I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 266 The Continuing Game After a Successful Start!

A narrow lead in the first round of voting and a strong lead in the second round of suburban votes boosted the morale of Yoshihiro Shimazu's campaign team to unprecedented heights.

For the next three days, Tokyo was completely engulfed in the ultimate election frenzy. The streets, the television debates, and the front pages of newspapers were all dominated by the competition between Yoshihiro Shimazu and Mikami Tanaka.

The tense atmosphere in Yoshihiro Shimazu's team's temporary command center has become much more relaxed, but no one dares to slack off in the slightest, since the final result has not yet been revealed and any changes could happen.

"Hiroshi-kun, look at yesterday's debate replay. Mr. Shimazu is getting better and better!" Nobuhiko Sakata pointed to the big screen, his tone full of admiration.

In the video, Yoshihiro Shimazu calmly responds to the questions posed by Mikami Tanaka, his eyes firm, his speech steady, and every word hitting the nail on the head regarding the pain points of people's lives.

Hiroshi Nohara nodded, flipping through the latest public opinion report: "The former president of Shimazu has fully gotten into the swing of things. Now he can explain livelihood policies clearly and logically without relying on drafts, which is a sign of confidence."

Takada Toshihide walked over with a cup of coffee, adding with a smile, "The key is that Tanaka Mikami is out of ideas! Besides repeating the same old 'real estate will appreciate' and 'cities will expand,' he can't come up with any other policies that can impress voters. During yesterday's debate, when a reporter asked him 'how to solve youth employment,' he actually answered 'real estate development can boost employment in the construction industry,' which is simply self-deception!"

Asumi couldn't help but laugh: "It's more than just self-deception; it's completely detached from reality. There are more and more temporary workers in the construction industry now, while permanent positions are decreasing. Many young people are doing the hardest work for the lowest wages, with absolutely no job security. Tanaka Mikami can't even see this, so how can we expect him to solve the employment problem?"

Yoshihiro Shimazu had just finished a street speech and returned to the command center. He looked a little tired, but his excitement was undeniable: "Just now, a lot of young people gathered on the streets of Shinjuku. They all told me that they support my 'Youth Entrepreneurship Fund' policy and want to start their own small businesses. They don't want to struggle to find an unstable job anymore."

He took the warm water Hiroshi Nohara offered and continued, "Several retired elderly people held my hand and said they supported my efforts to control housing prices, as they didn't want their grandchildren to work for houses their whole lives. Now, more and more people are realizing that the real estate market is only bringing about a short-lived, false prosperity."

"This is what the people want."

Hiroshi Nohara said calmly, “Tanaka Mikami’s policies only serve a small number of people with property and capital, while your policies concern the lives of every ordinary person. The longer it goes on, the clearer it will become, and people will naturally choose the one who truly cares about them.”

Just then, a data analyst from the campaign team rushed in, holding a copy of the latest poll report: "Mr. Shimazu, the latest poll shows that your approval rating has reached 54%, while Tanaka Mikami's is 46%, a gap that has widened to 8 percentage points! Moreover, 72% of voters say they most approve of your 'employment support' and 'affordable housing' policies!"

"Great!" Takada Toshihide clapped his hands excitedly. "This gap is already very secure! As long as we maintain it, victory will definitely be ours in the end!"

Nobuhiko Sakata breathed a sigh of relief: "These three days of debates and speeches have paid off. Now even some of the swing voters who previously supported Tanaka are starting to turn to us."

Looking at the poll report, Yoshihiro Shimazu's eyes were filled with emotion: "This is not my victory alone, but the victory of everyone who believes in the principle of putting people's livelihood first. If it weren't for everyone's joint efforts, especially Hiroshi, I wouldn't have been able to get to this point."

Hiroshi Nohara shook his head: "Former President Shimazu, you don't need to be so polite. Your ideals are in line with the people's will, and I just did what I was supposed to do. There's one last televised debate coming up, and if we maintain our current form, victory will surely be ours."

……

The final televised debate was held on Tokyo TV, marking the last public contest before the election and attracting the attention of all of Tokyo and even the entire country.

The studio was packed, with reporters setting up their cameras, ready to go, while voters in the audience waited with anticipation and tension for the final showdown between the two candidates.

Backstage, Yoshihiro Shimazu was making his final preparations when Hiroshi Nohara whispered to him, "Former President Shimazu, in the final debate, Mikami Tanaka will definitely go all out and may use some radical words to attack you. Don't let him lead you astray; just stick to the core principle of 'people's livelihood'."

Yoshihiro Shimazu nodded, his tone firm: "I know. No matter what he says, I will speak out for the common people and explain our policies clearly."

As predicted by Hiroshi Nohara, Tanaka Mikami launched a fierce attack right from the start after the debate began: "Mr. Yoshihiro Shimazu, your so-called economic transformation is to destroy Japan's real estate market and cause countless citizens' assets to shrink! Do you know how much tax revenue the Tokyo real estate market contributes? Do you know how many companies rely on real estate to survive? Your policies are destroying Tokyo's economy!"

His tone was agitated, and he pointed at Yoshihiro Shimazu, trying to intimidate him with his imposing manner.

Faced with this attack, Yoshihiro Shimazu remained unusually calm. He slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping across the audience, and said in a steady tone, "Mr. Mikami Tanaka, I would like to ask you, where does the tax revenue contributed by the real estate market ultimately go? Does it improve the lives of ordinary citizens, or does it fill the pockets of a few? You say how many companies rely on real estate to survive, but have you ever thought about how many small and medium-sized enterprises have gone bankrupt because their funds have flowed into real estate and they have not been able to obtain development funds? How many young people have lost the opportunity to pursue their dreams because of high housing prices?"

He paused and continued:
"The economic transformation I'm talking about is not about destroying the real estate market, but about restoring real estate to its residential function and promoting diversified economic development. We need to develop cultural industries, traditional crafts, and technological innovation. These fields can create more stable jobs and enable truly sustainable economic development, rather than relying on bubbles to create false prosperity."

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience, and many voters nodded in agreement.

Tanaka Mikami's expression changed, and he quickly retorted, "That's wishful thinking! How much money can the cultural industry and traditional crafts make? Can they compare to real estate? What the citizens want is real wealth growth, not your empty promises!"

"Real wealth growth?"

Yoshihiro Shimazu retorted, "Mr. Tanaka, is your so-called wealth growth just about making housing prices rise by 30% every year, making it impossible for young people to afford a house in their lifetime? Is it about making ordinary citizens empty the savings of two generations just for a place to live? Such wealth growth comes at the expense of the happiness of the majority. We don't need such prosperity!"

He pulled out a data report, his tone firm:

"According to statistics, the youth unemployment rate in Tokyo has reached 8.7%, double that of five years ago; the average mortgage burden for ordinary office workers has reached 60% of their monthly income; and many traditional crafts have lost their place in the market due to real estate development and are facing the danger of being lost. These are the consequences of the prosperity you mentioned!"

"And our policy is to solve these problems."

Yoshihiro Shimazu continued, “We want to establish a youth entrepreneurship fund to provide start-up capital and guidance for young people; we want to build more affordable housing so that ordinary people can afford to buy and live in a home; we want to protect traditional crafts so that they can be revitalized in modern society. These policies may not cause citizens' assets to skyrocket in the short term, but they can ensure that everyone has stable jobs, a decent life, and a bright future—this is true wealth, wealth that will not depreciate!”

The applause from the audience grew even louder, with some voters even standing up and shouting, "Support Mr. Shimazu! We want people's livelihood! We want the future!"

Tanaka Mikami watched this scene, his face turning ashen, but he could no longer come up with any strong arguments to refute it. He could only repeatedly emphasize that "real estate will appreciate in value" and "I have more experience." But these words seemed pale and powerless in the face of Shimazu Yoshihiro's concrete policies for people's livelihood.

After the debate, Yoshihiro Shimazu walked out of the studio and was immediately surrounded by reporters and supporters.

He was surrounded by people, their faces full of expectation and trust, shouting, "Mr. Shimazu, do your best!" "We support you!"

Backstage, the entire team surrounded him, their faces beaming with excitement.

"Mr. Shimazu, you were absolutely amazing!" Takada Toshihide exclaimed excitedly. "Tanaka Mikami is no match for you at all. Even I couldn't stand what he was saying!"

Asumi said with a smile, "That last rhetorical question was absolutely brilliant! 'We don't need this kind of prosperity,' that sentence will definitely resonate with many citizens."

Hiroshi Nohara looked at Yoshihiro Shimazu with a pleased smile: "Former President Shimazu, your performance today was perfect. You not only won the debate, but also won the hearts of the people."

...Back at the campaign headquarters, everyone's tense nerves finally relaxed completely.

As night deepened outside the window, the neon lights of Tokyo flickered, as if heralding the arrival of a new era.

Everyone sat together, drinking beer, eating bento boxes, and excitedly discussing the debate they had just had.

"I just checked the real-time public opinion, and the internet is full of voices supporting Mr. Shimazu!" the data analyst said excitedly. "Many netizens are saying, 'Finally, someone is speaking up for ordinary people!' and 'Mr. Shimazu's policies are exactly what we need!'"

Kurosawa Eiji took a sip of beer and said with a smile, "Tanaka Mikoto is really going to lose this time. He has nothing to offer except real estate. Now the citizens have seen through it all; real estate is just an inflated bubble that will burst sooner or later!"

Kita Asano nodded, a hint of relief in his voice: "Fortunately, Mr. Shimazu stepped forward. If Tanaka Mikami had continued to govern, the real estate bubble would have only grown larger, and when the economy collapsed, it would have been ordinary people who suffered."

"Speaking of which, the citizens of Tokyo are quite interesting."

Takada Toshihide joked with a smile, "We were still clinging to the real estate market before, but now we've finally realized something's wrong. Actually, everyone knows that the housing prices have risen so ridiculously, it's not normal at all, but no one is willing to point it out."

Asumi laughed: "That's human nature. Everyone wants to make a fortune while the bubble is in the air, but they're also afraid of being ruined when the bubble bursts. Now Mr. Shimazu has given them a choice, a choice that allows them to escape the bubble's clutches and have a stable future, so naturally they'll seize it."

Hiroshi Nohara sat in the corner, listening to everyone's discussion, a smile appearing on his face.

But there was a hint of mockery in his smile.

He knew that the “something wrong” that the citizens of Tokyo were now sensing was just the tip of the iceberg.

Unbeknownst to them, this seemingly prosperous real estate bubble had already reached its end and would soon burst completely, dragging the entire Japanese economy into an abyss.

"Hiroshi-kun, what are you thinking about?" Shimazu Yoshihiro noticed his silence and asked.

Hiroshi Nohara snapped out of his reverie, shook his head, and said with a smile, "It's nothing. I just feel that the citizens have finally woken up. In fact, everyone has a scale in their hearts. They can clearly distinguish what is right and what is wrong, what is a long-term plan and what is a short-term gain."

He paused and continued:
"The real estate bubble is like a beautiful trap, which looks tempting but actually hides a crisis. It is a good thing that everyone is now taking the initiative to jump out of this trap and choose the path of sustainable development."

Nobuhiko Sakata looked at Hiroshi Nohara with admiration in his voice: "Hiroshi-kun, you are not only talented, but also visionary. From the beginning, you saw the dangers of the real estate bubble and proposed the concept of economic diversification. Now it seems that you were right."

Hiroshi Nohara smiled but didn't say anything.

He knew in his heart that the reason he could see all this was not because he was so powerful, but because he came from the future and knew the course of history.

Japan's economy had already begun to decline in 1991, and the bursting of the real estate bubble was only a matter of time.

In two or three years, when the bubble bursts completely, countless families will fall into hardship due to the shrinking of their assets, countless businesses will go bankrupt due to broken cash flow, and Japan will enter a long "lost decade".

All he is doing now is helping Tokyo prepare in advance and mitigate the impact of the bubble bursting, within the limits of his ability.

Yoshihiro Shimazu's election, the advancement of economic transformation, and the development of the cultural industry can all, to some extent, buffer the impact of the economic crisis and prevent more ordinary people from losing everything in the crisis.

"By the way, Hiroshi-kun,"

Yoshihiro Shimazu suddenly said, "After I am elected, the first thing I will do is to implement the youth entrepreneurship fund and affordable housing policy. At that time, I will need your help, especially in supporting the cultural industry and traditional crafts. You have a lot of experience, and I would like to ask you to serve as the cultural and economic advisor to Tokyo."

Hiroshi Nohara hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement:

"Thank you for your trust, Mr. Shimazu. I will do my best to help and contribute to the economic transformation and cultural development of Tokyo."

They continued to sit together, talking about future plans and the development of Tokyo.

The atmosphere was lively and cheerful, and everyone's face was filled with anticipation for the future.

They believe that with Yoshihiro Shimazu's election, Tokyo will surely break free from the real estate bubble and move towards a bright future of economic diversification and improved living standards.

Looking at the excited crowd in front of him, Hiroshi Nohara felt a warm current well up in his heart.

He knew that the road ahead would not be smooth sailing, the shadow of the economic crisis still lingered, and the impact of the bursting real estate bubble remained severe.

However, he believes that as long as everyone unites as one, adheres to the principle of prioritizing people's livelihood, and actively promotes economic transformation, they will surely overcome the difficulties.

The neon lights outside the window continued to flicker, illuminating the night sky of Tokyo and the hopeful faces of the people.

Hiroshi Nohara raised his glass and said to everyone, "To the future of Tokyo, to the happiness of every ordinary person, cheers!"

"cheers!"

Everyone raised their glasses, the clinking of the glasses creating a crisp, pleasant sound that echoed through the night.

At this moment, all the effort, all the perseverance, and all the expectations are condensed in this glass of wine.

They knew that the election victory was just the beginning, and that the road ahead required them to work together, strive together, and create a better future for Tokyo.

Hiroshi Nohara also knows that his mission is not over yet. He will continue to use his camera and wisdom to record the changes of this era, witness the transformation and rebirth of Tokyo, and light a lamp of hope for the neon lights in the face of the impending economic crisis.

(End of this chapter)