wavenovel Chapter 1298, page 1307: We need to create some leverage!
Chapter 1298, page 1307: We need to create some leverage!
Chapter 1298, 1307: We need to create some leverage!
While the Tokyo International Film Festival was in full swing, another major event in Tokyo, Michael Jackson's concert, was also keeping things busy.
Various promotional banners have been set up at the entrance of Tokyo Dome, and countless fans have gathered there. The crowds are so dense that the National Police Agency has had to dispatch patrol cars to maintain order.
Inside Yoshiaki Tanaka's car, Akina Nakamori and Maki Ueda had already put on their makeup and were ready to sneak into the Tokyo Dome as staff members.
"There are so many people! Even more than in Yokohama!"
Maki Ueda replied:
"After all, it's Tokyo, and with the film festival added to the appeal, it attracts even more people."
The cars were stopping and starting at a pace even slower than during rush hour traffic jams, and you could even see people attending the concert right outside the car windows.
"Luckily we arrived early," Tanaka Yoshiaki remarked. "At this rate, it'll take at least half an hour to get in."
"There must be almost 20,000 people at this concert. Only the Tokyo Dome can hold them all."
When they arrived at the entrance, Akina Nakamori and the others even saw at least four ambulances parked outside the stadium, as well as a temporary medical station.
"I've heard that people faint from excitement at every Michael Jackson concert. I wonder how many people will faint this time!"
Akina sighed with emotion, noting that every singer would want such devoted fans, but very few could actually reach that level.
This influence is no longer just a relationship between an idol and fans; it even feels like a relationship between a god and a believer!
If Michael Jackson had wanted to, he might have been able to create a cult of personality!
Even with so many fans, like Akina Nakamori, I doubt anyone worships her like a goddess.
Ah, some people do call her an angel, but that's just an exaggerated compliment.
Forty minutes later, the car was parked in the underground parking lot, and Akina Nakamori was finally able to enter the Tokyo Dome and quickly went backstage.
"Ah, Akina, you've come!"
Michael Jackson was warming up while listening to music when he saw Akina Nakamori arrive, and he was very happy.
In Japan, Naoki Nagayama and Akina Nakamori are among the few close friends.
"Let's do one last run-through of the stage in a bit. Then everything will be fine tonight!"
"it is good!"
Akina nodded.
"Michael, did you arrive this morning?"
"Yes. Some things still need to be adjusted one last time."
Michael Jackson paid more attention to his own performances than anyone else. After discussing the concerts, he asked...
Will Naoki come to today's concert?
"Naoki-san won't be coming."
Akina shook her head.
"Recently, Naoki-san has been very busy lately, going to the film festival in the morning, going to the company in the afternoon, and working on the preparations for 'Jurassic Park' in the evening."
Since the male lead was cast, the actors for all the roles have needed to start preparing, especially the female lead, for whom it has been difficult to find a suitable one, which has been frustrating for many fans.
"I have to take care of Xia Hua tonight, so I can't get away."
Akina arrived in the afternoon and won't be back until at least midnight, so Naoki Nagayama will need to stay with the little one tonight.
Dad and Mom always need one of them to be by their side, right? Like that trip to Yokohama before, it was already a rare date for the couple.
"What a great dad!"
Michael Jackson at least had a family-oriented father, but one of the most common jokes about Black people is that they "grew up without a father," so he greatly appreciated the Nagayama family's atmosphere.
"How have you been, Hua Jiang? Do you still remember me?"
"Haha, Huajiang might not remember your name, but she'll definitely remember you!"
Akina smiled and said,
"You are the first foreigner she has ever met!"
"Really?" Michael Jackson smiled. "I'm honored."
The two chatted and laughed for a while, and then, at the notification of the person in charge of the event, they prepared to start the final rehearsal.
It's afternoon now, and the official concert will begin in the evening!
Evening~
"Hana-chan, don't bite Eitarou's tail!"
Naoki Nagayama stopped his daughter's violence. Although Eitaro is a Labrador and doesn't feel much pain from his tail, it's very dirty!
It's so close to the butt, yet it's always taking pictures everywhere—tables, wall plaster, tree trunks, weeds, even that thick tail!
"If you're interested in the taste of the tail~"
Naoki Nagayama picked up the little guy and moved him away from the dog.
As he spoke, Naoki Nagayama glanced at Eitaro's tail and thought it looked quite plump and chewy.
The dog sensed a malicious tactic from behind and quickly sat up, tucking its tail under its body.
Nyantaro on the cat tree is quite wise; he hasn't come down since the little guy started biting his tail!
"How about we ask Nonaka-san to buy a pig's tail tonight and braise it?"
"Good~"
Xia Hua nodded. Although she couldn't say many words yet, she could understand quite a bit of what adults said, especially when it came to food.
Naoki Nagayama brought his daughter into the living room and played with building blocks with her, saying as they played:
"Mom has to go to work tonight, so she'll be back a little late. After dinner, Huajiang can go to sleep first, okay?"
"Mom?" Xiaoxia looked at Naoki Nagayama with a blank expression.
"Yes, I'm going to a concert, so I won't be back until very late!"
"Coming back late?"
"yes."
"why?"
"."
Reasoning with children this age is troublesome, but Naoki Nagayama patiently answered each question, making sure to respond to every single one.
Just then, the phone in the living room suddenly rang.
"Dingling bell~"
Naoki Nagayama and Natsuka both looked at the landline phone, and then Naoki Nagayama picked it up.
"Moshi moshi, this is Yama-oka-in."
Xiaoxia also came over, staring at her father with great curiosity. So Naoki Nagayama took out a toy telephone from the toy box and let her answer the phone too.
"Naoki-san, it's me!"
The voice of Yoshimura Hirotomo came through the phone.
"You said before that you weren't satisfied with any of the actresses sent for auditions. Is it really true that there weren't any suitable ones? What exactly is lacking? There needs to be a standard; let me find some more."
"Didn't I already say that you need to be intellectual, shrewd, and capable, with a touch of resilience? After all, you're researching dinosaur ecology and frequently dig for fossils outdoors."
"And it's best to have a healthy skin tone, which comes from spending a lot of time in the sun."
"Well"
Yoshimura Otomo was actually aware of these conditions; he called to confirm something else.
"Naoki-san, do you think Momoe Yamaguchi is suitable?"
"Huh? Momoe-san?" Naoki Nagayama was baffled. "Why would you think of Momoe-san? She's suitable as a good wife and mother, but not as a highly educated scientist like you!"
"Then," Yoshimura Otomo suggested another one, "How about Higuchi Kanako?"
"Ke Nanzi Sang? She's too pretty, and she seems like a modern city girl. She's definitely not suitable!"
Naoki Nagayama was even stranger.
"Otomo-san, why did you choose so many unsuitable actors?!"
"."
Yoshimura Otomo paused for a moment,
"I thought you wanted someone you knew well to play the female lead!"
If Akina weren't already pregnant, she would be the first person I mentioned!!
"ha?!!"
Naoki Nagayama found it somewhat amusing.
"If I want a female celebrity I'm familiar with, why don't I just say so? Do I need you to point it out to me?!"
"I was worried you were too embarrassed to say it yourself, so I, as a third party, was the one to break down this barrier."
Yoshimura Otomo laughed,
"It's good for both of us."
"."
Naoki Nagayama was speechless. Yoshimura Otomo was truly devoted to Naoki Nagayama's sake.
"Otomo-san, if this were ancient times, you would definitely become a sycophantic courtier!!! You would rise to prominence!!!"
"Hahaha, no prizes, no prizes!"
Yoshimura Daitomo laughed.
"Since Naoki-san doesn't mean it that way, I'll have the company continue searching according to this standard!"
"Ok!"
"Haha, alright, alright," Yoshimura Otomo continued, "Oh, right, besides that, there's also..."
"You asked me to encourage Yoshihiko Noda to run for a seat in the Diet in Tokyo, and he agreed!"
"I've already started preparing to resign from my position as a Chiba Prefectural Assembly member!"
Upon hearing this news, Naoki Nagayama nodded.
"Very good, he's definitely a young man with great ambitions. We'll start building momentum for him from now on!"
"Naoki-san, he's older than you."
"Forehead"
Naoki Nagayama choked, but he immediately changed the subject.
"Ahem. Um, Otomo-san. Supporting politicians is very important for the tree friends, I believe you understand that."
"Of course!"
Yoshimura Daitomo naturally understood that at a certain stage, it wouldn't work without people at the top.
The establishment of the Tokyo Film Association, contact with the opposition Socialist Party, and even befriending Koichi Hamada were all preparations for this.
"However, it would be troublesome if that politician eventually slipped out of control."
"This"
Yoshimura Otomo hesitated upon hearing this.
"Noda-kun is a grateful person."
Naoki Nagayama's tone slowed down at this moment, and he said seriously:
“Otomo-san, I naturally hope that Yoshihiko Noda is a grateful person and that he can repay Itsuki after helping him to the top, so that everyone can benefit. But after all, he and Itsuki are not a community of interests like you and me.”
“After we've spent a lot of resources to promote him, he might very well side with other, larger conglomerates or political parties for the sake of power and status. If their interests align with ours, that's fine, but if there's a conflict…”
"Otomo-san understands, right? We need to find some 'weak points' or 'dirt' on Noda Yoshihiko."
"In a last resort, we must be able to get him to support Shuyou."
"."
Power is above wealth, so how can wealth guarantee that the power it bestows will not change its mind? Naturally, it is by controlling something that can bring down power!
Listening carefully to Naoki Nagayama's words, Otomo Yoshimura knew he was right. He just admired Yoshihiko Noda, his junior, and never expected him to be plotted against.
"Otomo-san, there's no need to overthink it, it's just insurance~"
Naoki Nagayama comforted him,
"After bringing him to Tokyo, I'll definitely show him around to experience the local culture and customs, have some drinks and chat about the future. Young people can't resist!"
"Just take a few photos while he's drunk!"
Sometimes, you don't even need serious evidence like murder, arson, corruption, or bribery. For married Japanese politicians, a sex scandal is enough to ruin their political reputation.
"..." Yoshimura Otomo was taken aback after hearing this. "Naoki-san, you seem to have a lot of experience!"
"Haha, just think about former Prime Minister Tanaka and current Prime Minister Nakasone. They were both in a sorry state because of their sex scandals. That shows how important this is for politicians."
Naoki Nagayama smiled and said,
"So, men must control their lower bodies!"
"No, no, no."
Yoshimura Daitomo said,
"I mean, Naoki-san is very experienced in taking candid photos and such!"
Honestly, does Naoki-san practice taking candid photos a lot in private?!
"you!!!"
"Haha, don't worry, Naoki-san!"
Yoshimura Daitomo said,
"I'll make this accusation solid. If the photos aren't enough, I'll record a short video!!!"
"Goodbye for now~"
"."
Hearing the busy tone from the microphone, Naoki Nagayama shook his head and helplessly put the microphone back.
Turning her head, she saw Xia Hua looking at her, and quickly covered her daughter's ears, rubbing and kneading them:
"Huajiang, just pretend you didn't hear those nasty words, okay? Children shouldn't be exposed to these things so early!"
"Huh? Haha~"
The little one thought his dad was playing with him, and happily hugged his dad's arm.
When the concert officially started, the huge Tokyo Dome was packed with people!
This was probably the largest crowd the stadium had ever held since it was built; the entire central field and the surrounding tiers of seats were packed with spectators.
Once the audience was seated and the lights dimmed, countless glow sticks waved among the crowd, making it seem like the night sky.
White fireworks hissed and shot onto the stage, their bright light outlining several figures.
Then, to the accompaniment of rousing music and spotlights, Michael Jackson appeared on stage!
The concert has begun!
With his powerful rhythms, short lyrics, and distinctive dance moves, Michael Jackson on stage fully displayed the charm of the King of Pop, making all the audience's hearts flutter and wishing they could sing and dance along with the King.
Each hit song brought the atmosphere to a fever pitch.
Soon, some audience members couldn't stand the atmosphere and fainted. They were carried by security guards to the first aid station outside the venue, and those with serious injuries were taken to nearby hospitals by ambulance.
"Good evening, viewers in Tokyo!"
After performing about ten songs, Michael Jackson, panting, interacted with the audience in Japanese.
"Next, please welcome Akina Nakamori!!!"
As the words fell, Akina Nakamori, dressed in a black leather jacket, walked onto the stage, eliciting another round of cheers!
"Akina~Akina~Akina!!"
The cheers for the exam started rhythmically, and many fans came specifically for Nakamori Akina!
Seeing international stars on stage as well as top local idols, this concert was absolutely worth it!
Akina did not disappoint on stage, bringing the atmosphere at Tokyo Dome to its peak with a passionate rendition of "Babylon".
Michael Jackson's Tokyo concert is destined to be a shining gem in Japanese music history!
(End of this chapter)