novelraw Chapter 250: The Ministry of Education's Conference! A National-Level Strategy! Nohara Hiroshi's Name Will Inevitably Resound Throughout Japan!
Chapter 250: The Ministry of Education's Conference! A National-Level Strategy! Nohara Hiroshi's Name Will Inevitably Resound Throughout Japan!
On October 23rd at 9:00 AM, within the paramount conference room of the Ministry of Education edifice in Tokyo, sunlight penetrated the elongated fenestrations, illuminating the dark brown conference table and generating a subtle luminescence upon the scattered documentation.
The attendees consisted entirely of core Ministry of Education officials. Figures attired in formal business wear occupied both flanks of the extensive table, while Koike Ryuichi, Governor of Tokyo, occupied the primary focal position.
As a critical operational unit within Koike Ryuichi's reformist faction, the Ministry of Education consistently functioned as his primary instrument for advancing the "Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Integration" initiative—spanning cultural assimilation to educational resource consolidation, every specific policy correlated directly with the metropolitan area's cohesiveness.
Presently, absolute silence permeated the conference room, interrupted solely by the acoustic rustling of Ministry of Education Vice-Minister Morikawa Kosuke manipulating documentation.
"Governor Koike-san, esteemed colleagues,"
Morikawa Kosuke stood up, clutching a thick stack of report materials, his tone rigorous. "Next, I will report on the recent integration progress of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan area. As of mid-October, we have completed three core tasks: First, the unified revision of primary and secondary school textbooks in the four regions of Tokyo, Chiba, Gunma, and Saitama, adding a chapter on 'Common Culture of the Metropolitan Area', covering traditional crafts, regional food, and other content;
Second, the libraries in the four regions have realized resource interoperability. Readers can borrow books in any city with one library card, and the current interoperability rate has reached 89%;
Third, the cultural venue cooperation project has been implemented. The Tokyo National Museum and the Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art jointly launched the 'Edo Culture Special Exhibition', and the number of visitors in the first month exceeded 150,000, an increase of 40% over the same period last year."
Koike Ryuichi tapped the tabletop with his finger, his gaze scanning the attendees: "Morikawa-kun, subsequent to textbook unification, what constitutes the feedback metric from the student and parental demographics? I procured intelligence suggesting specific Gunma Prefecture parents harbor apprehension regarding the potential subjugation of their localized Soba culture by Tokyo's metropolitan culture;
verify the accuracy of this."
Yamada Takashi, the Ministry of Education's Education Section Chief situated adjacent to Morikawa Kosuke, immediately assumed a vertical posture, his tone deferential: "Responding to the Governor: indeed, analogous feedback was registered. Gunma Prefecture received 23 parental correspondences during the preceding week;
18 explicitly articulated a 'desire to retain the Soba preparation practicum.' We have collaboratively engaged the Gunma Prefecture Board of Education to recalibrate the curriculum, integrating Soba preparation into the 'Regional Specialty Practicum,' allocating two sessions monthly. This stratagem concurrently preserves localized culture while aligning with the metropolitan 'diverse symbiosis' philosophy. Presently, the parental satisfaction metric has ascended from an initial 62% to 87%."
"Satisfactory execution."
Koike Ryuichi nodded, a degree of validation augmenting his ocular expression. "Metropolitan integration does not constitute 'assimilation';
rather, it necessitates facilitating the luminescence of every regional specialty. Chiba's maritime culture, Saitama's baking craftsmanship, Gunma's Soba—these represent standard invaluable assets of Greater Tokyo;
their deletion is strictly prohibited."Sato Kiyoshi, the Ministry of Education's Cultural Section Chief, proceeded with the briefing: "Governor, regarding cultural exchange, an additional breakthrough has materialized. We engineered the synchronization of Tokyo's 'Traditional Craft Market' with Chiba's 'Fishing Port Festival,' scheduling the 'Metropolitan Cultural Festival' at Chiba Port during late October, soliciting artisans from the four regions for live technical demonstrations. Currently, 86 artisans have submitted registrations, encompassing Chiba tuna culinary specialists, veteran Saitama bakers, and Gunma Soba artisans—they uniformly articulated a desire to leverage this platform to amplify public comprehension of localized culture."
"The high operational enthusiasm among the artisans constitutes an optimal variable."
Koike Ryuichi elevated his hand, signaling Sato Kiyoshi to resume his seated position, his tone decelerating. "However, diligence remains requisite to prevent the cultural festival from devolving into 'formalism.' Mandatory imperatives dictate authentic tourist participation—for instance, acquiring dough-kneading methodologies under a veteran baker's tutelage, or participating in net-retrieval operations alongside fishermen. Exclusively through this methodology can the demographic perceive the warmth inherent to the metropolitan area."
Just as Morikawa Kosuke was preparing to continue reporting on the details of educational resource integration, Suzuki Kentaro, the Cultural Exchange Section Chief of the Ministry of Education, suddenly raised his hand, his tone carrying a bit of excitement: "Governor Koike-san, colleagues, there is one matter that perhaps deserves our attention—the documentary 'A Bite of Neon', recently broadcast by Kanto TV, a subsidiary of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, has played an unexpected role in promoting the cultural integration of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan area."
This assertion instantaneously monopolized the collective visual focus.
Suzuki Kentaro rapidly accessed the data parameters he maintained, proceeding with his articulation: "This documentary is directed by Nohara Hiroshi-kun of Kanto Station. Two episodes have been broadcast currently. The premiere prioritized Chiba's tuna industry, while the second chronicled Gunma's Soba craftsmanship. The national average viewership metric has breached 32.2%, with the Kanto region explicitly achieving 38.5%. We executed randomized sampling protocols;
amongst demographics spanning the four regions, 76% indicated 'augmented comprehension of external urban cultures via the documentary.' Furthermore, 68% of Tokyo viewers articulated a 'desire for localized weekend transit to Chiba for tuna consumption or Gunma for Soba preparation instruction.' Additionally, 52% of the parental demographic project orchestrating excursions to locations specified within the documentary to facilitate experiential learning for their offspring."
"Oh? Such an event has materialized?" Koike Ryuichi's ocular organs illuminated, his physiological posture assuming a slight forward inclination. "I previously procured intelligence regarding the popularity of this documentary;
its auxiliary utility concerning metropolitan integration, however, remained unanticipated. Suzuki-kun, elaborate comprehensively;
how exactly does it propel cultural assimilation?"
Suzuki Kentaro opened his notebook, his tone becoming more serious: "For example, in the second episode, Sato Kosuke-san from the Gunma Soba shop mentioned, 'The texture of Soba depends on hand kneading, just like the relationship between people depends on the heart'. This sentence was remembered by many viewers. In the feedback we received, young people in Tokyo said, 'I used to think Gunma was just the countryside, but after watching the film, I realized there are so many stories hidden in the Soba there';
fishermen in Chiba also wrote to the TV station, saying, 'We want to invite Gunma's Soba masters to the fishing port to make tuna Soba together'. This kind of spontaneous cultural interaction is more effective than ten promotional events we do."
Ministry of Education Vice-Minister Morikawa Kosuke additionally augmented the data: "Governor, we simultaneously detected an anomalous phenomenon—across the four regions, the volume of intercity inquiries received by the respective tourism bureaus has recently experienced explosive escalation. The Chiba Prefectural Tourism Bureau reports excess of 200 daily telephonic inquiries originating from Gunma and Saitama, uniformly questioning 'Navigational protocols regarding transit to Nomizu Masayasu-san's fish terminal'. Gunma Prefecture travel agencies have proactively launched 'Traversing Gunma Following A Bite' itineraries, with pre-sales already fully allocated through the subsequent month. This paradigm of 'Culture driving tourism, tourism facilitating integration' is precisely the trajectory we aspire to propel."
Koike Ryuichi's oral commissures elevated into a curvature, his digits executing a subtle rhythmic percussion against the desktop: "Nohara Hiroshi-kun is demonstrably adept at narrative engineering. A singular documentary sequences elucidates culinary arts, expounds upon culture, and simultaneously assists us in propelling metropolitan integration;
its efficacy substantially supersedes the Ministry of Education's promotional literature."
A ripple of subdued amusement propagated throughout the conference room, attendees concurrently executing affirmative cranial oscillations.
Ministry of Education Education Section Chief Yamada Takashi remarked jovially: "The Governor's assessment is accurate. Previously, we synthesized the 'Metropolitan Cultural Manual,' executing a print run of 50,000 units, yet successfully distributing merely 20,000. Presently, synchronized with 'A Bite's' broadcast, manual distribution is rendered obsolete;
the demographic proactively initiates exploration regarding the four regions' cultures. This constitutes 'The Power of Content'."
"Since this documentary has such a good effect," Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Education Takahashi Kenichi suddenly spoke up, his tone carrying a bit of a suggestion, "Can we consider promoting it upwards, making it a cultural education material for all of Japan? After all, the concept of 'respecting labor and cherishing tradition' conveyed in 'A Bite' is needed by all Japanese people, and it can also allow other metropolitan areas to learn from the integration experience of Greater Tokyo."
Upon articulation of this proposal, affirmative resonance instantaneously permeated the conference room.
Sato Kiyoshi, the Ministry of Education's Cultural Section Chief, rapidly stated: "Vice-Minister Takahashi's assertion possesses absolute accuracy! I evaluated an Asahi Shimbun film critique yesterday;
it categorized 'A Bite' as 'Japan's optimal humanistic documentary spanning the previous decade' due to its prioritization not exclusively upon cuisine, but upon 'human' narratives—the persistence of fishermen and the dedication of artisans constitute manifestations of the national ethos. Facilitating its broadcast within primary and secondary educational institutions nationwide, guaranteeing juvenile demographics acquire comprehension regarding diverse regional cultures from an early developmental stage, and cultivating a 'Greater Japanese Communitarian' consciousness, will manifest superior efficacy relative to any pedagogical lecturing."
"Furthermore, extreme international transmission value exists." Watanabe Toru, the Ministry of Education's International Exchange Section Chief, augmented the discourse. "Governor Koike-san, you have consistently emphasized the imperative 'Facilitating the external projection of Japanese culture.' 'A Bite' currently commands substantial popularity within Kansai and Hokkaido. Osaka Yomiuri TV has already submitted an application to import broadcasting rights, and Hokkaido television stations remain engaged in negotiations. Assuming we execute translation protocols into English, Chinese, and Korean, submitting it for exhibition at international documentary festivals, we can simultaneously facilitate foreign demographic comprehension regarding Japanese culinary culture while exhibiting the optimal output of our metropolitan integration. This constitutes an absolute 'dual-benefit' scenario."
Koike Ryuichi listened and nodded frequently, the smile on his face growing stronger: "What you said makes sense. A good work can not only touch domestic audiences but also become a bond for cultural export. Nohara Hiroshi-kun's ability to shoot a film like this indeed shows vision and a grand perspective." He paused and looked at Morikawa Kosuke, "Morikawa-kun, follow up on this matter. First contact TV Tokyo and Nohara Hiroshi-kun to confirm the copyright issues for national broadcasting;
then work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare for international exhibitions. As for the expenses, allocate funds from the cultural promotion fund;
there's no need to save."
Morikawa Kosuke immediately nodded: "Affirmative, Governor! I will traverse to TV Tokyo this afternoon to establish communication with Station Chief Sakata Nobuhiko, prioritizing the finalization of copyright parameters by the subsequent week."
Mentioning Nohara Hiroshi, Koike Ryuichi's tone carried a bit more emotion: "Speaking of which, Nohara-kun is truly a blessing for Tokyo. From 'Yamishibai' pioneering a new genre of urban legends, to 'Kasou Taishou' promoting neighborhood communication, to 'Seven Samurai' becoming a new benchmark for samurai films, and now using 'A Bite' to promote cultural integration, every one of his works has profound social significance and is a true national-level work."
Ministry of Education Education Section Chief Yamada Takashi immediately echoed: "The Governor is entirely correct! Our Education Section evaluated 'Doraemon' during the preceding week's symposium;
this manga currently ranks among the optimal reading materials for lower-grade primary school cohorts. Substantial pedagogue feedback indicates that post-consumption of 'Doraemon', juveniles exhibit a heightened propensity for sharing toys and assisting peers. We are presently formulating a stratigraphic proposal to integrate 'Doraemon' as 'Primary School Moral Education Supplementary Reading Material,' utilizing it as an auxiliary mechanism for cultivating juvenile character."
"Oh? 'Doraemon' possesses such efficacy?"
Koike Ryuichi was somewhat surprised, then smiled and said, "Nohara-kun is truly amazing. Whether it's animation, manga, TV dramas, or documentaries, he can grasp the core of 'human hearts'. Using 'Doraemon' as moral education reading material is a good idea. Yamada-kun, come up with a plan as soon as possible, and I will support you."
Yamada Takashi hurriedly bowed: "Thank you, Governor! We will submit the proposal to you for approval next week."
Ministry of Education Cultural Section Chief Sato Kiyoshi also added: "There is also 'Midnight Diner', this TV drama is now very popular among the middle-aged and elderly groups. Many viewers say that after watching 'Midnight Diner', they think of their families and are willing to go home on weekends to eat with their parents. Our Cultural Section is planning to cooperate with TV Tokyo to launch a 'Midnight Diner Themed Exhibition', displaying the props and food from the drama, letting more people feel the 'warmth in home-cooked meals'."
Koike Ryuichi leaned against the back of his chair, interlacing his digits over his abdomen, his ocular expression projecting profound gratification: "Nohara-kun's productions invariably transcend the classification of mere 'entertainment products,' functioning consistently as 'cultural conduits possessing warmth.' He utilizes his camera apparatus and artistic implements to document the reality of ordinary individuals, transmitting positive paradigms. This methodology possesses a psychological impact mechanism far superseding any codified policy. Subsequentially, the Ministry of Education is mandated to augment support for creators resembling him, proactively facilitating the proliferation of such optimal productions."
The attendees nodded in succession, the atmosphere within the conference room achieving exceptional fervor.
Ministry of Education Vice-Minister Morikawa Kosuke evaluated Koike Ryuichi, articulating with a resolute vocalization: "Governor, remain assured;
we will intensify our collaborative matrix with TV Tokyo and Shueisha, supplying Nohara-kun with augmented resource support. Simultaneously, we will execute exploratory protocols to identify supplementary juvenile creators possessing latent potential, guaranteeing the continuous vitality of Japan's cultural industry, thereby injecting robust locomotive energy into the integration of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan area, and comprehensively, the cultural evolution of the entire Japanese nation."
Koike Ryuichi nodded, his visual trajectory indexing the Tokyo streetscape beyond the fenestration—the distant Tokyo Tower radiated brilliance under the solar illumination, the thoroughfares processed dense vehicular traffic, projecting an absolute paradigm of prosperity.
He cognized explicitly: the integration trajectory of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan area maintained substantial remaining chronological distance. However, equipped with productions mirroring "A Bite", creators mirroring Nohara Hiroshi, and operational units mirroring the Ministry of Education, the stability and ultimate range of this trajectory were absolutely guaranteed.
"Satisfactory," Koike Ryuichi attained a vertical posture, his vocalization stable and potent. "Today's conference concludes here. Morikawa-kun, expedite the national deployment protocols regarding 'A Bite' and the 'Doraemon' moral education materials;
supplementary colleagues must concurrently execute their respective functional imperatives, maintaining optimal momentum regarding the metropolitan integration parameters. Our terminal objective is ensuring the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan area manifests as a paradigm of 'Cultural Co-prosperity and Civilian Socio-economic Enrichment,' guaranteeing every resident perceives authentic belonging and psychological gratification."
"Affirmative!"
The attendees responded in unison, universally achieving a vertical stance, their visages radiating operational drive.
The solar illumination penetrated the fenestration, projecting upon every individual, concurrently illuminating the "A Bite of Neon" viewership rubric situated upon the desktop—the "32.2%" numerical output appeared to silently validate that cultural kinetic potential possesses the absolute capacity to connect urban matrices, generate psychological warmth, and function as a critical locomotive force propelling temporal progression.
...
The parameters discussed within the Ministry of Education conference achieved a transmission velocity analogous to avian flight;
prior to the completion of a half-diurnal cycle, they intersected with TV Tokyo.
At 2:00 PM on October 23rd, the paramount conference room was already saturated with core personnel. Station Chief Sakata Nobuhiko occupied the primary focal position. Situated to his port side was Shimazu Yoshihiro, recently disengaged from the TV Tokyo presidency to allocate maximum resources toward the mayoral campaign. To his starboard side were Bureau Chief Takada Toshihide and Executive Deputy Director Asumi.
As soon as Nohara Hiroshi walked into the conference room, Shimazu Yoshihiro looked up at him, his tone carrying an obvious smile: "Hiroshi-kun, you're right on time. Calling everyone here today is mainly to talk about the promotional plan for my campaign for Mayor of Tokyo City, and you are exactly the key figure in this plan."
This caused everyone present to look at Nohara Hiroshi. Asano Takata was the first to joke with a smile: "It seems Shimazu-san is going to borrow Hiroshi-kun's 'east wind'. After all, who in Japan doesn't know now that if Nohara Hiroshi produces it, it must be a masterpiece."
Shimazu Yoshihiro did not issue a denial, his digits executing a rhythmic percussion against the public opinion metric report situated upon the desktop. "Accurate. Subsequent to the implementation of the 'Information Cocoon' strategy proposed by Hiroshi-kun in the preceding month—involving the targeted deployment of customized promotional content towards segregated demographic cohorts—my support metric has escalated from an initial baseline of 28% to 41%. Notably, within the juvenile demographic and the traditional artisan sector, the support metrics have registered increases of 19% and 23%, respectively."
He retrieved a data rubric, transferring it to Sakata Nobuhiko, and continued his articulation: "Observe: targeting the corporate employee demographic, we deploy short-form video content emphasizing the 'Hometown Entrepreneurship Subsidy Policy,' utilizing narrative fragments detailing Sato Kenta from 'A Bite';
targeting the domestic administrator demographic, we deploy conceptualizations regarding 'Community Cultural Festivals,' paired with family participation sequences sourced from 'Kasou Taishou';
targeting the student demographic, we deploy 'Traditional Culture in Educational Institutions' initiatives, leveraging 'Doraemon' animation fragments to generate traffic. The efficacy associated with this precision deployment methodology substantially supersedes our previous, generalized street-level oratorical maneuvers."
Sakata Nobuhiko, subsequent to processing the data, elevated his visual focus towards Nohara Hiroshi: "Hiroshi-kun, your 'Information Cocoon' theorem represents the absolute optimal synthesis of content and promotion. Initially, I harbored apprehension regarding this methodology appearing overly fabricated. Current analysis validates that utilizing content already familiar to the demographic as a transmission vector significantly optimizes acceptance probability."
Shimazu Yoshihiro transitioned the narrative trajectory at this juncture, his tone acquiring augmented gravity: "An even more gratifying variable is that Excellency Koike Ryuichi has similarly registered this strategy. Yesterday, his administrative assistant initiated telephonic communication, indicating Excellency Koike's profound interest regarding the 'Information Cocoon' theorem. He additionally investigated your availability, proposing a collaborative dining engagement with Hiroshi-kun to execute a comprehensive discourse concerning this specific content transmission paradigm."
Upon parsing this data, Nohara Hiroshi executed a subtle physiological inclination: "Securing validation from Governor Koike-san constitutes a profound honor. Nevertheless, the operational efficacy of the 'Information Cocoon' remains primarily attributable to Shimazu-san's campaign philosophy—'Propelling traditional industry transformation and optimizing civilian welfare' inherently aligns with the demographic's foundational requirements;
I merely supplied a supplementary transmission apparatus."
"Hiroshi-kun remains characteristically humble."
Takada Toshihide deposited his writing implement, his tone modulated with a degree of resonance. "During your initial presentation of this theorem, I maintained apprehension regarding its potentially excessive chronological advancement. Current analysis indicates my profound underestimation regarding the demographic impact of content. You utilized your proprietary productions to engineer a functional pathway for Shimazu-san;
the persuasive capacity of this stratagem annihilates any conventional campaign advertisement."
Asumi additionally augmented the discourse: "Furthermore, this methodology circumvented the necessity for direct, frontal engagement with the opposition. Mayor Tanaka Mikami has recently engaged in frequent public rhetoric asserting our reliance upon 'celebrity cachet for vote procurement';
conversely, the entirety of our deployed content correlates explicitly with civilian welfare, failing to provide him with even a single exploitable vulnerability."
Shimazu Yoshihiro nodded with a smile: "This is precisely Hiroshi-kun's brilliance. He knows that what the public wants is not empty slogans, but actual benefits they can feel. Just like 'A Bite' became popular because it let everyone see the lives of ordinary people, and our promotion is effective because it lets everyone see tangible policy benefits."
Just as everyone was discussing promotional strategies, Sakata Nobuhiko suddenly remembered the news from the Ministry of Education, cleared his throat and said: "By the way, there is one more thing to tell everyone. News just came from the Ministry of Education that Excellency Koike Ryuichi intends to use 'A Bite of Neon' and 'Doraemon' as the core content of a 'National-Level Cultural Promotion Strategy' and promote them nationwide."
"A National-Level Strategy?" Ashikaga Takashi looked up in surprise, "This is an unprecedented treatment. Even the former national-level TV dramas haven't enjoyed this kind of specification."
Sakata Nobuhiko nodded, his tone carrying a bit of pride: "Exactly. 'A Bite' will be translated into multiple languages and submitted to international documentary festivals. At the same time, it will be broadcast in primary and secondary schools across the country as 'local culture teaching materials';
'Doraemon' will be included as supplementary moral education reading material for primary schools, and a 'parent-child reading edition' will be launched in cooperation with publishers. Excellency Koike said that these two works, one that can promote regional economic transformation and one that can cultivate children's character, are exactly what Japan needs most right now."
Tanaka Kei immediately responded: "This is excellent! 'A Bite' has currently catalyzed a 30% augmentation within the Chiba and Gunma tourism sectors;
deploying this on a national scale possesses a high probability of revitalizing traditional crafts in supplementary regions. During my preceding exploratory excursion to Saitama, the proprietor of the vintage bakery inquired regarding the chronological projection for 'A Bite' to document their specific narrative."
Asano Takata smiled and said: "The educational utility inherent to 'Doraemon' is verifiably substantial. My son previously exhibited a persistent propensity for confiscating peer assets;
post-viewing the narrative sequence detailing Nobita distributing operational tools, he currently proactively provisions his manga to external individuals. Utilizing animation for juvenile moral instruction generates superior efficacy relative to a centenary of parental verbalization."
Shimazu Yoshihiro abruptly retracted his smile, his tone transitioning to absolute gravity: "Fundamentally, Excellency Koike propelling the promotion of these two productions retains an underlying, deeper strategic calculation—it constitutes an 'Economic Transformation' signaling parameter released by the upper echelons."
He swept his visual focus across the collective, articulating deliberately: "Currently, Japan's real estate bubble oscillates upon the perimeter of a catastrophic failure state. A sixty-square-meter apartment is hyperspeculated to a valuation of one hundred million yen;
the juvenile demographic is acquiring multi-decade loan liabilities, while the tangible, physical economy experiences continuous contraction. The upper echelons maintained prior cognition regarding this systemic vulnerability, yet lacked an optimal chronological window to mandate regulatory containment. The cultural tourism industry catalyzed by 'A Bite' and the cultural industry propelled by 'Doraemon' represent the exact 'novel economic vectors' the upper echelons intend to prioritize for supportive intervention."
Someone immediately asked: "Does this imply absolute abandonment of the real estate sector? Ultimately, a substantial demographic of massive conglomerates generate revenue via real estate operations."
Shimazu Yoshihiro sighed and shook his head: "It is not that simple. The intention of the upper echelons is 'control, not abandonment', such as restricting the inflow of funds from real estate speculation groups, increasing the supply of affordable housing, and at the same time guiding funds to real economies such as cultural tourism, culture, and manufacturing. Just as shown in 'A Bite', a small Soba shop can not only support a family, but also drive surrounding industries such as ingredient planting and tourism. This is a healthy economic model."
Asumi frowned: "But the real estate industry involves too many interests, and it will certainly not be easy to control, right? Sato Tokugawa's Kirin Group was acquiring land everywhere to build luxury houses before."
"That's why we need works like 'A Bite' to guide public opinion even more."
Shimazu Yoshihiro looked at Nohara Hiroshi, "Let the public see that besides real estate speculation, there are many industries where they can make money and realize their value;
let young people know that returning to their hometowns to do traditional crafts is not necessarily worse than being a real estate agent in Tokyo. This is also why I value cooperating with Hiroshi-kun so much—your works can quietly change public perceptions, which is more powerful than any policy document."
Everyone nodded in silence, and the atmosphere in the conference room became a bit heavier.
Takada Toshihide said softly: "It seems that economic transformation is the general trend. I thought real estate could hold on for a few more years, but now it seems that the upper echelons are already preparing for the days after the bubble bursts."
Following a transient interval of silence, Shimazu Yoshihiro redirected his visual focus towards Nohara Hiroshi, his tone projecting extreme sincerity: "Hiroshi-kun, regarding the subsequent campaign promotional operations, I formally solicit your continued strategic generation. Presently, Tanaka Mikami's faction enacts continuous offensive maneuvers asserting my 'disconnection from the demographic,' postulating an operational ignorance concerning the reality of ordinary citizens. What constitutes your recommended counter-offensive vector?"
Nohara Hiroshi processed this query momentarily, subsequently articulating: "Shimazu-san, executing calculated, direct counter-offensive maneuvers is theoretically unnecessary. Conversely, we can utilize 'civilian welfare minutiae' to reinforce your existing profile. For instance, we could synthesize a sequence of short-form video content categorized as 'A Day in the Life of a Mayoral Candidate.' Omit the articulation of grandiose theoretical constructs;
exclusively document your transit to the Gunma Soba shop to assist Sato Kosuke in dough kneading, your transit to the Chiba fishing port to execute net retrieval operations alongside Nomizu Masayasu, and your transit to the Kyoto Wagashi shop to acquire Sakuramochi preparation methodologies under the tutelage of the veteran artisan."
He procured a writing implement, rapidly generating a rudimentary storyboard sequence upon an available parchment: "Initial sequence: You execute collaborative dough kneading with Sato-san, processing his statement 'The current juvenile demographic is demonstrating a renewed willingness to return and acquire Soba preparation methodologies,' to which you interject 'Our operational imperative is exclusively to provision these juveniles with augmented support parameters.' Secondary sequence: Operating within the fishing port, assisting the personnel with tuna material handling, engaging in a dialogue parsing 'Marine Conservation' vectors, which inherently constructs a transition towards 'Sustainable Fishery' policy architectures. Tertiary sequence: Situated within the Wagashi shop, consuming freshly synthesized Yokan, engaging the veteran artisan in a dialogue concerning 'The transmission of traditional craftsmanship,' introducing the conceptual architecture for a 'Veteran Artisan Seniority Subsidy' initiative."
Asano Takata's eyes lit up: "This is a great idea! Using the characters in 'A Bite' as carriers is both natural and intimate, and can also make the audience feel that Shimazu-san is truly paying attention to the lives of ordinary people. It's much better than standing on stage and shouting slogans."
Ashikaga Takashi additionally executed an affirmative cranial oscillation: "Furthermore, this video content can be deployed utilizing the 'Information Cocoon' strategy, targeting traditional artisan demographics with the 'Artisan Subsidy' fragment, targeting fisherman demographics with the 'Marine Conservation' fragment, and targeting domestic administrator demographics with the 'Wagashi Cultural Festival' fragment. This methodology ensures maximum precision and optimal efficacy."
Upon parsing this data, Shimazu Yoshihiro immediately extracted his writing implement to execute transcription, his tone vibrating with excitement: "We will adopt Hiroshi-kun's operational paradigm! I will transit to Gunma tomorrow to engage Sato Kosuke, subsequently transiting to Chiba the following day, prioritizing the synthesis of this video sequence by next week. Incidentally, Hiroshi-kun, assuming your operational availability permits, could you orchestrate quality control parameters regarding the cinematography and pacing? Ultimately, your capability concerning cinematic language maintains a demonstrably superior synchronization with juvenile demographic preferences relative to our senior analytical frameworks."
Nohara Hiroshi nodded and agreed: "No problem. I can say hello to Sato-san first tomorrow and ask him to prepare in advance. In addition, some background music fragments from 'A Bite' can be added to the video, so that the audience can resonate more quickly."
Sakata Nobuhiko watched the two finalize the details and said with a smile: "It seems that this campaign promotion is solid. Takada-kun, your side must coordinate the distribution channels for the video;
Asumi-kun, you are responsible for coordinating the broadcasting time slots of the TV station, placing the video at the end of 'Tales of the Unusual' and 'Kasou Taishou' to play. The traffic-drawing effect will be even better."
Takada Toshihide and Asumi assented synchronously. Takada Toshihide augmented: "I will initiate communication with the Advertising Department, mandating the editing of the video into three distinct chronological formats: 15 seconds, 30 seconds, and 60 seconds. These will be deployed sequentially across subway advertising matrices, television advertising segments, and massive street-level display terminals, ensuring comprehensive omni-channel saturation."
Asumi also said: "I have already established protocol with Kanto Station. They will execute coordinated rebroadcasts of 'A Bite' on local channels in Chiba and Gunma, simultaneously integrating Shimazu-san's promotional video intercepts. This stratagem will function to further solidify the support metrics from the localized demographics."
Nohara Hiroshi at this juncture abruptly retrieved a pertinent data parameter, articulating: "Furthermore, Shimazu-san, during the subsequent week, Ministry of Education Vice-Minister Morikawa Kosuke maintains a high probability of transiting to our location to negotiate copyright parameters concerning the national deployment of 'A Bite.' Assuming your operational schedule permits, synchronous participation is advised. Given Excellency Koike's registered interest regarding the 'Information Cocoon' theorem, an optimal probability exists to leverage this intersection, facilitating an expanded discourse concerning your campaign philosophy, thereby systematically securing augmented support vectors from official stratigraphic levels."
Shimazu Yoshihiro's eyes lit up: "This reminder is very important! I'll have the secretary clear the schedule right now. If we can get public support from Excellency Koike, that would be a tremendous boost to the campaign."
The conference terminated approaching twilight. The solar illumination permeated the fenestration, permeating the conference room and applying a thermal optical layer to every individual's visage.
Shimazu Yoshihiro gripped Nohara Hiroshi's hand, his tone saturated with gravity: "Hiroshi-kun, the successful realization of this campaign vector, the ultimate determination of whether I supersede Tanaka Mikami, relies entirely upon your operational efficacy."
Nohara Hiroshi shook his head slightly: "Shimazu-san, the key to winning is still that your philosophy fits the hearts of the people. I just did what I should do, using content to convey value."
Looking at Nohara Hiroshi's steady appearance, Sakata Nobuhiko suddenly sighed: "Sometimes I really can't believe that Hiroshi-kun is only 23 years old. This steadiness and foresight are stronger than many veteran politicians in their forties and fifties. TV Tokyo is truly lucky to have talent like you."
Nohara Hiroshi smiled but engaged in zero supplementary verbalization. He cognized explicitly: irrespective of whether the operational objective involved propelling 'A Bite' or executing Shimazu Yoshihiro's campaign promotion, the fundamental mechanism remained utilizing content to orchestrate connectivity spanning individuals, events, and policy structures. His proprietary functional imperative was to continuously deploy the cinematographic apparatus to capture the profound warmth and kinetic energy embedded within ordinary existence, ensuring these energetic vectors functioned as the quintessential ignition source propelling temporal progression.
...
Inside the Executive Deputy Station Chief's office at Tokyo City TV, the atmosphere was so oppressive you could wring water from it.
Takahashi Kazuo fiercely slammed the briefing from the Ministry of Education's conference onto his desk, scattering papers everywhere. Pointing his finger at the wording "A Bite" and "Doraemon" included in the National-Level Cultural Strategy, his voice trembled with anger: "A National-Level Strategy? Based on what? Nohara Hiroshi is just a 23-year-old Level 3 director. Based on what do the documentaries he shoots and the comics he draws get to be watched by primary and secondary school students all over Japan?"
The numerous mid-level administrative personnel occupying the office maintained a downward cranial inclination;
zero entities dared initiate verbal engagement. Production Department Manager Yamamoto Takashi covertly monitored Takahashi Kazuo's hyper-erythematous visage. The pager maintained within his grip executed multiple vibratory cycles, yet he lacked the audacity to execute a visual inspection—the data stream originated from a subordinate, detailing the preparatory status of 'A Bite's' fourth episode. Articulating this data point in the current environment would verifiably constitute deploying an incendiary agent onto an active combustion event.
"And further, Shimazu Yoshihiro!" Takahashi Kazuo's agitation escalated in direct proportion to his verbal output. He aggressively seized the coffee receptacle occupying the desktop, deploying it towards the flooring with extreme kinetic force;
ceramic fragments dispersed randomly. "Previously, he encountered an electoral deficit against Mayor Tanaka Mikami-san, subsequently retreating to an ICU operational state for a three-year duration! Present circumstances indicate his support metric has experienced a massive escalation, entirely reliant upon Nohara Hiroshi's 'Information Cocoon' stratagem! Our City TV allocated astronomical financial resources procuring Kamiki Shunsuke for a variety program, yet the viewership metric failed to breach the 2% threshold! Precisely what constitutes the structural foundation defining this disparity?"
Kamiki Shunsuke happened to push the door open and walk in. Hearing this, he immediately leaned forward with grievance: "Takahashi-san, it's not that our variety show isn't done well, it's that TV Tokyo is too good at hyping it up! The fishermen and artisans in 'A Bite' are all pretending to be touched. How can they be as real as the influencer restaurants in our 'Shunsuke's Tokyo Roaming'? And 'Doraemon' is just a comic for kids. How can it be as educational as our station's 'School Idol Diary'?"
Takahashi Kazuo glared at him, his tone even more aggressive: "Pretending? Is the entire Japanese 32.2% viewership rating pretending? Is the collective praise of Ministry of Education officials pretending? Kamiki-kun, if you had half the ability of Nohara Hiroshi, our City TV wouldn't be in the state it's in now!"
Kamiki Shunsuke absorbed the excoriation, his visage transitioning to absolute pallor, yet he lacked the requisite audacity to execute a counter-verbalization—he cognized explicitly that Takahashi Kazuo currently maintained all accumulated hostility internally. Assuming he deployed argumentative retorts, the probability of him functioning as a primary kinetic absorption target approached absolute certainty.
He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deeply into his palms, but in his heart, he hated Nohara Hiroshi so much that his teeth itched.
If it weren't for this guy, his variety show wouldn't have been compared to nothing, and Tokyo City TV wouldn't have lost so miserably in the competition with TV Tokyo.
Publicity Section Chief Suzuki Misaki hesitated for a long time, but still whispered: "Takahashi-san, the Ministry of Education also said they will translate 'A Bite' into multiple languages and send it to international documentary festivals for exhibition, and even apply for cultural export funds... Should we also report a project? For example, edit 'Shunsuke's Tokyo Roaming' into a short film and send it to the Kansai regional film festival to try?"
"What is there to try!" Takahashi Kazuo interrupted her, his tone full of mockery. "What they are sending is a work that can represent Japanese culture. What are we sending? Are we sending influencer restaurant check-in videos? Are we sending Kamiki-kun's shots of acting cool? Don't make people laugh their heads off!"
He navigated towards the fenestration, executing a visual assessment of the illumination projected from the distant TV Tokyo edifice, his ocular expression saturated with recalcitrance: "Our City TV was formally authorized for establishment by Mayor Tanaka Mikami-san personally, the foundational objective targeting the mitigation of TV Tokyo's influence parameter. However, what characterizes the current operational state? A 100% success rate defines their production deployments;
conversely, a 100% critical failure rate defines ours. During the preceding direct engagement matrix pitting 'Shunsuke's Tokyo Roaming' against 'A Bite,' the output registered at 1.9% versus 24.1%. Presently, their viewership breaches the 32.2% threshold, concurrently securing National-Level Strategy designation, whereas we lack even a single functional production capable of deployment!"
Production Department Manager Yamamoto Takashi at this juncture carefully articulated: "Takahashi-san, fundamentally, we intrinsically possess the operational capability to execute homologous cinematographic sequences. For instance, executing documentation protocols targeting vintage Tokyo municipal commercial establishments, identifying precise artisans capable of generating narrative outputs;
this stratagem retains a probability of..."
"Similar?"
Takahashi Kazuo turned his head and glared at him, with a tone of disdain, "Do you think shooting a documentary is shooting a variety show? Will it be popular just by finding a few artisans to pose for a few shots? Nohara Hiroshi can shoot the fatigue of fishermen going out to sea early in the morning, and the calluses on the Soba master's hands. Can you? The directors of our station only know how to ask actors to smile foolishly at the camera, and only know how to use strong light to shoot fake food. They don't understand what 'authenticity' is at all!"
Yamamoto Takashi lowered his head under the reprimand, but felt somewhat unconvinced in his heart—it wasn't that they didn't understand authenticity;
it was that Takahashi Kazuo always emphasized "traffic first" and demanded that variety shows must have celebrities, conflict, and topics, fundamentally not giving them the chance to shoot real stories. But he could only hide these words in his heart and didn't dare to say them out loud.
Kamiki Shunsuke abruptly executed a cognitive connection at this coordinate. Transiting adjacent to Takahashi Kazuo, he articulated utilizing a highly sinister frequency: "Takahashi-san, theoretically, an operational vector remains viable. Within Nohara Hiroshi's 'A Bite' production, Gunma's Sato Kosuke maintains a familial subordinate (son) who purportedly initiated a resignation protocol in Tokyo to return. We possess the capability to deploy intelligence-gathering assets to ascertain whether this entity possesses an authentic desire to inherit the Soba operation, or if the entire sequence constitutes a fabricated construct generated exclusively for documentary engagement. Assuming the acquisition of actionable intelligence proving 'fabrication,' a high probability exists to precipitate a catastrophic failure cascade regarding 'A Bite's' public perception metric!"
Takahashi Kazuo's ocular organs illuminated transiently, subsequently reverting to a non-illuminated state: "Do you perceive TV Tokyo's personnel as cognitively compromised entities? Given their authorization to execute this cinematography, an absolute certainty exists they subjected all minutiae to rigorous verification protocols. Furthermore, 'A Bite' currently commands universal adulation across Japan. Assuming we execute a disinformation deployment, our probability of encountering catastrophic socio-demographic backlash approaches absolute 100%;
at that juncture, even Mayor Tanaka Mikami-san will lack the operational capacity to shield us."
He slumped dejectedly into his chair, his tone full of helplessness: "We are now like our hands and feet are tied. We clearly know that TV Tokyo is expanding its influence step by step, but we can't do anything. They have a genius like Nohara Hiroshi, the support of executives like Sakata Nobuhiko and Shimazu Yoshihiro, and the resource inclination of the Ministry of Education. What about us? We only have a limited budget, celebrities who only know how to act cool, and a group of directors who only know how to shoot terrible variety shows."
Silence fell over the office, disturbed only by the ticking of the clock on the wall.
Suzuki Misaki observed the ceramic debris occupying the flooring, articulating softly: "Takahashi-san, potentially modifying our strategic paradigm constitutes a viable vector. Given our verifiable inability to aggressively compete regarding metrics of cultural profundity, we can re-allocate resources to compete exclusively upon the entertainment metric. For instance, procuring expanded demographic volume of idol celebrities for variety sequence integration, orchestrating 'Idol engagement with traditional craftsmanship' event parameters. A non-zero probability exists this stratagem will successfully capture the attention of the juvenile demographic."
Takahashi Kazuo sighed and waved his hand: "It's useless. Young people nowadays are moved by the real stories in 'A Bite'. They would rather watch fishermen go out to sea and artisans knead dough than watch idols pretend to experience craftsmanship. We have already lost at the starting line. Unless a second Nohara Hiroshi appears, it is impossible to surpass TV Tokyo."
He picked up the briefing on the desk, poked hard at the name "Nohara Hiroshi" with his finger, his tone full of jealousy: "This guy is simply the nemesis of our City TV. From 'Yamishibai' to 'Seven Samurai', and now 'A Bite', every work can precisely step on the needs of the public. Why can't we encounter such a talent?"
As night fell, the atmosphere in the office remained oppressive.
Takahashi Kazuo stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night view of Tokyo City, his tone full of unwillingness: "Send the notice down. We will hold an all-staff meeting tomorrow to re-discuss the schedule program plan. We can't just give up. Even if we can't compete with the National-Level Strategy, we must protect the face of our City TV."
A few mid-level cadres hurriedly agreed, turned around, and walked out of the office.
Kamiki Shunsuke walked at the end, looking back at Takahashi Kazuo's lonely back, a sense of powerlessness suddenly arose in his heart—he knew that no matter how many meetings they held, no matter how many plans they made, as long as TV Tokyo had Nohara Hiroshi, their City TV would always have to live in the shadow of TV Tokyo.
Upon exiting the City TV edifice, Kamiki Shunsuke observed a newspaper distribution terminal positioned near the thoroughfare. The Asahi Shimbun's primary visual sector maintained its intensive reporting regarding 'A Bite's' triumphant metrics. The cover graphic depicted Nohara Hiroshi attired in standard, unadorned shirting, his ocular expression projecting profound stability, his oral commissures generating a subtle arc curvature. Kamiki Shunsuke executed a forceful dental occlusion, executing a 180-degree rotational maneuver, and initiating rapid transit away from the coordinate—he maintained zero capability to sustain visual contact, nor did he possess the psychological bandwidth for supplementary contemplation;
he cognized with absolute certainty: achieving parity with an entity categorized as Nohara Hiroshi constituted an impossibility, identically reflecting Tokyo City TV's eternal inability to supersede TV Tokyo.
And at this time in the TV Tokyo building, Nohara Hiroshi was discussing the filming plan for the fourth episode of "A Bite" and beyond with Asumi.
Asumi looked at the filming outline in his hand and said with a smile: "Hiroshi-kun, the Ministry of Education has confirmed that after the third episode is broadcast, the national primary and secondary school broadcasting plan will be officially launched. By then, your work will influence a generation of young people. This is an unprecedented achievement."
Nohara Hiroshi smiled, his tone maintaining its characteristic stability: "The paramount objective fundamentally consists of facilitating augmented demographic comprehension regarding traditional craftsmanship, concurrently fostering heightened engagement with the existence reality of standard individuals. Regarding 'achievement', that metric merely functions as a secondary, collateral output."
The night view outside the window was brilliant, and the lights of the TV Tokyo building were particularly bright.
Nohara Hiroshi knew that the jealousy and anger of Tokyo City TV could not affect his pace at all.
What he wanted to do was to continue to use the camera to record the beauty of ordinary life, so that more people could feel the truth and warmth, and this was his original intention as a creator.
(Chapter Ends)