I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 260 The Price! The Fury of the Kanto Generations!
On Monday morning, the Tokyo TV office building was already filled with the sound of hurried footsteps.

Hiroshi Nohara, dressed in a dark suit and holding the final summary report of "A Bite of Japan," walked into the conference room on the top floor.

At this moment, Nobuhiko Sakata, Toshihide Takada, and Asumi were already sitting at the table, on which were the documents of the Kanto TV station. Today was not only Hiroshi Nohara's work report day, but also the day when the Kanto TV management came to the Tokyo TV station to synchronize their work progress.

"Hiroshi-kun, please sit down." Nobuhiko Sakata looked up at him, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "How's the wrap-up of 'A Bite of China' going? Have you heard anything from Ichiro Hashimoto about the follow-up overseas promotion plans?"

Hiroshi Nohara sat down and pushed the report in front of the three men, his tone calm: "Director Sakata, post-production on all eleven episodes of 'A Bite of China' has been completed. Sample clips of episode eight, 'Mito Natto,' and episode nine, 'Matsusaka Umezu,' were sent to NHK's Department Head Miyazawa yesterday, and he said they could be included in the first batch of recommended programs for 'cultural export.' Section Chief Hashimoto is currently in contact with television stations in Southeast Asia, and channels in Thailand and Malaysia have clearly stated that they want to broadcast simultaneously at the end of this month."

Takada Toshihide picked up the report, turned to the page on "economic benefits," and smiled: "Pre-sales of Mito natto have doubled, and orders for Matsusaka plums are booked until March next year? Hiroshi-kun, your documentary has really boosted the local economy. The Ministry of Education even called yesterday to ask if we could film another season of 'Kansai cuisine.'"

Asumi added, "As for Kanto TV, Matsui Yuichi called me this morning and said that the two projects you previously supervised, 'Ibaraki Lacquerware' and 'Chiba Fishing Port,' have passed the initial review and they want to start on-site research next week. However, they also made a request—they hope you can take some time to go through the Kanto TV's filming equipment list, as some of the old equipment really needs to be replaced."

As soon as he finished speaking, the conference room door was pushed open, and Suzuki Kiyoto walked in with Matsui Yuichi and Yamada Takashi.

Matsui Yuichi held Kanto TV's monthly work report in his hand, his face still bearing that stubborn expression, but much gentler than when they last met: "Director Sakata, Director Takada, Deputy Director Asumi, this is Kanto TV's production progress and advertising revenue report for last month. Thanks to Hiroshi-san, the number of our documentary projects has doubled compared to the same period last year, and advertising revenue has also increased by 30%."

Kiyoto Suzuki sat down beside him, rubbing his temples with his fingers: "The main reason is that the influence of 'A Bite of China' is too obvious. Asakusa-ya Sushi was skeptical about our documentary advertisements before, but now they have not only signed an annual contract, but also voluntarily added two million yen in sponsorship, saying that they want to add the slogan 'Support Traditional Crafts' at the end of the film."

Nobuhiko Sakata flipped through the reports from Kanto TV, then looked up at Hiroshi Nohara, his tone full of admiration: "Hiroshi-kun, your 'A Bite of China' has gotten off to a great start. We used to think that no one would watch documentaries about traditional culture, but now it seems that as long as you find the right angle of 'human touch,' the audience will buy it. Tell me, how should the next few documentaries on Kanto TV maintain this style?"

Hiroshi Nohara thought for a moment and replied, “Director Sakata, I think the core is still ‘using people to guide art.’ For example, when filming ‘Ibaraki lacquerware,’ don’t just film the steps of the craftsman applying lacquer; film how he teaches his son to identify lacquer trees and how he restores the old lacquerware left by his grandfather—these details of family inheritance are more moving to the audience than a simple display of craftsmanship. Matsui-san, has the idea of ​​‘young designers collaborating with old craftsmen’ that I mentioned to you last time been included in the project?”

Upon hearing this, Yuichi Matsui took out a revised proposal from his file bag and handed it over: "It's been added. Takashi Yamada has spoken with lacquerware artisans in Ibaraki, and they are willing to collaborate with a design studio in Tokyo to produce a batch of 'lacquerware coffee cups.' However, the artisans also made a request—the traditional 'immersion gold technique' cannot be altered; only modern adjustments can be made to the patterns."

“That’s right.” Hiroshi Nohara nodded. “The soul of traditional craftsmanship cannot be lost; innovation is only to better integrate it into modern life. For example, the owner of Matsusaka pickled plums didn’t abandon the old method of hand-pickled vegetables; she just printed cartoon patterns that young people like on the packaging, and sales went up, didn’t they?”

Takada Toshihide put down his coffee cup and said solemnly, "Hiroshi-kun is right. Other directors on TV Tokyo should also learn from this approach. Ashikaga Takashi's period dramas and Asano Takata's heartwarming films can all incorporate traditional elements—for example, filming 'the story of kimono patterns' in period dramas and 'the dilemma of inheritance for old shops' in heartwarming films. This would not only enrich the content but also create a connection with your 'A Bite of China'."

Asumi chimed in, "I've already spoken with Ashikaga-san and Asano-san, and they're both willing to give it a try. Asano-san also said he wants to add a scene in 'Mother's Bento' where 'Mom learns to make handmade pickles,' which fits the family theme and echoes the content of 'A Bite of China.'"

Just as everyone was discussing enthusiastically, Suzuki Kiyoto suddenly frowned and clenched his fist under the table.

He glanced at Yuichi Matsui, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: "Everyone, there's something I need to say—several people who were recently featured on 'A Bite of China' have run into trouble. Kenichi Sato of Mito Natto was cornered at the entrance of his workshop last week by a group of thugs who demanded 'protection money'; Sumie Matsumoto of Matsusaka Umeboshi also said yesterday that someone splashed paint on her shop and left a note telling her 'stop cooperating with TV Tokyo'."

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the relaxed atmosphere in the meeting room.

Nobuhiko Sakata's face darkened, and he tapped his fingers heavily on the table: "Suzuki-kun, are you telling the truth? Did Sato-san and Matsumoto-san call the police?"

Matsui Yuichi picked up the conversation, his tone filled with anger: "We reported it, but the police said they couldn't catch them in the act, so they could only increase patrols. Sato-san has to lock the workshop door every day now, and Matsumoto-san is so scared that he doesn't dare let his apprentice watch the shop alone. Those people clearly came prepared, specifically targeting shops featured in 'A Bite of China.' There must be someone behind this!"

Takashi Yamada added, "And Masayoshi Nomizu from Chiba fishing port called me yesterday and said that several strange men went to the dock and asked him, 'Are you close to Hiroshi Nohara from TV Tokyo?' Their tone was full of threats. Now Mr. Nomizu always takes a few fishermen with him when he goes out to sea, for fear of something going wrong."

Upon hearing this, Hiroshi Nohara frowned deeply and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

He recalled the thugs that Future Manga Club had encountered yesterday, and his expression turned serious: "Suzuki-san, Matsui-san, actually, my Future Manga Club also encountered something similar yesterday. A group of people came to collect protection money and even knocked over an easel. Fortunately, a friend happened to pass by and stopped them, otherwise there would have been too much damage."

"Future Manga Company has been targeted too?" Nobuhiko Sakata's tone was full of surprise. "This is no coincidence. Hiroshi-kun, your manga company's address is rarely disclosed to the public. Unless someone has deliberately investigated, it's impossible to find it."

Takada Toshihide's eyes darkened, and he tapped his finger on the table: "Who could it be? We haven't offended anyone recently. Our only competitor... is Tokyo TV."

Asumi immediately nodded: "Director Takada is right. Last time, Kamiki Shunsuke from Tokyo TV said publicly that he would 'teach Tokyo TV a lesson' because 'Super Transformation' stole their variety show's ratings. Moreover, Sato Tokugawa is the chairman of the Kirin Group, who owns many real estate projects and has always had unclear ties with the underworld." Matsui Yuichi gritted his teeth and said: "I've felt that Tokyo TV was suspicious for a long time! Last time they tried to poach one of our Kanto TV's producers, and after being rejected, that producer received an anonymous threatening letter. Now that I think about it, it must have been Sato Tokugawa who was behind it!"

Suzuki Kiyoto sighed: "Sato Tokugawa's real estate project has recently encountered obstacles in Tokyo Bay—the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology wants to designate part of the sea area as a 'traditional fisheries protected area' because of the influence of 'A Bite of China,' which directly affects his land reclamation plan. Could it be that he feels that Hiroshi-kun's documentary is blocking his way, and that's why he deliberately sent people to harass him?"

Hiroshi Nohara paused for a moment before speaking, “That’s possible. Last time at the NHK roundtable, I mentioned the idea of ​​‘protecting traditional fishery resources.’ Sato Tokugawa’s assistant was also present, and he looked very unhappy. Moreover, Kazuo Takahashi of Tokyo TV was previously a member of Tanaka Mikami’s team, and Mayor Tanaka and Sato Tokugawa were allies—they may have joined forces to try to force me to stop filming on this topic through harassment.”

Just then, Kita Asano walked in to deliver some documents. Upon hearing this, he immediately stopped and said, "Everyone, let me add something. Last week, I attended an industry conference and overheard people from Tokyo TV talking privately, saying, 'We need to let Hiroshi Nohara know what he should and shouldn't film.' At the time, I didn't pay much attention, but now it seems they had planned this all along!"

Nobuhiko Sakata slammed his hand on the table, splashing tea from his cup: "This is outrageous! Does Tokugawa Sato think he can stop us from spreading culture by using some underworld tactics? Tomorrow I'll go and talk to Chief Hattori Tadashi and ask him to coordinate with the police to strengthen the protection of those artisans!"

Takada Toshihide's face was also very ugly, his fingers clenched so tightly they turned white: "And Tokyo TV, if they dare to pull any more tricks, we'll collect evidence and submit it to the Broadcasting Corporation! I don't believe they can cover up everything!"

Asumi calmly said, "The most crucial thing now is to fight back. On the one hand, we need to coordinate with the police and ask them to increase patrols, especially in filming locations like Mito, Matsusaka, and Chiba; on the other hand, we can add the subtitle 'Protect traditional artisans, resist violent threats' to the end of 'A Bite of China' so that the audience knows the truth—sometimes public pressure is more effective than police intervention."

Suzuki Kiyoto gave a wry smile and shook his head: "Deputy Director Asumi, we understand the reasoning, but the problem is that we have no evidence. Those shady gangs are all hired temporarily, they do it and leave, so we can't find any evidence against them; Sato Tokugawa and Kamiki Shunsuke are hiding behind the scenes, they don't even leave a written instruction. Even if we report to Minister Hattori, without solid evidence, the police can only do a superficial job."

Nobuhiko Sakata frowned even more, and his tone softened: "Suzuki-kun is right. This is a crucial time for former Shimazu's mayoral campaign in Tokyo. Tanaka Mikami has been looking for an opportunity to smear us. If we publicly accuse Tokyo TV without solid evidence, they will turn the tables on us and accuse us of 'malicious competition' and 'interfering with the election'."

Matsui Yuichi couldn't help but say, "Are we just going to stand by and watch them bully people? Sato Kenichi's workshop doesn't even dare to open now, and Matsumoto-san's shop has lost half of its customers. If this continues, we won't be able to film our documentary!"

Takashi Yamada chimed in, "Yes, Director Sakata, we can't just let this go! Those artisans trust us, that's why they're willing to cooperate with the filming. If we can't protect them, who will dare to work with us in the future?"

Seeing everyone's excited expressions, Hiroshi Nohara said, "Everyone, calm down first. A head-on confrontation isn't the best approach right now. I have a suggestion—we can have the craftsmen secretly install recording equipment, and if they encounter harassment from shady groups again, they can record their conversations; at the same time, we can have Section Chief Hashimoto investigate Sato Tokugawa's real estate projects to see if there are any irregularities—since he dares to use yakuza methods, there must be something fishy about the projects. If we find something on him, we can turn the tables and restrain him."

Takada Toshihide nodded: "That's a good idea! Hashimoto Ichiro is very experienced in intelligence gathering, so it's most suitable for him to investigate. In addition, we can also contact former Shimazu president Sato Tokugawa. Sato Tokugawa is Tanaka Mikami's financial backer. If we can find evidence of the transfer of benefits between them, it will also help with former Shimazu president's election."

Nobuhiko Sakata was silent for a moment before finally making a decision: "We'll do as Hiroshi and Takada said. But one thing needs to be clear—all work now must revolve around the election of former Minister Shimazu."

He looked at Hiroshi Nohara and said solemnly, “Put aside the equipment review and planning guidance for Kanto TV for now. For the next two weeks, focus on helping former President Shimazu refine the promotion plan for the ‘information cocoon’ and shoot another campaign video—the content should revolve around ‘cultural heritage’ and ‘economic transformation,’ highlighting the results of his cooperation with our TV Tokyo.”

He paused, then added, "As long as former Shimazu Yoshihiro is elected mayor of Tokyo, Tanaka Mikami and Sato Tokugawa will lose their biggest backers. At that time, we can pull strings from Tokyo Metropolitan Government to Tokyo City, and it won't be too late to deal with them then."

Asumi agreed, "President Sakata is right. The election is the most important thing right now. Hiroshi, your promotional video is very important—the audience of 'A Bite of China' covers all age groups, and your work can help more people understand former President Shimazu's philosophy. Moreover, your previously designed 'information cocoon' strategy has already increased former President Shimazu's approval rating by five percentage points. If you give it another push, you might be able to widen the gap."

Hiroshi Nohara nodded, his tone firm: "Director Sakata, Deputy Director Asumi, I understand. I will communicate with Matsui-san and Yamada-san about the Kanto TV matter, and have them proceed according to the previous plan. If any problems arise, please contact me by phone. I will start preparing the election campaign video tomorrow and try to have the script ready within three days."

Although Yuichi Matsui was still somewhat unwilling, he knew the importance of the election and could only nod: "Hiroshi-san, you can focus on the election. We'll keep a close eye on the Kanto TV project. If we encounter any problems that we can't solve, we'll come to you."

Kiyoto Suzuki patted Hiroshi Nohara on the shoulder: "Hiroshi-kun, thank you for your hard work. After the election, we'll settle this score with Tokugawa Sato properly. We'll arrange for people to protect those artisans secretly, and we won't let them suffer any more injustices."

By the time the meeting ended, the sun was high in the sky outside the window.

Hiroshi Nohara walked out of the meeting room with the meeting minutes in hand, knowing full well how busy the next two weeks would be.

On one side was former Shimazu's election campaign, on the other was the safety of the artisans, and there was also the undercurrent behind Sato Tokugawa—but he didn't panic. Just like when he faced the bullies while filming "Seven Samurai," the more complex the situation, the more calm and strategic he needed to be.

He already had a plan in mind: not only to help former Shimazu Eiji win the election, but also to make those behind-the-scenes manipulators pay the price they deserve.

(End of this chapter)