My Name is Hiroshi Nohara, Star of Neon Film and Television!

Chapter 253: Information Cocoon Deployed! Nohara Hiroshi Helps Shimazu Yoshihiro Campaign for Tokyo Mayor!

In mid-November in Tokyo, whether it was at the end of "Kasou Taishou", during the noon news commercial breaks, or on the TV screens in subway cars, Shimazu Yoshihiro's campaign promotional videos became a frequent sight.

The TV stations, radio stations, outdoor displays under Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, and even local channels in places like Chiba and Gunma, were all covered by these heart-warming images.

In the promotional segment targeting office workers, the camera first cuts to a close-up of Hyakukawa Ken kneading Soba noodles at the Soba shop from "A Bite".

Flour falls smoothly from his hands. Then the scene shifts, and Shimazu Yoshihiro stands by the shop in casual clothes, holding a steaming bowl of Soba noodles, and says gently to the camera: "It's a blessing for Japan that young people are willing to return to their hometowns and pass on their crafts. If elected, I will provide a three-year tax exemption policy for returning entrepreneurs, so you don't have to worry about your livelihood and can focus on doing what you love."

In the background audio, the familiar and comforting "gurgling" sound of boiling Soba from "A Bite" is subtly mixed in.

The segment targeting housewives is even warmer.

The scene starts with a funny shot of a family of three completing a "Wagashi Disguise" in "Kasou Taishou," then switches to a community park setting: Shimazu Yoshihiro is squatting on the ground, helping a child adjust a kite string. On a nearby bench, several housewives are chatting.

He walks over, sits down, and says with a smile: "In the future, every community will have a 'Parent-Child Cultural Station'. We'll invite Wagashi masters and bakers to teach everyone how to make snacks, and there will be free picture book reading sessions on weekends, so mothers can have fun with their children without traveling far."

The camera sweeps over the smiles on the housewives' faces, and finally freezes on a poster announcing the "Community Cultural Festival" at the park entrance. A small Kumamon logo is printed at the signature—Misae specially designed it to make the picture look cuter.

And in the segment targeting traditional craft practitioners, Yamada Sumie's "Sumiwado" becomes an important setting.Shimazu Yoshihiro sits at the wooden table in the shop, holding a freshly made Sakuramochi, listening to Yamada Sumie say: "Every day now, young people come to ask if they can learn to make Wagashi, but my small shop can't hold so many people."

He immediately follows up: "I plan to build 'Traditional Craft Workshops' in every ward, providing venues and equipment for free, and inviting veteran masters like Yamada-san to act as teachers. This way, the crafts can be passed down, and the veteran masters can earn an extra income."

The camera finally focuses on the workshop design blueprint, with a sticky note bearing Nohara Hiroshi's small handwriting: "Priority to veteran masters with over 30 years of business experience." The details are full of intention.

"The density of the Information Cocoon is sufficient." Asumi stood in front of the production department's monitoring screen, looking at the playback data returned from various places, and said to Takada Toshihide beside him, "Yesterday's poll showed that Senior Shimazu's support rate rose another 3 percentage points. It's now at 49%, only 2 percentage points behind Tanaka Mikami-san."

Takada Toshihide held a commercial placement list in his hand, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from rising: "This is all thanks to Hiroshi-kun. If we used the old method of casting a wide net with slogan-shouting videos, we wouldn't have such good results at all. Now with these segments, each group can see the content they care about, so they naturally want to support him."

As the two were talking, Nohara Hiroshi walked in holding a stack of scripts, followed by Hashishita Ichiro—he was holding the newly edited sample of the "Doraemon" winter influenza prevention animated short.

"Asumi-kun, Bureau Chief Takada, take a look at this." Nohara Hiroshi put the scripts on the table. "This is the student version script for 'Winter Influenza Prevention' to be broadcast next week, and the animated sample cut by Section Chief Hashishita. If there's no problem, we can send it for review."

Hashishita Ichiro quickly put the sample into the player, and the figures of Nobita and Doraemon immediately appeared on the screen: Doraemon took a "Hand-washing Reminder Bracelet" out of his 4D pocket. After Nobita put it on, every time he forgot to wash his hands, the bracelet would emit a "ding-a-ling" sound and play a short animation of hand-washing steps. At the end, Nobita and his classmates raised their bracelets and said in unison: "Wash hands frequently, wear a mask, keep the flu away!"

"Very well done." Asumi nodded in satisfaction after watching, "The animation pacing is just right;

kids can get into it and remember the key points. Hiroshi-kun, the detail of the 'bracelet reminder' you added to the script is much more effective than simple preaching."

Nohara Hiroshi smiled: "It's mainly because Section Chief Hashishita's animation team did a good job, conveying both Nobita's mischievousness and Doraemon's thoughtfulness. By the way, the 'influenza prevention' short video from Mizukami Sho-san's side has also been shot and will be delivered this afternoon. We can show it to Governor Koike together then."

...

At 2:00 PM, the small meeting room of the TV Tokyo production department was packed.

More than twenty young directors were squeezed onto chairs, and a few people even stood at the door. Everyone held a notebook and pen, their eyes fixed on Nohara Hiroshi sitting in the main seat. A freshly brewed cup of green tea sat in front of him, the curling steam softening the profile of his calm face.

"Don't be nervous, everyone. If you have any questions, just ask." Nohara Hiroshi took a sip from his teacup, his tone mild. "Today is not a formal meeting. I just want to chat with everyone about how to find creative inspiration from everyday life and how to accurately pinpoint what the audience likes."

As soon as he finished speaking, a young director sitting in the front row—Honda Sakurako from Kanto TV—raised her hand. Her face showed a mix of nervousness and anticipation: "Hiroshi-san, I wanted to ask, when you were filming 'A Bite,' how did you decide on the 'traditional crafts' direction? I wanted to do 'Old Street Visits' before, but I always worried the audience would find it boring. I didn't know how to find the 'shining points'."

Nohara Hiroshi looked at her with encouraging eyes: "Sakurako-chan, you first have to understand that the audience doesn't find 'old streets' boring;

they find 'old streets without stories' boring. The decision to go with 'traditional crafts' was because I noticed many old crafts were disappearing, but the stories behind the craftsmen were very moving—for example, Sato-san giving up his job in Tokyo to protect his father's Soba shop;

Yamada-san making Sakuramochi every year while waiting for her daughter to return. There is perseverance and care in these stories, and the audience can empathize."

He paused and continued: "When doing an 'Old Street Visit,' you don't need to bite off more than you can chew. Just focus on one craftsman and one small story each time. For example, filming Granny Zhang's sugar painting stall—you don't need to film her whole day's work. Just film her putting away the stall in the evening, sharing the unsold sugar paintings with the children from the kindergarten next door. Then ask her 'Why do you always make a few extra?' She might say, 'My granddaughter used to like eating this.' One detail can bring the old street to life."

Honda Sakurako wrote quickly in her notebook, her pen tip almost tearing the paper: "I understand! Thank you, Hiroshi-san! I used to always think about filming the architecture and history of the old street, but I forgot that the most moving part is the people."

A young bespectacled director next to her asked: "Hiroshi-san, I make variety shows. I recently wanted to do a 'workplace experience' program, but I don't know how to make the audience feel immersed. I previously shot 'Celebrities Experiencing Delivery Work,' but the audience said, 'Celebrities don't understand the hardships of couriers at all;

they're just putting on a show.' Where do you think the problem lies?"

"The problem lies in the 'sense of distance'."

Nohara Hiroshi spoke bluntly, "When the audience watches an 'experience program,' they don't want to see celebrities 'suffer.' They want to see 'the unknown details in the workplace of ordinary people.' For couriers, you can film how they remember each customer's special requests while sorting packages at 5:00 AM—Granny Zhang's package needs to be put in the mailbox at the door;

Uncle Li's package needs a phone call to confirm the time. Film them heating a bento box in a convenience store at noon. Film them falling asleep from exhaustion on the bus after delivering the last package in the evening. These details are much more powerful than the celebrities' 'performances'."

He picked up a pen and drew a simple storyboard on paper: "You can let the celebrities be 'observers,' not 'experiencers.' For example, have a celebrity follow a courier for a day without interfering, only asking questions—'How much do you walk every day?' 'What do you do when a customer complains?' Let the courier tell their own story. What the audience sees is the real workplace, and naturally, they will feel immersed."

The young director suddenly realized and nodded repeatedly: "So that's how it is! I used to always think about letting the celebrity lead, but I ignored the ordinary people in the workplace. Thank you, Hiroshi-san! I'll revise the plan when I get back!"

Another director in charge of animation asked: "Hiroshi-san, the urban legends in 'Yamishibai' are very scary, but the audience says 'I'm scared but I can't stop watching.' How do you balance 'horror' and 'resonance'? The horror animations I make, the audience always says 'It's only scary, but not interesting'."

"Because the core of 'Yamishibai' is not 'horror', it's 'human nature'." Nohara Hiroshi's tone grew a bit more serious. "For example, in the 'Scarecrow' episode, what's scary is not the scarecrow itself, but the story of the protagonist burning their neighbor's field for money and eventually being 'punished' by the scarecrow. What the audience fears is the sense of destiny that 'evil is rewarded with evil', and what resonates is the principle that 'you can't lose your conscience for profit'."

He looked at the young director: "When making horror animation, first think clearly about 'what you want to convey'. Do you want to say 'don't be greedy', or 'cherish your family'? Hide the principles within the shell of horror, so that after the audience is scared, they can grasp onto a lesson. That's a success."

Questions arose one after another in the meeting room, ranging from the camera operation in documentaries to the pacing of variety shows, and the plot design in animations. Nohara Hiroshi answered them all one by one.

He didn't use complex theories, but used real cases from "A Bite", "Yamishibai", and "Doraemon" to make abstract creative ideas concrete and tangible.

Every young director's notebook was filled with key points with cases, and the confusion in their eyes gradually turned into a clear light.

Knock, knock, knock

"Sorry to interrupt."

Just as Nohara Hiroshi was patiently answering a question, a gentle knock came from the door of the meeting room.

Oda, a young employee from the production department, ran in and whispered in Nohara Hiroshi's ear: "Hiroshi-san, Station Chief Sakata is waiting for you in his office. He says there's something important to discuss."

Nohara Hiroshi nodded, and gave an apologetic smile to the room full of young directors: "It looks like today's discussion ends here. If you have more questions, feel free to come to my office anytime, or page me. Remember, the core of creation is 'sincerity'. As long as you genuinely want to tell a good story, the audience will feel it."

"Thank you, Hiroshi-san!" The young directors stood up one after another, bowing deeply to him, their tone full of gratitude.

Nohara Hiroshi took his teacup and scripts, and followed Oda out of the meeting room. As soon as he left, the meeting room exploded.

"Hiroshi-san is incredible! With just one example, he solved a problem that had confused me for a long time!" Honda Sakurako hugged her notebook, her tone full of admiration.

"More than incredible! Look, he's only 23, and he can go directly to Station Chief Sakata's office to discuss matters. As rookies, we rarely even get into the Section Chief's office." A young director from TV Tokyo next to her said enviously, "I've been working here for almost a year, and I've only seen Station Chief Sakata once at a general staff meeting. Hiroshi-san can directly connect with him on work. The gap is too big."

"That's because Hiroshi-san is truly skilled!" Another director retorted. "'Yamishibai', 'Seven Samurai', 'A Bite', every one is a massive hit. Even Governor Koike personally sought him out to chat about the 'Information Cocoon'. Who else gets that kind of treatment?"

Everyone chimed in, the envy in their eyes unhidden.

Some took out their notebooks and began to organize the points Nohara Hiroshi had just mentioned;

others took out their pagers and carefully saved his pager number, afraid they couldn't find him when they had problems.

Meanwhile, in the corridor outside the meeting room, several middle-aged directors were leaning against the wall. They had heard most of what Nohara Hiroshi had just said.

One of them was Iwata Masao, who was in charge of period dramas. He held a cigarette but hadn't lit it. His tone carried a bit of emotion: "I used to think this kid was just young and lucky. Now I know he truly understands creation. His ideas on the 'workplace experience' program just now, even I found them inspiring."

Asano Takata next to him smiled and patted his shoulder: "You only admit it now? I told you long ago, Hiroshi-kun is the 'Demon of TV Tokyo'. This nickname isn't for nothing. Look at his 'Seven Samurai';

he wove 'class' and 'human nature' into a samurai story, even Kurosawa Eiji-san admired it. His 'A Bite' didn't shout slogans, it only filmed the lives of ordinary people, yet it boosted tourism. This ability... us old guys have been making films for twenty or thirty years and haven't achieved it."

"You can say that again." Ashikaga Takashi also leaned over. His tone was less arrogant and more respectful, "I used to think that making period dramas just required exquisite costumes and props. After watching 'Seven Samurai', I realized that without a good story, beautifully composed shots are useless. Last time I discussed a script with Hiroshi-kun, he said, 'People in period dramas also have to eat, sleep, and worry about their livelihood.' That sentence woke me up. In the new drama I'm shooting now, I added a lot of details like characters cooking and sewing clothes, and the response has been much better than before."

The middle-aged directors chimed in one after another, their words full of recognition for Nohara Hiroshi.

They had also been full of spirit when they were young, thinking they understood creation and the audience. However, in Nohara Hiroshi, they saw things that were even rarer—a keen observation of life, sincere respect for the audience, and a vision not limited by age.

"Let's go, stop standing around here." Asano Takata turned around first, "Hiroshi-kun has gone to see Station Chief Sakata, we should get back to work too. Instead of constantly envying others, let's learn from his ideas and make our own films well."

The others nodded, turned, and headed to their respective offices.

The sunlight in the corridor shone through the windows, falling behind them, and also on the notebooks of the young directors at the meeting room door, as if indicating that the future of creation at TV Tokyo was heading in a brighter direction.

...

When Nohara Hiroshi arrived at the door of Sakata Nobuhiko's office, it was slightly ajar, and familiar conversation could be heard inside.

He knocked gently, heard Sakata Nobuhiko say "come in", and then pushed the door open.

There were more people in the office than he expected.

Sakata Nobuhiko sat behind his desk. On the sofa next to him sat Takada Toshihide and Asumi. And on the chairs on the other side sat three men in suits—they carried a sharp "campaign team" aura, holding folders and wearing slightly serious expressions.

"Hiroshi-kun, you're here." Sakata Nobuhiko put down the document in his hand and pointed to an empty seat next to him. "Sit down. Let me introduce you. These are the core members of Senior Shimazu's campaign team, in charge of promotional strategy and opinion polling."

Nohara Hiroshi shook hands with the three of them in turn and exchanged business cards.

The leading man was named Watanabe Tetsuya, the head of publicity for Shimazu's campaign team. He shook Nohara Hiroshi's hand, his tone slightly urgent: "Nohara-san, I've heard a lot about you! We wanted to discuss with you how to adjust the campaign promotion going forward. With only a month until the election, we want to capitalize on the success of the 'Information Cocoon' and push hard to surpass Tanaka Mikami-san's support rate."

Nohara Hiroshi sat down, took the poll report Watanabe handed over, and quickly flipped through it.

The report showed that Shimazu Yoshihiro's support rate among young groups and traditional craftsmen was already leading, but among the middle-aged and elderly groups, it was still 5 percentage points lower than Tanaka Mikami's.

"The middle-aged and elderly population pays more attention to 'stability' and 'welfare'." Nohara Hiroshi put down the report and said in a calm tone, "In the previous promotions, there was too little content targeting them;

there was only the 'Community Cultural Festival,' which is not concrete enough. We can shoot a set of 'welfare for the elderly' segments, using scenes closer to their lives."

He looked at Watanabe Tetsuya and continued: "For example, shoot a set of 'Nursing Home Visits.' Have Senior Shimazu go to the nursing home to chat with the elderly, listen to them say 'it's inconvenient to go to the doctor' or 'I want to see my children more.' And then he proposes specific policies—like adding geriatric outpatient clinics in community hospitals, opening 'family visit special buses', and providing free physical checkups for solitary seniors once a month. These policies need to be specific, to make the elderly feel that 'they can actually enjoy them'."

Watanabe Tetsuya's eyes lit up, and he immediately wrote it down in his notebook: "This is a great idea! Before, we always thought about shouting slogans like 'improve elderly care', but didn't say exactly how to do it. The seniors definitely wouldn't feel reassured. Nohara-san, where do you think is a good location for filming?"

"We can choose a nursing home in the suburbs of Tokyo." Nohara Hiroshi suggested. "Most of the elderly there have moved from the city center;

they are familiar with the situation in Tokyo, and what they say is more likely to resonate with other middle-aged and elderly viewers. When shooting, capture more details—like reading glasses in an old person's hands, or the small vegetable garden in the nursing home's courtyard. These details can make the picture more realistic and warmer."

Takada Toshihide spoke up at this time: "Hiroshi-kun, there's another problem. Recently, Tanaka Mikami-san has been attacking Senior Shimazu in his propaganda, saying 'He only knows how to hype things up on TV, and has no actual political achievements.' Should we respond?"

"There's no need to respond directly." Nohara Hiroshi shook his head. "Rebutting directly will make us look guilty. We can use 'demonstrating political achievements' instead of 'rebutting'. For example, shoot a short film about 'Senior Shimazu's past work experience.' You don't need to shoot scenes of him in meetings or giving speeches. Just show his time as a councilman in Gunma, helping local farmers solve rice sales issues. Show old photos of him promoting the renovation of fishing ports in Chiba. Then add interviews with locals—'Shimazu-san used to come to the fields to chat with us often,' or 'After the fishing port was renovated, our fish can fetch a good price.' Speaking with facts is more powerful than rebuttals."

Asumi added: "I think we can also combine this content with the propaganda for 'cultural tourism cooperation', the effect will be even better."

As soon as Nohara Hiroshi finished speaking, Asumi immediately picked up the conversation, his tone carrying some agreement: "Hiroshi-kun's idea is feasible. Connecting Senior Shimazu's achievements with 'cultural tourism cooperation' will demonstrate his ability to get things done, whilst leveraging the popularity of 'A Bite' to let more people see he genuinely works for the public. For instance, when filming his visit to the Chiba fishing port, we could have Nomizu Masayasu-san on camera saying, 'Back then, Shimazu-san helped us build a new pier. Now our tuna can be shipped to Tokyo faster, and customers get the freshest fish.' This sort of statement is far more persuasive than empty descriptions of accomplishments."

Watanabe Tetsuya nodded repeatedly as he listened, writing quickly in his notebook: "Good! Let's follow this idea! Nohara-san, Asumi-san, when do you think these videos can be shot? We want to put them out as soon as possible, while the 'Information Cocoon' effect is still strong."

"I can have the samples ready within a week." Nohara Hiroshi gave a clear timeframe. "Tomorrow I'll connect with Nomizu-san and the head of the nursing home to finalize the shoot times. We'll film the day after, edit the day after that, and have it ready for review by next week. If all goes well, it can air continuously on TV starting next Wednesday."

Takada Toshihide then spoke, his tone cautious: "Filming and delivery are no problem, but we need to control the budget—the previous 'Winter Influenza Prevention' and 'Cultural Tourism' campaigns already used a portion. We'll need to communicate with the Metropolitan Government about the additional budget for this campaign."

"Leave the budget to me." Sakata Nobuhiko set down his teacup, speaking with certainty. "I will contact Minister Hattori Tadashi tomorrow to explain the situation. The Governor Koike clearly supports Senior Shimazu, so he'll undoubtedly approve the extra budget. Moreover, this campaign isn't just for Shimazu's election, it's also about practically applying the 'Information Cocoon' in political propaganda. This will benefit our TV station's future development as well."

Watanabe Tetsuya breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face: "With Station Chief Sakata's assurance, we are relieved. Nohara-san, we'll need to trouble you with the upcoming filming and editing—after all, you are the most experienced when it comes to the content design for the 'Information Cocoon'."

"Don't worry," Nohara Hiroshi nodded. "I will follow up on the whole process to ensure the content adheres to the principle of being 'close to the people's livelihood, realistic, and concrete.' I won't let everyone down."

For the next hour, everyone engaged in discussions focusing on specific details of the video shoots—from selecting the nursing home to the timing of filming at the fishing port, choosing interviewees, and wording the scripts. Every detail was meticulously ironed out.

Nohara Hiroshi's suggestions—"capture more details, shout fewer slogans" and "use ordinary language to explain policies"—gained the approval of everyone.

When the discussion concluded, the sky outside the window had gradually darkened, and everyone's faces carried a bit more confidence—they knew this campaign promotion would achieve its intended results.

Early the next morning, Nohara Hiroshi brought the film crew to the "Sunshine Nursing Home" in the suburbs of Tokyo.

The director of the nursing home was a gray-haired elderly person named Sato Yuki. Hearing that they wanted to shoot a campaign video for Shimazu Yoshihiro, which could also help the nursing home get more benefits, she enthusiastically cooperated.

On the set, Nohara Hiroshi didn't have Shimazu Yoshihiro deliberately pose. Instead, he let him interact with the elderly just as he normally would—chatting, playing chess, and enjoying the sun.

In the camera lens, Shimazu Yoshihiro sat on a bench under the shade of a tree, chatting with an old lady named Suzuki Haru. The old lady held his hand, sighed, and said: "My son works in Osaka, and he only comes back once every six months. Whenever I miss him, I can only call him on the landline, but my hearing is bad, so I never hear clearly what he's saying."

Shimazu Yoshihiro held the old lady's hand and spoke gently: "Suzuki-san, don't worry. If I am elected, I will open 'video visit rooms' in every community, providing computers and internet for free. Whenever you miss your son, you can video chat with him anytime, and there will be staff to help you operate it, so you won't have to worry."

The old lady's eyes instantly brightened, tightly gripping Shimazu Yoshihiro's hand: "Really? That's wonderful! If I could see my son more often, I wouldn't have to worry about him every day."

The camera quietly captured this scene—the wrinkles at the corners of the old lady's eyes full of smiles, Shi mazu Yoshihiro's eyes full of sincerity, and the sunlight spilling through the gaps in the leaves onto them. The picture was warm and moving.

Nohara Hiroshi stood next to the camera and whispered to Saito Shigeru, who was handling the shooting: "Shoot this scene a few more times. Focus on capturing the changes in the old lady's expression, and how firmly Senior Shimazu holds her hand. These details are the most touching."

In the afternoon, the film crew rushed to the Chiba fishing port.

Nomizu Masayasu was already waiting at the dock. Wearing his sea-water-stained waders and holding a freshly caught tuna, he smiled and greeted Shimazu Yoshihiro when he saw him: "Shimazu-san, you finally came! The new dock you helped us build back then is so useful now. It used to take two hours to unload the fish, now it only takes half an hour, and the fish can also fetch a good price!"

Shimazu Yoshihiro walked to the pier, looking at the busy fishermen, his tone carrying a little emotion: "Seeing how hard you worked unloading the fish back then, I thought I absolutely must help you rebuild the dock. Now seeing everyone's lives are better, I'm happy too."

Nohara Hiroshi had the camera follow their footsteps, filming from the dock to the fishing boats, from fishermen unloading fish to the tuna auction.

In the lens, the smiles on the fishermen's faces, the sheen of the tuna, and the neatly lined up fishing boats by the dock all became the best "proof of political achievements."

When Nomizu Masayasu said to the camera, "Shimazu-san truly thinks for us fishermen, we all support him," the surrounding fishermen nodded in agreement, their voices full of sincerity.

Over the next few days, the film crew hurriedly completed the editing and voice-overs.

Nohara Hiroshi personally controlled the pacing of every shot and the wording of every line of copy—for example, in the segment on welfare for the elderly, the copy didn't use official language like "improve the elderly care system," but instead used straightforward expressions like "so every elderly person can see their children anytime, and see a doctor without traveling long distances." In the fishing port segment, the copy didn't mention "promoting the development of the fishing industry," but used words close to life like "letting fishermen sell their fish faster and make more money."

A week later, when these two sets of promotional videos were presented to Sakata Nobuhiko and Shimazu Yoshihiro, they could not help but marvel.

Sakata Nobuhiko looked at the images on the screen and smiled, "Hiroshi-kun, you've created another miracle! These videos don't have a single empty slogan, yet they clearly explain Senior Shimazu's accomplishments and policies. It's more effective than any campaign speech."

Shimazu Yoshihiro excitedly patted Nohara Hiroshi's shoulder: "Hiroshi-kun, thank you! These videos are so authentic. Seeing Grandma Suzuki's smile and the support of Nomizu-san and the others gives me more confidence to win this election!"

That afternoon, the two sets of promotional videos began playing across TV Tokyo's channels, subway ad screens, and radio stations.

The density of the Information Cocoon increased once more. From the morning news to evening variety shows, from the daily commute of office workers to the chores of housewives, nearly every citizen in Tokyo saw these heartwarming and authentic scenes.

"Did you see Shimazu-san's new promotional video? The one about the nursing home, it's so moving!"

At the entrance of a convenience store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, a housewife wearing an apron—named Tanaka Yoshiko—was chatting with her neighbor, holding the milk she had just bought. "Grandma Suzuki said she missed her son, and Shimazu-san promised to open video visiting rooms and provide free computers. How thoughtful! Unlike Tanaka Mikami-san, he only talks about 'improving elderly care' but doesn't say how."

The neighbor next to her—named Yamamoto Miho—also nodded repeatedly: "I saw it too! And the one for Chiba Fishing Port. Nomizu-san said Shimazu-san helped build a pier there in the past, and now unloading fish is much faster, so the fishermen all support him. Tell me, if Shimazu-san gets elected, will our lives be better?"

"Definitely!" Tanaka Yoshiko set down the milk, her tone full of expectation. "Look at the return-to-hometown subsidies and traditional craft workshops he mentioned before, they're tangible benefits. My son's a programmer in Tokyo and always talks about the pressure;

he wants to move back to our hometown and run a small supermarket. If there are subsidies, maybe he really will move back!"

At this moment, an office worker in a suit—named Hyakukawa Ken—hurrying by with a briefcase, heard their conversation. He stopped and joined in: "I also think Shimazu-san is quite good. I watched his promotional video on the subway yesterday;

he said he wants to add geriatric outpatient clinics in community hospitals. My mom is getting older, and every time she goes to a big hospital, she has to wait in line for half a day. If community hospitals have specialized clinics for seniors, it'll be much more convenient."

Another passing elderly person—named Suzuki Haru—was indeed the old lady from the promotional video. Leaning on her cane, she smiled and said: "Let me tell you, Shimazu-san is a very kind man! He came to the nursing home that day, held my hand, and listened to me talk without putting on any airs. If the video visiting rooms he promised are really built, I'll be able to see my son often. Just thinking about it makes me happy!"

More and more people gathered around. Everyone was talking over each other, almost all praising Shimazu Yoshihiro's policies. Some supported his subsidies for returning entrepreneurs, others anticipated his welfare benefits for the elderly, and still others said they would get their families to vote for Shimazu Yoshihiro.

"However, don't you guys feel that housing prices are a bit off recently?"

Suddenly, a middle-aged man—named Takahashi Ichiro—spoke with a frown: "I looked at a 60-square-meter apartment last week, and it cost 100 million yen! That's 20 million yen more than last year! My monthly salary is only 500,000 yen. Even if I don't eat or drink, it will take me 20 years to afford it. This is outrageous!"

As soon as this was spoken, the direction of the discussion immediately changed.

Tanaka Yoshiko sighed: "Exactly! My daughter is getting married next year and wants to buy a house in Tokyo. We looked at a few places, and they're terrifyingly expensive. I talked to my husband about having them buy in the suburbs, but the houses there are 80 million yen. We still can't afford it."

Yamamoto Miho also frowned: "I heard from my husband that many real estate companies are frantically buying land to build luxury homes recently, but ordinary people simply can't afford them. If the housing prices keep going up, regular office workers like us will never be able to buy a house in Tokyo in our lifetime."

"I also heard there's going to be a problem with the economy!" Hyakukawa Ken lowered his voice, conveying a sense of worry. "My colleague's brother works in a bank and says that recently, many people have been frantically taking out loans to buy houses, and the bad debt rate at banks is getting higher and higher. If the bubble bursts, will our savings be affected?"

"Really?" Granny Suzuki Haru's expression changed instantly. "My life savings are in the bank. What will I do if something happens?"

Takahashi Ichiro sighed: "I don't know if it's true or false, but such a rapid rise in housing prices is certainly not normal. Let's hope that after Shimazu-san gets elected, he can control the real estate situation and not let the bubble burst. Otherwise, our lives are going to be miserable."

"Right! Didn't Shimazu-san say he wanted to control the real estate bubble before?" Tanaka Yoshiko immediately continued. "I saw his promotional video saying he wants to add more affordable housing and restrict real estate speculation groups. If he can really do that, maybe the housing prices will come down."

Everyone nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with expectation.

Although the anxiety over the real estate bubble hung over everyone, thinking of Shimazu Yoshihiro's proposed policies gave them a bit more confidence.

Similar discussions were happening all over Tokyo—whether in front of the office buildings in Ginza, the old streets of Asakusa, the subway cars, or the park benches.

People praised Shimazu Yoshihiro's policies while worrying about the persistently high housing prices and the potentially bursting bubble economy.

And these discussions gradually turned into a groundswell of support for Shimazu Yoshihiro—everyone hoped that this candidate, who cared about ordinary people's lives, could help them solve these problems after taking office.

Three days later, the poll results for Shimazu Yoshihiro's campaign team came out—his overall support rate reached 53%, passing Tanaka Mikami by 6 percentage points!

Support among the middle-aged and elderly had grown the fastest, rising from 40% to 55%. Support among young adults and traditional craftsmen remained stable above 60%.

"This is great! Hiroshi-kun, thank you so much!" Watanabe Tetsuya rushed into Nohara Hiroshi's office, holding the survey report, "Right now, everyone in Tokyo is discussing Senior Shimazu's policies. Many who used to support Tanaka Mikami-san have switched to supporting Senior Shimazu!"

Nohara Hiroshi looked at the survey report with a calm smile. "This isn't my accomplishment alone;

it's the result of everyone's hard work. Besides, citizens support Senior Shimazu not because the promotion was done well, but because his policies are close to their livelihoods and can solve their practical problems."

Then, Asumi also walked in holding a newspaper, smiling, "Hiroshi-kun, look! Today's front-page report in 'Asahi Shimbun' featured Senior Shimazu's campaign promotions. It also mentioned the 'Information Cocoon' strategy, calling it 'the campaign promotion that best understands ordinary people.' And the 'Yomiuri Shimbun' interviewed Grandma Suzuki from the nursing home and the fishermen from Chiba, and they were all praising Senior Shimazu!"

Nohara Hiroshi took the newspapers and quickly scanned them.

The articles in the newspapers were full of recognition for Shimazu Yoshihiro's policies and the "Information Cocoon" strategy.

One review read: "Shimazu Yoshihiro's campaign videos lack flowery rhetoric and empty slogans;

instead, they feature only the lives and true needs of everyday people. Such people-oriented promotions give voters hope and raise expectations for Tokyo's future."

"By the way, Hiroshi-kun. Station Chief Sakata told you to go to his office. He said there's something important he needs to discuss," Asumi said suddenly as if just remembering something. "I think it is regarding the 'real estate bubble control' promotion. Governor Koike has new directives."

Nohara Hiroshi nodded, stood up, "Alright, I'll go right now."

Walking out of his office, he met many colleagues in the corridor. Seeing Nohara Hiroshi, they all warmly greeted him with looks full of admiration.

Some thanked him for his contribution to Shimazu Yoshihiro's campaign, some expressed their anticipation for the upcoming "Real Estate Bubble Control" promotion, and others mentioned wanting to learn from his creative thinking.

Nohara Hiroshi smiled and responded to everyone, but knew clearly in his heart—whether it was Shimazu Yoshihiro's campaign promotions, or the previous "A Bite of Neon" and "Doraemon", everything he did was to make this world a better place.

Although the shadow of the real estate bubble shrouded Tokyo, he believed that as long as they continued to deliver policies using content close to people's livelihood and used real stories to connect hearts, they would definitely be able to help more people out of their predicament and welcome a better future.

When Nohara Hiroshi reached Sakata Nobuhiko's office door, he took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

A new challenge had already begun, and he was fully prepared.

(Chapter Ends)