novelraw Chapter 278: Special Invitation! A Private Gathering Deep in Ginza!
Chapter 278: Special Invitation! A Private Gathering Deep in Ginza!
The lights in Kanto TV's editing room were still on. Nohara Hiroshi was fine-tuning the sound effects for the rough cut of "Artisan's Heart: Passing the Torch"—the "buzz" of Master Matsumoto Kiyotaka spinning the potter's wheel in the shot needed to be overlaid with another layer of the "crackle" of wood in the wood-fired kiln to better set off the atmosphere of "artisan's heart and time."
The landline phone on the desk suddenly rang, and the four characters "Shimazu Yoshihiro" jumping on the screen made him temporarily stop the work in his hands.
"Hiroshi-kun, are you busy?" Shimazu Yoshihiro's gentle yet smiling voice came from the receiver. There wasn't the usual noise of the city government in the background, only the slight sound of pages turning. "I'd like to invite you to a casual meal. Just the few of us, not a formal occasion, strictly just wanting to chat."
Nohara Hiroshi was stunned for a moment. The previous celebration banquet was a bustling scene of a hundred people;
this invitation for "just the few of us" was clearly different.
He glanced at the wall clock;
it was just past seven in the evening, so he answered with a smile: "Not busy. Just set the time and place, Mr. Shimazu."
"Tomorrow evening at six, 'Honmaru Pavilion' in Ginza. It's a private club, relatively quiet." Shimazu Yoshihiro paused, specifically adding, "Just me, you, Bureau Chief Sakata, Takada from the Production Bureau, plus Executive Deputy Director Asumi. We are the most core partners in this election and the subsequent work. Fewer people makes it easier to talk."
This book is first published across the entire web by twkan.com
After hanging up the phone, Nohara Hiroshi only then realized the special nature of this "casual meal."
There were no bureaucratic pleasantries, no media cameras;
only private communication among the core circle.
He looked down at the pottery shots on the editing screen and suddenly understood—what Shimazu Yoshihiro wanted to talk about were probably not just celebrations, but more so the governing difficulties upon taking office. The next evening, Nohara Hiroshi arrived at Honmaru Pavilion ten minutes early.
This private club hidden in the backstreets of Ginza had a storefront so low-key that the signboard was almost invisible. Only by pushing open the rustic wooden doors could one see the courtyard paved with bluestone slabs, with lanterns casting a warm glow in the twilight.
The waiter led him through a corridor hung with ukiyo-e, and finally stopped in front of a Japanese-style room named "Matsukaze." Familiar laughter could already be heard from inside the paper doors.
"Hiroshi-kun is here!" Shimazu Yoshihiro, wearing a well-fitting navy blue kimono with a dark-patterned obi tied around his waist, had a bit more of the steadiness of a mayor compared to his state during the election campaign, yet still found it hard to conceal his glowing face.
He stood up and welcomed him, patting Nohara Hiroshi's shoulder. "Come, sit. I was just chatting with Bureau Chief Sakata about how you brought Kanto TV back to life. He practically praised you to the heavens."
Sakata Nobuhiko sat on the tatami, a cup of sake placed in front of him, and smiled in agreement: "It's not me praising;
Hiroshi-kun is truly amazing. Before, Kanto TV was almost becoming 'mud,' and now it has actually become a 'documentary benchmark' in the industry. Even NHK came asking me for production experience. This is all to Hiroshi-kun's credit."
Takada Toshihide and Asumi also stood up one after another to greet him.
Takada was still in a suit and leather shoes, holding a small notebook in his hand, clearly still maintaining the habit of recording at any time.
Asumi smiled and handed Nohara Hiroshi a cup of hot tea: "Hiroshi-kun, I heard the viewership rating of the latest episode of 'A Bite' has gone up again. Now even my children are clamoring to go to Yanesen old street to eat taiyaki."
Nohara Hiroshi took the tea and sat down on the tatami, his gaze sweeping over the exquisite food boxes on the table—inside were neatly arranged pickles, seaweed, and freshly baked senbei, typical appetizers for a Japanese casual meal. There wasn't the luxury of the celebration banquet, but it revealed intimacy.
He said modestly: "It is all the credit of the team, as well as the support of Mr. Shimazu. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to peacefully film documentaries either."
"Stop being modest." Shimazu Yoshihiro waved his hand, signaling the waiter to serve the dishes. "We won't talk about work today;
let's eat first. The ingredients for Honmaru Pavilion's kaiseki cuisine were all delivered from Tsukiji Market and Hokkaido this morning. Try this sea bream sashimi;
it's very fresh."
The waiter brought up the first main dish—chilled sea bream sashimi. The fish meat, thin as cicada wings, was laid on crushed ice, with perilla leaves and handmade wasabi arranged next to it.
Shimazu Yoshihiro picked up his chopsticks and first placed a piece for everyone, saying with a smile: "Come, cheers first to the 'new beginning' of our Tokyo City."
The sake slid down their throats, carrying a faint aroma of rice.
Sakata Nobuhiko put down his sake cup and looked at Shimazu Yoshihiro, his tone full of gratification: "Shimazu-kun, walking on the streets now, you can hear citizens discussing your livelihood policies, especially youth employment and affordable housing. Everyone is hoping you take office quickly."
Shimazu Yoshihiro touched his chin, the smile on his face growing deeper, yet he still maintained modesty: "It's all thanks to everyone's blessings, and the citizens' trust. Actually, I've been going to the city government to connect these past few days, and my heart is quite uneasy—after all, I used to manage a television station, and now I'm managing a city;
the responsibilities are different."
"Oh, you definitely shouldn't be modest."
Takada Toshihide put down his chopsticks, his tone carrying a note of teasing. "A few days ago I went to the Election Commission for business and saw you meet with Tanaka Mikami. His face was pulled longer than a donkey's. Compared to your glowing appearance, he looked just like an eggplant hit by frost."
As soon as these words came out, the whole room burst into laughter.
Shimazu Yoshihiro also couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head and saying: "Don't mention it. I met him three times, and every time he deliberately walked around me, his eyes looking like they could shoot fire. We bumped into each other in the corridor yesterday, and he actually stopped and told me, 'I hope you don't mess up Tokyo.' I replied, 'It's still better than creating a real estate bubble,' and his face instantly turned green."
Holding her tea, Asumi covered her mouth and smiled: "He's probably regretting it until his intestines turn green now. Previously, relying on the support of the Real Estate Faction, he wouldn't even listen to the Cabinet's opinions. Now look at it: not only did he lose the election, but even the councilors who were friendly with him before are walking around him now."
Listening to this, Nohara Hiroshi thought of the ordinary citizens he encountered while filming before—young people living in capsule apartments, small stallholders suffocating under high rent—and couldn't help but sigh with emotion in his heart: "Tanaka Mikami's loss wasn't a loss in connections, but a loss in not caring about the citizens. He always felt that real estate could drive the economy, but forgot that when ordinary people can't even afford to live in a house, how can you speak of consumption, how can you speak of development."
Shimazu Yoshihiro nodded, his tone turning somewhat solemn: "Hiroshi-kun is right. I chatted with the old employees of the city government these past few days. They said that in the 'Shinjuku Redevelopment' pushed by Tanaka the past few years, quite a few old neighborhood blocks were torn down, forcing many small merchants to leave. Now there are huge piles of empty office buildings in those places, yet ordinary people have nowhere to live—this is putting the cart before the horse."
Sakata Nobuhiko took a sip of sake and added: "Previously, TV Tokyo wanted to film a documentary on the 'changes of old neighborhood blocks,' and Tanaka's side even exerted pressure, saying it 'affected the city's image.' Look at it now: Hiroshi-kun's 'A Bite' filmed the vitality of life in the old neighborhood blocks, and it instead became the segment citizens love watching the most."
The waiter brought up several more hot dishes—matsutake clear soup, grilled wagyu, sea urchin kamameshi—and the aromas permeated the Japanese-style room.
Shimazu Yoshihiro topped up everyone's sake, his tone becoming somewhat relaxed: "Let's not talk about him, lest it affect our appetite. Inviting everyone here today, first is to celebrate, and second is to chat with you about the upcoming governing route—after all, you are all the people I trust most. Hearing more of your opinions will give me peace of mind."
The atmosphere in the Japanese-style room gradually shifted from relaxed to serious.
Shimazu Yoshihiro put down his sake cup, his fingers lightly tapping the table: "The Tokyo Metropolitan Governor has already helped arrange the core members of the city government for me, and it will be officially announced next week. The governing route is also preliminarily set—first push the youth employment support fund, then launch affordable housing construction, and simultaneously connect with small and medium-sized enterprises to help them solve financing problems."
He paused, and the topic changed: "But the problems are not few. On the Real Estate Faction's side, I heard they've recently been connecting with councilors, wanting to show me who's boss right off the bat. They hold quite a few old land approval cases in their hands, as well as developers who collaborated with Tanaka before;
they are all keeping an eye on me now. I estimate that as soon as I take office, they will make an issue out of the land planning for affordable housing and the tax benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises—either delaying approvals or spreading rumors that 'livelihood policies drag down the economy'."
Sakata Nobuhiko frowned, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his sake cup: "The Real Estate Faction still holds quite a few seats in the council. If they unite to oppose, your policies might be hard to advance. Especially affordable housing, which requires occupying quite a bit of land. If they obstruct it using the excuse of 'affecting urban development,' the trouble will be huge."
Takada Toshihide immediately pulled out his small notebook, recording rapidly while muttering: "We must guard against the rumors in advance. Previously Tanaka relied on the media to spread the rumor that 'Shimazu doing welfare will lead to bankruptcy,' and fortunately we hedged against it using the livelihood stories of 'A Bite.' This time we have to move even earlier, for example, by filming some short films of 'affordable housing beneficiaries' in advance, letting the citizens know the benefits of the policy."
Asumi analyzed from an administrative perspective: "I feel we can communicate in advance with the ward mayors of each ward, and collect cases of the Real Estate Faction's violations locally—such as non-compliant development, defaulting on project payments, and the like. If they obstruct affordable housing, we will expose these cases, making them throw the rat but fear the vase. Additionally, for the tax benefits of small and medium-sized enterprises, we can cooperate with the tax department, first produce several pilot cases, and use data to prove that 'tax reductions can drive employment,' gagging their mouths."
Nohara Hiroshi hadn't spoken the whole time, his fingers lightly tapping his knee, sorting out his thoughts in his head.
He thought of a family living in the suburbs he encountered when filming "Ecological Corners in the City" previously. Both husband and wife were employees of small and medium-sized enterprises;
because the rent was too high, they could only live in a place a two-hour drive from the city center.
He looked up at Shimazu Yoshihiro, his tone steady: "Mr. Shimazu, I feel we can enter from the perspective of 'people.' The Real Estate Faction says 'livelihood policies drag down the economy,' but the core of the economy is people—if young people have jobs and houses, they can consume;
if small and medium-sized enterprises can develop, they can drive employment. This is a virtuous cycle."
He paused and continued: "We can film a series of 'Livelihood Policy Documentary' short films. Without deliberate propaganda, we just film the true lives of ordinary people—like what a family who applied for affordable housing looks like moving into their new home, or the process of a young person who received a startup fund opening a small shop.
These true stories are more convincing than any data. In addition, many of the traditional handcraft artisans in 'Artisan's Heart' survive by relying on support from small and medium-sized enterprises. We can combine their stories with the policies for small and medium-sized enterprises, letting citizens see that livelihood policies are not just 'spending money,' but 'creating blood'."
Shimazu Yoshihiro's eyes lit up, and he slapped the table fiercely: "Good idea! Hiroshi-kun, this line of thought of yours is too crucial! The Real Estate Faction only knows how to speak using cold numbers like 'GDP' and 'land value,' so we will hedge using 'people's stories'—when citizens see that the lives of the people around them have improved, they naturally won't believe their rumors."
Sakata Nobuhiko immediately chimed in: "TV Tokyo can cooperate! We will broadcast Hiroshi-kun's short films during prime time, and also collaborate with local TV stations to re-broadcast them, so that citizens of all Tokyo can see them. In addition, we can also invite councilors of the Real Estate Faction to participate in interview programs, letting them explain face-to-face 'why they oppose affordable housing.' If they can't state reasonable reasons, it will instead expose their selfish motives."
"Administratively, I'll connect."
Asumi added, "I will contact the Legal Affairs Bureau and audit the land planning for affordable housing in advance to ensure the procedures are legal, leaving no loopholes for the Real Estate Faction to find. At the same time, unite with the labor union to collect the appeals of small and medium-sized enterprises. If the Real Estate Faction obstructs tax benefits, we'll organize enterprise representatives to petition the council, using public opinion to exert pressure."
Takada Toshihide closed his small notebook, his tone firm: "The Production Bureau will fully cooperate! We can set up a special task force to follow the affordable housing construction and small/medium enterprise pilots, filming in real-time, to ensure the authenticity and timeliness of the short films. Also, we could add a 'Livelihood Policy Q&A' at the end of 'A Bite,' using a relaxed way to answer citizens' doubts, like 'how to apply for affordable housing' or 'what conditions are needed for a startup fund.'"
The waiter brought up the final dessert—matcha red bean daifuku. The soft and glutinous skin wrapped sweet red bean filling, carrying a faint clear fragrance of matcha.
Shimazu Yoshihiro picked one up and handed it to Nohara Hiroshi, his face full of gratification: "Hiroshi-kun, every time I chat with you, I can have new gains. Having you partners, I feel much more grounded."
Nohara Hiroshi took the daifuku and took a bite, the sweet taste spreading in his mouth: "Mr. Shimazu, we only did what we could. What's truly crucial is that your policies stand on the citizens' side—as long as the direction is right, no matter how hard the problem is, it can be solved."
Sakata Nobuhiko took a sip of sake, sighing with emotion: "Thinking back to the beginning, we were still worrying that if Tanaka got re-elected, TV Tokyo would be controlled by the Real Estate Faction. Now look at it—not only was Shimazu-kun elected mayor, but Hiroshi-kun also brought Kanto TV back to life, and even changed the documentary industry. This is what you call 'the direction of the people's hearts'."
Asumi smiled and nodded: "Yes. Before I was also worried that administrative coordination would be difficult. Now it seems that as long as our goals align, and everyone performs their own duties, the Real Estate Faction's show of force is nothing at all. After all, what they represent are the interests of a minority of developers, while what we represent is the hope of the vast majority of citizens."
Looking at the three people before him, Shimazu Yoshihiro's heart was full of gratitude. He raised his sake cup and proposed again: "Come, for the future of Tokyo City, and also for our cooperation, cheers again! No matter what tricks the Real Estate Faction plays, as long as we make concerted efforts, we can definitely push the livelihood policies forward and make Tokyo City better!"
"Cheers!"
The four sake cups clinked in the air, emitting a crisp sound, echoing in the warm-lamp-lit Japanese-style room.
Outside the window, the Ginza night was thick, and the neon lights flickered, yet could not shine into this small private club—here there were no bureaucratic pleasantries, no media clamor, only four people, reaching a consensus on how to deal with challenges during a relaxed casual meal.
After the wine had circulated three times, the night deepened.
When the crowd stood up to take their leave, Shimazu Yoshihiro specifically pulled Nohara Hiroshi back, patting his shoulder: "Hiroshi-kun, I leave the matter of the livelihood policy documentary short films to you. If there are any needs, contact me at any time—the city government will forever be your strong backing."
Nohara Hiroshi nodded, his eyes firm: "Rest assured, Mr. Shimazu, we definitely will not disappoint you."
Walking out of Honmaru Pavilion, the evening breeze blew, carrying the vitality of life of Ginza.
Nohara Hiroshi looked up at the night sky. The stars flickered between the clouds.
Everything is fine.