you see it when you read the newspaper? Even the governor of Tokyo praised and paid attention to Hiroshi Nohara. This guy is really a genius, and he’s still very young.”

"Yes, Mayor!" the young section chief echoed, his eyes filled with admiration. "Hiroshi Nohara may be young, but he's amazing! He's truly a genius!"

"Have you heard about his film 'Seven Samurai'? It's already grossed over 5 billion yen!" the female civil servant said excitedly, her face filled with shock. "I heard that it's only been a month and a half, and I estimate that by the end of three months, the box office will reach 8 billion yen! That's comparable to the box office of a Hollywood blockbuster!"

"Eight billion yen?!"

"My God! This is simply a miracle!"

"Yes! This is a crushing victory over the US! Our Japanese films have achieved such remarkable success! Hiroshi Nohara is truly the pride of Japan!"

"Minister Hiroshi Nohara, you're a true hero!"

"A real man!"

The office was immediately filled with praise and exclamations of amazement.

Everyone was awestruck by Hiroshi Nohara's achievements, their eyes filled with envy and admiration... and an undisguised pride in surpassing the United States.

They knew that Hiroshi Nohara's success was not only his personal glory, but also the glory of the entire Omagari City, the entire Akita Prefecture, and the entire nation of Japan!

If they can surpass the United States, it will mean that Japan has won!
This victory is the most sensitive point for every Japanese person!

So what about the United States?
They only rely on their strong industrial capabilities. In terms of race, the Japanese are no less capable than Americans!

If it happened again... Japan's industrial capacity is about the same as the United States', so it's hard to say who would win!

Even Kenji Ito, seeing the fervent expressions on everyone's faces, wore a proud smile: "Yoshi! Nohara-kun is really amazing!"

But at this point, there's not much to say.

After all, one must be mindful of political sensitivities.

He cleared his throat, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his tone carrying a perfectly timed "reminder": "Alright, everyone, stop being so envious. Hiroshi Nohara is our pride, but we can't just focus on him. What we should do is learn from him, learn his dedication to his career, and his pursuit of his dreams!"

He paused, his tone becoming more earnest, and changed the subject away from Japan and the United States:
"So everyone, cheer up! Keep thinking of ways! Keep working hard! Let's strive to produce another young person like Hiroshi Nohara in Daqu City this year, someone who can change the times!"

"Hey! Mayor, we understand!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices filled with fighting spirit and passion.

Kenji Ito looked at their "motivated" expressions, but he knew very well that these guys were just talking; it would be difficult for them to come up with any good ideas.

He waved his hand, indicating that the meeting could be adjourned.

"Alright, that concludes today's meeting. Everyone, go back and think this through carefully, and try to come up with some practical and feasible solutions for the next meeting! Meeting adjourned!"

As he finished speaking, the people in the conference room breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and left in twos and threes, carrying their own exhaustion and perfunctory feelings. Soon, only Kenji Ito remained in the once noisy conference room.

He leaned back in his chair, picked up the phone on the table, and dialed a number.

"Hello, is this Chairman Suzuki? It's me, Kenji Ito." His voice was calm and firm, with just the right amount of politeness.

Kentaro Suzuki's slightly gruff voice came from the other end of the phone: "Oh! Mayor Ito! Happy New Year! What brings you here today to call me?"

"Chairman Suzuki, Happy New Year!" Kenji Ito replied with a smile, his tone carrying just the right amount of intimacy: "I just finished a meeting and wanted to ask you how things are going with the farmers' association lately? If it's convenient, could you come to my office? There are some things I'd like to discuss with you in person."

"Oh? The mayor invites me? Of course I have to go!" Kentaro Suzuki laughed heartily, his voice brimming with barely concealed excitement. "I'll be right there! Please wait a moment!"

After hanging up the phone, Kenji Ito rubbed his temples.

He knew that Kentaro Suzuki, that old fox, would never act without a profit motive.

His quick agreement this time probably indicates he's smelled some "profit." However, his purpose in approaching Suzuki was indeed to extract some "achievements" from him.

Within ten minutes, there was a knock on the office door.

"Please come in!" Kenji Ito said in a deep voice.

Kentaro Suzuki pushed open the door and entered. His large body paused for a moment in front of the door frame before he walked in with slightly clumsy steps.

He was wearing a brand-new kimono, his face was full of smiles, and he was carrying an exquisite gift box in his hand.

"Oh dear! Mayor Ito! I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!" As soon as Suzuki Kentaro entered the door, he immediately bowed deeply to Ito Kenji, his posture as humble as that of a junior employee just starting out in the workplace.

"President Suzuki, you're too kind!" Kenji Ito stood up with a smile and went to greet him. He took the gift box from Kentaro Suzuki's hand and then gestured for him to sit down: "Please sit down."

The two sat down on the sofa, and the secretary brought over two cups of hot tea.

"Chairman Suzuki, how have you been lately? How's the work at the farmers' association going?" Kenji Ito asked, picking up his teacup with concern.

"Thanks to Mayor Suzuki, my old bones are still quite sturdy!" Kentaro Suzuki replied with a smile. He took the teacup, gently blew on the steam, and his small, narrowed eyes gleamed with shrewdness. "The work of the farmers' association is just so-so, the same old thing. These days, young people don't want to stay in the countryside, so we old folks can only barely keep going."

As he spoke, he let out a long sigh, a perfectly timed expression of helplessness appearing on his face.

Upon hearing this, Kenji Ito's brow twitched slightly. He knew that Kentaro Suzuki was giving him a "precautionary warning," paving the way for his upcoming "complaints."

He put down his teacup, his tone becoming serious: "Chairman Suzuki is right. The problem of population loss in rural areas is indeed getting more and more serious. Our Omagari City is facing the same dilemma. All the young people are going to Tokyo, and even many middle-aged people are starting to leave."

As he spoke, a hint of worry crept onto his face: "Tell me, what other way can we bring those young people back and revitalize the rural areas? The governor of Akita Prefecture has been urging us on."

As Kentaro Suzuki listened to Kenji Ito's complaints, the perfectly timed look of helplessness on his face became even more genuine. He knew that Mayor Ito was trying to get him to come up with a better solution.

He pondered for a moment, then a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

“Mayor, you are right, this problem has indeed been troubling us for a long time.”

Kentaro Suzuki sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of a "flash of inspiration" after "deliberation": "However, speaking of which, a few days ago when the Akita Prefecture Agricultural Cooperative held a meeting, they invited an expert from the national agricultural cooperative to give us a lecture. I think their concept might bring some inspiration to our Omagari City."

Upon hearing this, Kenji Ito's eyes lit up instantly. A national-level agricultural cooperative expert! These words were enough for him to sense the scent of "political achievement."

"Oh? What's your philosophy? Chairman Suzuki, please tell me!" Kenji Ito asked eagerly, his voice full of anticipation.

Kentaro Suzuki picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and a perfectly measured "mystery" appeared on his face: "Mayor, according to that expert, agriculture in Japan is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. The traditional farming model that relies on cultivating the land is becoming increasingly unsuitable for the development of the times."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious: "That expert suggested that we should turn our attention to the entirely new concept of 'agricultural workers'."

"Agricultural laborers?" Kenji Ito frowned, his face full of confusion. "What do you mean by agricultural laborers? Does it mean turning all farmers into workers for others? What will happen to their land? How will their income be guaranteed?"

Upon hearing this, Kentaro Suzuki smiled knowingly. Mayor Ito's question stemmed entirely from his preconceived notions of traditional agricultural models.

“Mayor, that’s a good question!” Kentaro Suzuki said with a smile, his tone carrying just the right amount of “inspiration”: “According to that expert, the so-called ‘agricultural workers’ are farmers who originally relied on land cultivation for income, but have all become workers for agricultural companies.”

He paused, then his tone became more detailed:
"For example, take Nohara Agriculture Co., Ltd. in our Daqu City. They buy land from farmers and then hire farmers from the same village to work for the company and receive a fixed wage. In this way, farmers have a stable income and no longer have to depend on the weather for their livelihood or worry about going hungry due to poor crop yields."

"As for agricultural companies, they can utilize large-scale mechanized farming to improve production efficiency and reduce production costs. In this way, crop yields increase, quality improves, and overall agricultural efficiency increases significantly!"

"Moreover, the expert also said that this model can not only solve the farmers' income problem, but also liberate rural labor, allowing young people who were originally bound by the land to have more time to learn new skills, develop new industries, and create new value!"

"In fact, the expert revealed that the Japanese Minister of Agriculture is already preparing to roll out similar policies nationwide! At that time, Japanese agriculture will completely break free from the shackles of the traditional model and usher in an unprecedented transformation!"

Kentaro Suzuki's words were like a thunderclap, instantly exploding in Kenji Ito's mind!

He stood there dumbfounded, his face, which always wore an official smile, froze in an instant, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror!

Agriculture Minister! Nationwide rollout!

Each of these words represents a strategic deployment from the highest level!

He then realized that the "concept" that Kentaro Suzuki was talking about was not just a simple "good method", but a grand plan that was related to the future fate of the entire Japanese agriculture!

"President Suzuki, is what you're saying true?!" Kenji Ito raised an eyebrow in shock.

"Mayor, everything I said is true!" Kentaro Suzuki replied with a smile, feeling a surge of pride as he looked at Kenji Ito's shocked expression. He knew that his words had thoroughly impressed Mayor Ito.

"Mayor, think about it, isn't this exactly what Nohara Agriculture Co., Ltd. in our Omagari City is doing?" Kentaro Suzuki's tone carried a perfectly timed "reminder": "They buy land from farmers and then hire farmers from the same village to work for the company and receive a fixed wage. Isn't this the 'agricultural worker' model that expert was talking about?"

Upon hearing this, Kenji Ito's eyes widened instantly, his face filled with sudden realization!

He then realized that the Nohara brothers, Hajime and Hiroshi, had unknowingly moved to the forefront of the times and become "pioneers" of national strategy!
He subconsciously recalled the complaints the civil servants had made about Nohara Saji and Nohara Hiroshi at the previous meeting—"burning money" and "strange brothers."

Looking back now, those complaints were utterly foolish!

Nohara Sashi and Nohara Hiroshi, they weren't just "spending money recklessly"; they clearly possessed extraordinary foresight and wisdom!

"I see... I see!" Kenji Ito muttered to himself, then slapped his thigh, his face filled with excitement and agitation: "I knew it! Why would Nohara Sashi suddenly start an agricultural company? It turns out he saw the future trend all along!"

He paused, then looked at Kentaro Suzuki, his tone carrying just the right amount of flattery: "Chairman Suzuki, you are truly visionary! You were able to foresee this trend in advance and even co-created this model with President Nohara Saji! You are truly... a hero of our Omagari City!"

Upon hearing this, Kentaro Suzuki's perfectly timed "humility" became even more genuine. He knew that Mayor Ito was flattering him, but he was secretly overjoyed.

"Oh! Mayor, you flatter me! You flatter me!" Kentaro Suzuki waved his hands repeatedly, his face full of smiles. "I have no foresight whatsoever! I just... just followed President Nohara Saji and got lucky!"

He paused, his tone carrying an undisguised admiration: "Speaking of which, those two Nohara brothers are truly remarkable! Especially that kid Hiroshi Nohara, he's a real genius! He's not only the general director of 'Seven Samurai,' the producer of 'Hachiko Monogatari,' but also the author of manga like 'Yu Yu Hakusho,' 'Doraemon,' and 'Midnight Diner'!"

"He's the hottest cultural celebrity in Japan right now! Every word and action of his can cause a huge social impact! Any casual remark he makes can make the headlines! Any movie he makes can be a box office hit!"

As Kentaro Suzuki spoke, a hint of envy and jealousy appeared on his face: "Moreover, he's currently the head of the production department at TV Tokyo! I heard that even the Governor of Tokyo personally met with him and praised his work! He's now the greatest pride of our Omagari City, and even the entire Akita Prefecture!"

As Kenji Ito listened to Kentaro Suzuki's praise, the "flattering" smile on his face became even more genuine. He knew that Kentaro Suzuki was right; Hiroshi Nohara was indeed a "monster."

Hiroshi Nohara, how could he be "burning money"? He was clearly using his talent and his works to "pave the way" for his elder brother's agricultural company!
He's not "indifferent to money" at all! He's clearly using his influence to "drive traffic" to his older brother's agricultural company!
He's not a "strange brother" at all! He's clearly using his extraordinary wisdom and foresight to "plan" for his elder brother's agricultural company!
"Yes! Those two Nohara brothers are really... amazing!" Kenji Ito sighed, his tone filled with undisguised shock and...envy.

He never imagined that he, a mere mayor, could be connected with such a big shot as Hiroshi Nohara.

He never imagined that the two Nohara brothers had unknowingly moved to the forefront of the times and become "pioneers" of national strategy!
“Chairman Suzuki, you’re right.” Kenji Ito’s gaze drifted to the vast Akita countryside outside the window, his eyes deep. “Those two Nohara brothers… they’ve really brought honor to our Omagari City!”

He paused, his tone carrying a perfectly timed "hint": "Chairman Suzuki, do you think we could report Nohara Agriculture Co., Ltd.'s achievements as a model for rural revitalization in Omagari City? Moreover, we should emphasize that this is the first 'agricultural worker' model that Omagari City pioneered in response to the national call!"

Upon hearing this, Kentaro Suzuki smiled knowingly. He knew that Mayor Ito was giving him a share of the pie.

“Mayor, you’re absolutely right!” Kentaro Suzuki nodded quickly, his face beaming with smiles. “Our agricultural association will definitely cooperate fully! We’ll also invite the Governor of Akita Prefecture to visit our Omagari City and tour Nohara Agriculture Co., Ltd.! We want the Governor to see for himself how Omagari City is responding to the national call and pioneering the ‘agricultural worker’ model!”

Upon hearing this, Kenji Ito smiled with satisfaction.

He knew that this time his "achievements" were secure.

He could even foresee that in the near future, he, Kenji Ito, would, with the "halo" of the Nohara brothers, make a grand entrance in front of the governor of Akita Prefecture.

And as a result, he will take a more solid step in his political career.

Looking at Suzuki Kentaro's plump, smiling face, and thinking of the two Nohara brothers, a strong premonition welled up in his heart.

This time, he might actually be able to climb higher with the help of the Nohara brothers!
“Oh, right, Chairman Suzuki.” Kenji Ito suddenly remembered something. He picked up the phone on the table again and dialed a number: “I’ll call the secretary of the governor of Akita Prefecture right now and report on our ‘new model’ in Omagari City!”

Upon hearing this, Kentaro Suzuki's face lit up with an even brighter smile: "Mayor Ito, this is a sound business model developed by the farmers of Omagari City under your leadership. It's a business model that aligns with the standards of agricultural experts!"

"Hahahaha!" Kenji Ito hadn't even dialed the number yet, but upon hearing Kentaro Suzuki's words, he burst into laughter: "And our agricultural cooperative's chairman Suzuki, together with his discerning eye, discovered the talents of the Nohara brothers, and then provided them with sufficient assistance, which led to the excellent business model we have today, didn't they?"

The two smiled at each other, and the atmosphere became even more harmonious.

PS: Keep asking for votes~
(End of this chapter)