wavenovel Chapter 1505, page 1514: The dirt is already in the safe!!!
Chapter 1505, page 1514: The dirt is already in the safe!!!
St. Luke's International Hospital in the Central District is the official hospital of the Japanese Royal Family, equipped with the most advanced medical equipment in Japan. Its renowned full-body comprehensive health checkup is particularly popular among the Japanese elite.
Currently, Emperor Hirohito is hospitalized in a VIP ward as a patient receiving the highest level of hospital service. Due to colon cancer, he is basically unable to eat and needs blood transfusions almost every day, often remaining in a daze.
The Imperial Household Agency and its staff are stationed here every day. In the event of the Emperor's death, they are responsible for finding out the details as soon as possible and then informing the outside world.
The funeral arrangements have been prepared.
Kazuya Naito, the Grand Chamberlain of the Imperial Household Agency, was discussing the aftermath with Keizo Obuchi, the Chief Cabinet Secretary.
"Since His Majesty Hirohito reigned for 63 years, which is too long, most of those who witnessed the funeral of the previous emperor have already passed away. This time, our funeral ceremony will be reconstructed based on historical records, and we will need to conduct a rehearsal first."
"Otherwise, if I make a fool of myself, I'll have to commit seppuku!"
"."
As a country that is still semi-feudal, Japan attaches great importance to the scale and ceremony of the emperor's death.
Just like the funeral of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, it was done hastily and carelessly, with many chaotic situations because the eunuchs who had experience in handling funerals for emperors and empresses had all died!
However, a year later, Empress Dowager Cixi's funeral was held in a grand and successful manner. This was because they had gained experience!
"Hi!"
Keizo Obuchi nodded immediately.
"The Cabinet Secretariat will cooperate!"
"However, please do not publicize these."
"Absolutely no problem!"
After the two finished discussing the funeral rehearsals, Naito Kazuya glanced into the ward and seemed to see the Emperor's unresponsive body on the sickbed through the curtain.
"Sigh, the Showa era is coming to an end. What will the next era name be?"
"Discussions are already underway, and various relevant departments have submitted different reign titles!"
Obuchi Keizo said.
"Currently, the most widely accepted ones include Heisei, Xiuwen, Zhenghua, and Guangyuan, among others."
"Hmm, they're all pretty good."
"Has Crown Prince Akihito already made preparations?"
"Yes, it's been 36 years since the Crown Prince was appointed. I didn't expect it to be this long."
Obuchi Keizo suddenly thought of a famous saying by the Crown Prince Yinreng of the Qing Dynasty:
"Has there ever been a crown prince who reigned for 40 years throughout history?"
"."
The old king in the hospital was on his deathbed, but the outside world's speculation never stopped!
A large number of reporters gathered at the hearing in the Capitol.
"Culture-Based Nation" is a bill that could potentially influence Japan's fundamental national policy, naturally attracting considerable media attention. Fortunately, it's a bill focused on economic development, and no one protested outside the parliament building.
In the main chamber of the Senate, Minister of Education Hatsune Narita, members Yoshihiko Noda, Shuichi Itō, and other proposers were already preparing in the central hearing area. Members of the special committee were seated in high seats, and the outer gallery was also full of people.
The proposal for "Neon Culture as a Nation" was laid out before the committee members, each with a serious expression, seemingly worried about the future of the country. No one knew that just last night they were all flushed and drunk at the club.
After hearing chairman Shunsuke Furukawa announced the topic and agenda of today's hearing, the hearing officially began!
"Minister Narita, please provide an overview of the 'Japan Culture Nation-Building Plan'!"
"Hi! Thank you for coming, committee members and media representatives."
Narita Hata stood up and addressed the committee members and media,
"The strategy of 'building a nation through culture' began to take shape during the time of Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohira. He said that Japan had transitioned from an 'era of economic centers' to an 'era of valuing culture.' This led to the establishment of the Cultural Era Research Group."
"Subsequent ruling cabinets all placed great emphasis on building a nation based on culture, with sayings such as 'building a nation based on science and technology domestically' and 'building a nation based on culture internationally,' but none of these were systematic."
"Today, with Japan's economic boom, we are increasingly aware of the enormous potential of 'culture' in areas such as the economy, industry, and diplomacy."
"The 'Neon Culture Nation-Building Plan' originated from this."
The plan is divided into several aspects, including "strengthening the development of the domestic cultural industry," "establishing overseas publicity platforms," and "emphasizing cultural education."
"."
When presenting a proposal, it is natural to build upon the past and make connections to the future, including the project's origin, current status, how to proceed, and future expectations. This is what Minister of Education Hatayuki Narita is tasked with today.
Ten minutes later, Narita Hataya, who was hoarse from talking, had completed his task, and now it was time for the actual execution.
Hearing chairman Shunsuke Furukawa tapped the gavel twice:
"Next, please welcome the members of the Special Committee to speak in turn!"
Committee member Shunsuke Komatsu began:
"Proposer, what is the basis for the expectations put forward in this 'Cultural Nation-Building Plan' regarding the employment and economic development driven by the cultural industry?"
"Hi, please let Shuichi Itō answer that question!"
Narita Hata handed the microphone directly to Ito Shuichi.
"Respected Committee Member"
Shuichi Itō was initially a little nervous, but when it came time to go on stage, all he could think about was focus.
"We already have real-world examples of how the cultural industry and its activities can drive economic development."
In the first half of this year, a cultural industry demonstration zone was created in the Akihabara area, bringing together shops related to anime and manga, audio-visual stores, comic book stores, and more, making Akihabara a hub for anime and manga culture, boosting local commerce, and causing property prices to rise as a result.
"During the anime festival held in Akihabara in the middle of the year, Akihabara's popularity surged, with an average daily foot traffic exceeding 5 and a peak daily foot traffic reaching 15."
"The animation festival itself is quite profitable, and during the festival, hotel catering, transportation and accommodation, and even surrounding attractions have all seen varying degrees of improvement."
Shuichi Itō took out a set of data and distributed it to the committee members and some media personnel present.
"This report compares economic data before and after the establishment of the Akihabara cultural district, along with economic data during the anime festival, which is sufficient to demonstrate the positive impact of the cultural industry and cultural activities on the economy!"
Committee member Shunsuke Komatsu took the data, glanced at it, and continued to ask:
"The source of this data"
"Please rest assured, the report was issued by a third-party investigation company in Japan."
Shuichi Itō explained,
"As the most professional research firm in the industry, their analysis reports are absolutely credible!"
Shunsuke Komatsu nodded. He had heard of this research company before; even the Keidanren (Keidanren Federation of Economic Cooperation) relied on their analysis reports!
"But this is just a demonstration area."
"Respected Committee Member!"
Noda Yoshihiko said,
"This is just a demonstration zone that has been established for less than a year. You can imagine how many more of these demonstration zones will appear throughout Japan with the support of the government!"
"Moreover, there's the Tokyo International Film Festival right next door. Doesn't this demonstrate the significant role that the cultural industry and cultural events play in boosting the economy?!"
"."
Upon hearing this, Committee Member Shunsuke Komatsu fell silent. He had merely raised his concerns about the bill as a starting point, and he himself was quite in agreement with it.
After Shunsuke Komatsu began, the committee members took turns speaking, launching a comprehensive inquiry into the necessity, feasibility, rationality of the specific details, and impact on all parties.
During the event, representatives from organizations such as the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), the Japan Cultural Promotion Association, and the Japan Film Association also raised questions. However, most people expressed their appreciation for this economic development plan.
However, political opponents don't think that way; there are always those who don't want the ruling party to receive such credit!
Senator Shunsuke Ichikawa stood up:
"Proposer, why is Japan allocating such important national resources to the cultural industry? Wouldn't it be better to increase investment in industry, real estate, and finance?!"
Upon hearing this, everyone present quieted down considerably.
"."
Young and impetuous Yoshihiko Noda spoke up directly.
"Because these industries have already reached their peak!!"
"Continuing to invest will only inflate the economic bubble until Japan's economy can no longer withstand it and bursts!"
"Oh~~" "Huh~~" "You really dare to say that~" "."
Noda Yoshihiko's words sparked a buzz among the onlookers!
The idea that Japan's economic bubble is already huge is frequently heard from economic experts and is occasionally discussed in newspapers.
However, amidst this generally positive trend, even with housing and land prices already abnormally high, people are scrambling to buy, and the entire nation of Japan is collectively ignoring this danger.
It's like a game of musical chairs; the person in front thinks that if it's not going to be their turn, someone else will take over!
"Nonsense!"
Ichikawa Shunsuke scolded,
"Japan's economy is very healthy!! It will definitely surpass the United States in the future!! Now is the time to increase investment in real estate and industry!"
"As for the cultural industry, although it is also important, it doesn't need to be elevated to the level of a national strategy!"
"."
Shunsuke Ichikawa criticized the support policies in the "Neon Culture Nation-Building Law" and even suggested budget cuts.
"You only need to put in 50% of the effort to achieve the same results!"
"The cultural industry grows naturally along with the economy!"
"."
Looking at Ichikawa Shunsuke, who was spouting nonsense from his seat, Itō Shuichi's expression turned grim.
In his view, this guy was just there to cause trouble. He wanted to suppress the proposal and make the ruling party's achievements during its time in power very few!
"Committee member Ichikawa!"
Itō Shuichi began,
"The cultural industry needs systematic guidance and support!"
"After the cultural industry grows stronger, it will in turn support industry and finance. It's a mutually reinforcing relationship!"
"What you just said about letting it develop unchecked will only lead to unnecessary internal friction within the industry."
"Humph!"
Ichikawa Shunsuke glanced disdainfully at Itō Shuichi. This guy, who wasn't even a member of parliament, dared to contradict me?!
"Mr. Shuichi Itō, could it be that you have some connection to this proposal?"
"Boom boom boom!"
The sound of a gavel striking rang out; Hearing Chairman Shunsuke Furukawa struck the gavel.
"Please focus your attention on the proposal itself!!"
"Please take a half-hour break!"
"."
Ichikawa Shunsuke then sat back down dejectedly and continued discussing with his fellow party members how to attack the proposal during the upcoming hearing.
Meanwhile, Shuichi Itō secretly informed his subordinate, Kazuma Matsuno:
"Release the information on Matsuno Ichikawa Shunsuke!"
"."
Matsuno Kazuma nodded silently, then sneaked over to the smoking area and chatted briefly with the reporters who were smoking with him.
Half an hour passed quickly, and just as people were returning to the hearing room, Ichikawa Shunsuke received a phone call, and his face immediately turned pale and red!
He then immediately stood up, glared fiercely at Shuichi Itoh and the others, hurriedly reported something to Chairman Shunsuke Furukawa, and then left through the side door!
"Alright, Ichikawa has had a family emergency and is withdrawing from the hearing early."
Shunsuke Furukawa didn't say much.
"The hearing will continue with the assistant taking the lead in asking questions!"
Seeing this, Yoshihiko Noda quietly asked Shuichi Itō:
"How did Xiu Yi-san manage to do that?"
"Heh, Ichikawa Shunsuke's campaign funds have been exposed for having problems. They're even involved in a sex scandal! He underestimated our preparations! He also underestimated our intelligence gathering capabilities!!"
"His dirty laundry has been in our safe for a long time!!"
In fact, apart from Ichikawa Shunsuke, Itō Shuichi had long been planning to collect dirt and scandals on all politicians!
Although Kijima Kyō doesn't have the ability to take action personally, in a capitalist society, you can buy anything with money!
It's always better to be prepared for something in advance than to be unprepared when the time comes!
Just like with the tree enthusiasts, Yoshimura Otomo also has a lot of dirt on important figures.
"!!"
Yoshihiko Noda was surprised.
"A sex scandal?"
"I got photographed at a nightclub! I wasn't careful at all!"
"."
Hearing this, Yoshihiko Noda was initially very excited, but then he suddenly thought of himself!
He's a regular at clubs and nightclubs!
"Shuichi-san, what if someone takes pictures of me at nightclubs too?!"
"Should I also take better care of myself from now on?!"
"."
Shuichi Itō silently observed this guy: "Your dirty secrets are already in Otomo-san's safe!"
High-resolution photos, and even fully automatic video recordings!!
A tree friend's ninja is not someone you can escape from so easily!
Meanwhile, in the editing room of the Tree Friends Building, Kijima Kyō sneezed.
Naoki Nagayama, Tomoyuki Nishimoto, and Muneo Matsuo, who were watching the casting video nearby, all noticed it.
It's like suddenly finding someone coughing behind you in a room where you thought you were all alone—it's terrifying!
Souo Matsuo sighed:
"Kishima-san can sometimes give you a sudden fright!"
"."
Kijima rolled his eyes.
"Haha. It's time for the season to change, Kijima-kun, take care of yourself!"
Naoki Nagayama chuckled, brushed the matter aside, and continued watching the casting video.
Meanwhile, Nishimoto Tomoyuki was also introducing things from the side:
"These are the candidates I think are good, especially this Takenouchi Yutaka. His face shape and temperament fit the image of a cool and roguish older brother, and he has a lot of masculinity!"
"His acting is a bit raw. But that's okay, it's an idol drama, we can train him a bit!"
"Mmmmm~"
Naoki Nagayama didn't have many opinions about the casting for "I'm Sorry, I Love You." However, Tomoyuki Nishimoto insisted that since he wrote the novel and screenplay, he had to decide on the lead roles, so he had to see the casting video.
After watching Takenouchi Yutaka's audition video, Naoki Nagayama was also very satisfied.
This Takenouchi Yutaka does indeed bear a resemblance to the future South Korean actor So Ji-sub; both are handsome men with rugged good looks and a mature aura.
"That sounds good!"
Naoki Nagayama nodded in approval, which brought smiles to the faces of both Tomoyuki Nishimoto and Muneo Matsuo.
Nishimoto Banyuki continued:
"There are several other candidates for the next role."
The audition video was still playing, and when Naoki Nagayama saw the young and inexperienced Takuya Kimura, he was surprised:
"It's actually Takuya Kimura?"
"??!!"
Nishimoto Hanyuki said in surprise,
"Naoki-san knows him?! He's a newcomer at Johnny's."
"Well, we wouldn't say we know each other."
Naoki Nagayama had to explain,
"I saw them as backup dancers for Hikaru Genji on a Music Station program."
"I see~"
Nishimoto Tomoyuki nodded. He didn't delve into it, but since Kimura Takuya already had an impression of Naoki-san, then he must be in it this time!
However, at this moment, Naoki Nagayama was lost in thought.
"Will Shizuka Kudo and Takuya Kimura ever be together in this lifetime? Kudo is already making movies and her status has risen significantly. Kimura hasn't even debuted yet!"
"Does this world even possess such corrective power?!"
"."
After thinking for a long time, Naoki Nagayama decided to wait and see!
(End of this chapter)