I, Hiroshi Nohara, the star of Japanese cinema

Chapter 267 The Fury and Despair of Tokyo TV Station!
The moment the final televised debate ended, the air in the VIP lounge on the top floor of Tokyo TV felt as if it were filled with solidified lava, so oppressive it was suffocating.

The expensive velvet fabric on the leather sofa was wrinkled from being squeezed, and the red wine in the crystal glass on the coffee table rippled with the owner's heavy breathing, but no one dared to reach out and touch it.

"Trash! A bunch of trash!"

Tanaka Mikami suddenly sprang up from the sofa, slamming his thick hand hard on the coffee table. The expensive crystal glass bounced and spilled red wine, spreading a glaring dark red stain on the expensive Persian carpet.

His face turned a deep purplish-red, and the veins on his forehead bulged. His usual composed politician demeanor vanished, replaced by hysterical rage.

"Did you all see what happened on the debate stage just now?!" He pointed at the silent crowd in the lounge, his voice shrill as if it had been sanded down. "That old bastard Yoshihiro Shimazu kept talking about employment, housing, and the future! All that's empty talk! It's just wishful thinking! Why didn't you help me stop him? Why didn't you give the reporters a heads-up and let them ask some tricky questions?!"

Kazuo Takahashi hunched his shoulders, his hands nervously clasped together, cold sweat trickling down his temples.

He was the executive vice president of Tokyo TV, but at this moment he looked like a schoolboy who had done something wrong, not even having the courage to look up at Tanaka Mikami: "Mr. Tanaka, we...we had arranged three questions that were biased towards you in advance, but the reporters changed their minds on the spot, and Shimazu Yoshihiro's answer was too...too inflammatory, we couldn't stop him at all."

"Can't be stopped?!"

Tanaka Mikami roared and stepped forward, his fat finger almost poking Takahashi Kazuo's face. "I invested so much money in you, letting you turn Tokyo TV into my propaganda base, and you can't even control a few reporters?! I think you're traitors, you've been bought off by Shimazu Yoshihiro long ago!"

Kazuo Takahashi was so frightened that his legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground. He hurriedly waved his hands and protested, "No! Absolutely not! Mr. Tanaka, we are loyal to you! Those reporters were just swayed by the emotions of the voters at the scene. They were afraid of being scolded by the audience, so they dared not ask questions according to our plan!"

"Completely loyal?"

Tanaka Mikami sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm like icicles. "So being loyal means making me look bad in front of all the citizens of Tokyo? It means letting that defeated Shimazu Yoshihiro force me to keep talking about real estate?! Do you know what people are saying about me now? They say I only know how to speculate on real estate! They say I don't care about the lives of ordinary people!"

He turned around, grabbed the poll report from the coffee table, and tore it into pieces. The scraps of paper flew everywhere, landing on everyone's heads and shoulders like a snowstorm of despair.

"54% to 46%! The gap has widened to 8 percentage points!" His voice was choked with sobs, yet still filled with rage. "How long has it been? Three months ago, I was leading him by 10 percentage points! It's all your fault! You're useless! You didn't promote my policies properly! You didn't expose Shimazu Yoshihiro's true colors!"

Sato Tokugawa sat on the sofa in the corner, his obese body sinking deep into the sofa.

His usual arrogance had vanished, replaced by anxiety and panic.

Hearing Tanaka Mikami's angry outburst, he cautiously spoke up: "Mr. Tanaka, please calm down. Actually... actually, the real estate policy is still very attractive, it's just that Shimazu Yoshihiro's rhetoric is too cunning. He specifically targets the pain points of young people and the poor, and we... we didn't react in time."

"Didn't you realize?"

Tanaka Mikami abruptly turned and glared at him, his eyes burning with fury that seemed to devour him. "Sato Tokugawa! How dare you say that! I partnered with you because of your influence in the real estate industry! And what happened? What happened to the homeowner votes you promised? What happened to the corporate support you promised? Now, Shimazu Yoshihiro's approval rating is soaring, and your real estate projects are about to become unsellable!"

Sato Tokugawa's face turned deathly pale instantly. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Tanaka Mikami is telling the truth. Recently, the sales of his several new projects have not even reached half of the expected amount. Many potential homebuyers are waiting and seeing, and quite a few have even said that they will wait for the election results before making a decision—they are worried that housing prices will drop if Shimazu Yoshihiro is elected.

"A bunch of short-sighted idiots!"

Seeing that he remained silent, Tanaka Mikami became even more furious. "How could housing prices possibly fall?! Japan's real estate market will only keep rising! Those people actually believed Shimazu Yoshihiro's nonsense. Just wait, when I'm re-elected, I'll make them understand that giving up real estate means giving up wealth!"

The others in the lounge, including several department heads from Tokyo TV, Sato Tokugawa's assistant, and members of Tanaka Mikami's campaign team, all kept their heads down and dared not utter a sound.

Fear was written all over everyone's face, for fear of becoming the next target of Tanaka Mikami's wrath.

Tanaka Mikami's anger seemed endless. He paced back and forth in the lounge, the sound of his leather shoes hitting the ground like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's heart.

"How much have I contributed to Tokyo?!"

He shouted as he walked, "How many real estate projects have I promoted?! How many skyscrapers have I built?! How many people's assets have doubled?! And what about them? They actually support an old geezer who only talks about people's livelihood! Ungrateful! They're all ungrateful bastards!"

He abruptly stopped, looked at Kazuo Takahashi, and said in a sinister tone:

"Takahashi-kun, make the arrangements right now! Have the TV news programs repeatedly broadcast my interpretation of the real estate policy, portraying Shimazu Yoshihiro's policies as 'damaging the economy' and 'harming people's livelihoods'! Have the editors write editorials criticizing his 'Youth Entrepreneurship Fund' as a waste of taxpayers' money and his 'Affordable Housing Policy' as an infringement on private property!"

Kazuo Takahashi nodded hurriedly: "Yes! Yes! Mr. Tanaka, I'll make the arrangements right away!" As he spoke, he turned and was about to run out.

"and many more!"

Tanaka Mikami stopped him, his eyes filled with resentment. "And another thing! Contact our supporters and have them campaign in various communities, telling everyone that after Shimazu Yoshihiro is elected, housing prices will plummet and everyone's assets will shrink! Have them canvass for votes at the polling stations, even if they have to kneel down, to bring back those undecided voters!"

"Understood! I'll get right on it!" Kazuo Takahashi didn't dare delay and practically ran out of the lounge.

Watching Kazuo Takahashi's retreating figure, Tanaka Mikami's anger subsided slightly, but the gloom on his face grew even heavier.

He slumped back onto the sofa, ran his hands through his graying hair, and muttered to himself, "I can't lose... I can't lose... I've been mayor for so many years, enjoyed so much wealth and luxury, I can't lose to Yoshihiro Shimazu..."

Even after Kazuo Takahashi left, the atmosphere in the lounge remained oppressively suffocating. Tokugawa Sato cautiously pulled a tissue from his pocket, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and looked utterly desperate.

He knew that Tanaka Mikami's arrangements were probably futile.

"Mr. Tanaka,"

He hesitated for a long time before finally mustering the courage to speak, "Actually...actually we can think of other ways. For example...for example, contacting old friends in the cabinet and having them put pressure on us, or...or maybe we could tamper with the vote counting process?"

Tanaka Mikami suddenly raised his head, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, but it quickly dimmed again.

He shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness: "It's no use. Those people in the cabinet are all opportunists now. Seeing that my approval rating is lagging behind, they've already started to distance themselves from me. As for the vote counting, there are people from Shimazu Yoshihiro on the election committee, and this election is under too much scrutiny. Any small tricks will be exposed, and then we'll only lose even more miserably."

He paused, his tone growing increasingly heavy: "Actually... I know in my heart that we might... really lose."

These words were like a bomb, exploding in the lounge.

Everyone froze, their faces filled with disbelief. Although they all had a premonition, the sense of despair still overwhelmed them when Tanaka Mikami uttered those words himself.

Ichiro Yamada, the head of the news department at Tokyo TV, was pale and his voice trembled: "Mr. Tanaka, please don't say that... We still have a chance, we still have a few days left, we will definitely be able to think of a way!"

"A way? What way?"

Tanaka Mikami gave a bitter laugh, his tone full of self-mockery. "Besides real estate, we have nothing to offer. Shimazu Yoshihiro's employment policies, affordable housing policies, and youth entrepreneurship funds—each one hits the voters' sore spots. And what about us? We can only tell everyone that housing prices will rise and assets will appreciate. But now, more and more people are realizing that without stable jobs and a decent life, what's the use of even if housing prices rise high?"

His words struck like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart.

Everyone fell silent, because what Tanaka Mikami said was true. For years, they had single-mindedly focused on promoting real estate development, neglecting the fundamental needs of the people.

Young people face difficulties finding employment, ordinary people face immense housing pressure, and traditional industries are gradually declining. These problems have existed for a long time, but they have been selectively ignored.

It wasn't until Yoshihiro Shimazu brought these issues to the forefront that they realized they had lost the support of the people.

"I'm not reconciled!" Tanaka Mikami suddenly slammed his fist on the sofa armrest, his voice filled with deep resentment and anger. "I've been operating in Tokyo for over a decade. I have more connections, resources, and wealth than Shimazu Yoshihiro in every way! But why? Why did he push me to this point in just a few months?!"

Sato Tokugawa sighed, his voice filled with helplessness: "Mr. Tanaka, perhaps... perhaps times have changed. People today no longer value wealth alone; they value quality of life and hope for the future more. Shimazu Yoshihiro's policies gave them hope, while our policies only gave wealth to a select few." "Hope? That's all a lie!" Tanaka Mikami roared. "Without real estate, without economic growth, where does hope come from?! Shimazu Yoshihiro is a fraud! He deceived all the voters! After he's elected, the economy will collapse, employment will be even harder, and then everyone will know who truly cares for them!"

But his roar no longer had the confidence it once did; it was more like a futile struggle.

Everyone in the lounge could feel the shadow of defeat looming over them, and no matter what they did, they could hardly turn the tide.

Kenta Suzuki, the head of the advertising department at Tokyo TV, cautiously began, "Mr. Tanaka, what... what should we do next? If you really lose, what... what will happen to us?"

His words expressed everyone's feelings. The reason why everyone followed Tanaka Mikami so wholeheartedly was not only because of his power, but also because he could bring them benefits.

If Tanaka Mikami loses and Shimazu Yoshihiro is elected, those who depend on Tanaka will probably not have a good ending.

Tanaka Sansho's face grew even darker. He swept his gaze across the fearful faces of the crowd and said in a sinister tone, "What are you afraid of? Even if I lose, Shimazu Yoshihiro can't do anything to me! I still have friends in the cabinet and resources in the business world. He can't touch me so easily!"

He paused and continued:
"As for you, as long as you continue to follow me, I guarantee you won't suffer any losses. Shimazu Yoshihiro needs the support of the business community and the publicity from television stations to implement his policies. In the end, he'll still have to ask us for help!"

Although everyone knew this was just Tanaka Mikami's consolation, they still breathed a slight sigh of relief.

They looked at each other, their eyes filled with complex emotions—fear, despair, resentment, and a sliver of hope.

In the following days, Tanaka Mikami seemed to go mad, launching a final struggle.

He only sleeps three hours a day, and spends the rest of his time giving speeches on the streets, being interviewed on television, or calling supporters in various fields, asking them to campaign for him with all their might.

In the studio of Tokyo TV, he tearfully recounted his "contributions" to Tokyo and criticized Yoshihiro Shimazu's policies as "harming the economy."

He even showed photos of subways and parks he had helped build years ago, trying to evoke a sense of gratitude in voters.

"Fellow citizens, I have served as mayor of Tokyo for over a decade, building convenient transportation and beautiful parks for you, and ensuring the continuous appreciation of your assets!"

He spoke earnestly to the camera, his voice even trembling with emotion, "And what about Yoshihiro Shimazu? He's just a movie and television producer. What does he know about economics? What does he know about urban governance? His policies will only lead Tokyo to decline and make everyone's lives worse and worse!"

But his speeches are no longer able to move voters.

Fewer and fewer people listened on the street, and even those who did stop looked indifferent.

Although the TV ratings were not low, at this time, even the comments on the newly emerging internet forums overwhelmingly supported Yoshihiro Shimazu.

"Mr. Tanaka, stop speculating on real estate! What we want is stable employment!"

"Mr. Shimazu's affordable housing policy is wonderful; I hope I can apply for one!"

"Mr. Tanaka, look at young people these days, which one isn't worried about housing? Can't you do something practical?"

These comments pierced Tanaka Mikami's heart like needles.

He stared at the scrolling negative comments on the screen, burning with anger, yet powerless to do anything about it.

In the dressing room of Tokyo TV, he once again hysterically roared at his team members: "Why? Why won't anyone believe me?! Yoshihiro Shimazu's policies are all fake! They're all lies! You guys need to figure something out! Delete these negative comments! Get online trolls to post online, supporting me! Attacking Yoshihiro Shimazu!"

Kazuo Takahashi nodded quickly: "Yes! Mr. Tanaka, we have already arranged for online trolls, but... but there are too many negative comments, we can't delete them all, and many netizens are spontaneously supporting Yoshihiro Shimazu, our online trolls simply can't keep up."

"Trash! They're all trash!"

Tanaka Mikami kicked over the chair next to him, which slammed against the wall with a jarring sound. "I've raised you all for so many years, and you're utterly useless when it matters! Let me tell you, if I lose, none of you will have an easy time! Takahashi Kazuo, you can forget about being the deputy director of the TV station! Sato Tokugawa, your real estate project will also be a disaster! And all of you, everyone will suffer along with me!"

Everyone trembled with fear at his words, and they all lowered their heads, not daring to speak.

The only sounds in the lounge were Tanaka Mikami's heavy breathing and the occasional sound of something breaking.

Sato Tokugawa looked at the hysterical Tanaka Mikami and felt a deep sense of regret.

He really shouldn't have tied himself so closely to Tanaka Mikami in the first place. Now, Tanaka Mikami's power has waned, and his own real estate projects have also been affected. He doesn't know what to do next.

"Mr. Tanaka,"

He spoke cautiously, “Perhaps…perhaps we should accept reality. Shimazu Yoshihiro’s approval rating is already far ahead, and no matter how hard we try, it will be difficult to turn things around. Perhaps…perhaps we should talk to Shimazu Yoshihiro and try to get a dignified exit, so as to leave ourselves a way out.”

"Talk? Talk to that old geezer?!"

Tanaka Mikami laughed as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. His laughter was full of madness and resentment. "When have I, Tanaka Mikami, ever had to bow down to anyone?! Even if I lose, I will lose spectacularly! I will let everyone know that Shimazu Yoshihiro won the election by deceiving the voters!"

His words completely extinguished everyone's last hope.

Everyone understood that Tanaka Mikami had gone mad; he would rather fight to the death than accept defeat.

On the eve of the election, the dressing room of Tokyo TV was deathly silent.

Tanaka Mikami sat on the sofa, staring blankly ahead. His previous rage was gone, replaced by deep weariness and despair. His hair was disheveled, his suit was wrinkled, and his former spiritedness was long gone.

Kazuo Takahashi, Tokugawa Sato, and others sat in a corner, heads bowed, saying nothing.

Everyone knows in their hearts that tomorrow's election results are already predetermined, and the era of Tanaka Mikami is about to end.

Tomorrow... is election day.

Tanaka Mikami suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse like sandpaper rubbing, "I served as mayor for several years, enjoying countless riches and honors, but also making many enemies. If I lose, those people will definitely take the opportunity to retaliate against me, and my later years will probably not be easy."

His words carried a hint of sadness, making the atmosphere in the lounge even more oppressive.

Sato Tokugawa sighed, "Mr. Tanaka, at this point, we can only leave it to fate. Perhaps... perhaps Shimazu Yoshihiro won't make things difficult for you."

"You won't make things difficult for me?"

Tanaka Mikami sneered, "Politics is so cruel. It's either win or lose. The loser can only be slaughtered. I only hate myself for being so stubborn back then, only thinking about real estate and not paying attention to people's livelihood. If I had implemented employment and housing policies earlier, perhaps... perhaps the outcome today would be different."

This was the first time he admitted his mistake, but it was too late.

As night deepened, the lights of Tokyo remained dazzling, but for Tanaka Mikami and his team, it was a long and desperate night.

They knew that tomorrow would bring inevitable defeat. Their once-proud real estate empire would face an unprecedented crisis with Tanaka's downfall.

Everyone in the lounge was preoccupied and no one spoke. Only the clock on the wall ticked, as if counting down to the era of Tanaka Mikami.

(End of this chapter)