Tokyo Bubble Life

Chapter 1520-1529: Prime Minister Doi needs to calm down and sober up!

The red carpet plaza was packed with people, flashes of light and the clicking of camera shutters filled the air. The cheers of fans, the sounds of media interviews, and the general noise of the scene blended together, creating a bustling and lively atmosphere.

In this atmosphere, without anyone noticing, the number of heavily armed police officers at the event site increased, and burly security personnel appeared among the crowd. Further away, snipers had already taken up high ground on the buildings.

When a serving prime minister appears in public, he is naturally under heavy security. Assassinations of Japanese prime ministers are common. If it weren't for the fact that more than 20 years of peace and prosperity have suppressed too many contradictions, being prime minister would be a high-risk job!

Moreover, the world is still in the Cold War.

Prime Minister Tagako Doi's official car is also a Toyota Century. When the car slowly drove through the passage, there were traffic police officers on motorcycles clearing the way for it!

"The Prime Minister has arrived!"

Upon seeing this, a reporter immediately shouted excitedly!

"Prime Minister Doi is here!" "As expected, the Prime Minister was going to attend!!" "Will the Prime Minister also walk the red carpet?!" "That'll be quite the style!"

Although they are political leaders, politicians in capitalist countries are not much different from celebrities. Generally speaking, they are also very popular!

When the car stopped, the assistant opened the door, and Doi Tagako, dressed in a royal blue suit and wearing a silk scarf around her neck, slowly stepped out.

After getting off the bus, he immediately turned left and right, waving to the crowd and greeting them with a big smile on his face.

This publicity stunt was witnessed by media outlets worldwide, which greatly benefited her exposure!

At this moment, Yoshimura Otomo, who was originally watching the red carpet ceremony from the main entrance, immediately activated the contingency plan, instructing his staff to quickly create a fast track, skipping all the red carpet activities except for the iconic group photo and interviews against the main backdrop.

We can't just let the Prime Minister stroll leisurely on the red carpet! So I quickly stepped forward to greet him!

"Where did Naoki-san go?!"

Yoshimura Otomo muttered to himself as he walked.

"They should have had a young, handsome guy like him greet them instead!!"

While complaining, he quickly made his way to the red carpet square and soon saw Prime Minister Doi waving to fans and the crowd. At least six bodyguards were scattered around him, keeping watch for any potential dangers.

At this moment, Suo Ikuo from the Film Association, Hirano Masatoshi from the Ministry of Education, and even Koga Ryuta, the director of NTV, could be seen coming up to greet them!

None of these old foxes are fools; how could they possibly let such a good opportunity slip away to others!

Upon reaching the main background area, the group slowed their pace and walked towards Doi Tagako.

"Prime Minister Doi, welcome to the opening ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival!"

Yoshimura Otomo, without hesitation, took the lead and handed over the marker.

"This is the signature wall on the main backdrop of the film festival. Please take a moment to leave your calligraphy!"

"Arigato~"

The autograph wall has been a feature since the very first film festival; signing autographs and taking photos are all part of the same process.

However, Doi Tagako naturally wouldn't sign her full name. She only signed "Prime Minister" on the receipt before walking to the front of the stage to wait for a photo.

Surrounded by reporters, a photo of Yoshimura Otomo shaking hands with Doi Tagako was taken. Doi Tagako then enthusiastically posed for photos with other key figures and celebrities.

Among them was Tom Cruise, a young heartthrob from abroad. Tom was extremely excited. He had only recently become famous, and to be able to take a photo with a prime minister of a country would make him a hot topic in Hollywood for a month!

After the group photo was taken, several media outlets were selected for brief interviews.

"Prime Minister Doi!"

A reporter raised his hand and asked,

Why did you attend the opening ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival?

"Because the Tokyo International Film Festival is the highest-level event in Japanese film culture, attracting filmmakers from all over the world, it can be said to be Japan's calling card to the world."

Doi Tagako smiled as she recited her script.

"Therefore, as the Prime Minister of Japan, I am participating in the opening ceremony to demonstrate my support for Japanese film culture."

So how do you feel about today's opening ceremony?

"Wow, today's opening ceremony was really lively!"

Doi Tagako answered with a smile,

"I saw movie stars from all over the world, and I also saw the world's love for movies. I am very happy that Japan was able to host such a large-scale international cultural exchange event."

As Prime Minister, I strongly support Japan's cultural outreach. I hope to see more cultural events like this in the future.

"."

The questions were naturally pre-arranged, and such answers conveyed a message to the outside world: the Doi Cabinet supports the Tokyo International Film Festival and encourages the cultural industry.

The underlying meaning is, of course, to endorse the "culture-based nation" policy and demonstrate support for it!

At this moment, Naoki Nagayama, the true founder of the Tokyo International Film Festival, was chatting with Jackie Chan, whom he had finally managed to meet.

"Jackie Chan, what have you been busy with lately?"

"Haha, I've been busy promoting Police Story 2 lately, of course."

Jackie Chan laughed,

"There are all sorts of other things too. If it weren't for the Tokyo International Film Festival, I wouldn't have been able to find any time to rest! Oh dear, I'm so busy!"

Naoki Nagayama knew it was a lie as soon as he heard it!

According to what he knew from his past life, when Jackie Chan was young, after finishing his work during the day, he would go to nightclubs and dance halls every night to dance the cha-cha, find beautiful women, and party until dawn!

It's just that my health deteriorated as I got older; otherwise, this habit would have continued indefinitely!

"That's certainly true given Jackie Chan's current status; of course he's very busy!"

Jackie Chan laughed heartily:

"Naoki-san, what about you? I heard you're editing a new movie? When is it going to be released?"

"Yes, it's been finalized and will be released around the end of the month, at the latest before Christmas."

"That will be soon!"

As a filmmaker, Jackie Chan naturally knows the time required to make a movie, but Naoki Nagayama's speed is even faster than his.

Just as the two were chatting, they noticed the commotion on the red carpet plaza. Both of them, with their excellent eyesight, saw Doi Tagako arrive.

"That's... the Prime Minister of Japan, isn't it?"

Jackie Chan asked with some curiosity,

"She really did attend the Tokyo International Film Festival?!"

"Yes, this was decided a long time ago!"

"Isn't Naoki-san going to greet him?"

Jackie Chan was even more surprised. He knew that although he had met many leaders of small countries, it was not so easy to meet the president and prime minister of a major country!

Especially since the port area hasn't been returned to China yet, he can't even see the University of Tokyo.

"Not needed for now!"

Naoki Nagayama shook his head. He had no desire to play mind games with these politicians, especially not in such a high-profile setting.

"Spending time with Jackie Chan is more important~"

"!!"

Hearing this, Jackie Chan felt instantly relieved! This guy really valued him more than the Prime Minister!

My brother just cares about saving face!

"Haha, Naoki-san, you're such a joker! (This guy's going to be my best friend from now on! If we go to Hong Kong, I'll find him ten girls in one night!)"

Just then, Naoki Nagayama saw that Tagako Doi had finished her interview, and Otomo Yoshimura was leading her towards the interior of the hall.

"Haha, Jackie Chan, it looks like the Prime Minister's team is coming here. Let's go inside first!"

"it is good!"

Since Prime Minister Doi arrived rather late, the main hall inside the meeting place was already almost full.

Naoki Nagayama led Jackie Chan to the front row of banquet tables before they separated and sat down in their respective seats.

To his surprise, he saw Shuichi Itō already sitting at the round table, talking with Muneo Matsuo and the others.

"Shui Yi-san!"

After Naoki Nagayama sat down, he asked directly,

What are you doing in there?

"I've been here for a while!"

Shuichi Itō shrugged.

"I was planning to look for you, but I didn't expect you to be so late."

"Huh?!"

Naoki Nagayama was even more puzzled.

"But Prime Minister Doi just arrived. Aren't you going to be with her?"

"Ah, has Doi-san arrived?"

Itō Osamu nodded and explained.

"How could I possibly be with her? She's the Prime Minister, and I'm just the head of the Policy Research Office—dozens of ranks below her."

"Huh? Why does that sound so颓废 (颓废 is a difficult word to translate directly, but it implies a state of listlessness, apathy, or even dejection)?"

Naoki Nagayama patted Shuichi Itō on the shoulder.

"Shuichi-san is clearly a capable assistant in the Doi Cabinet and an important pillar of the 'culture-based nation' policy!"

"Ah~~"

Shuichi Itō sighed and took a sip of champagne.

"Naoki-san, I want to retire!"

"."

Naoki Nagayama was taken aback by these words. Wasn't Shuichi-san previously very involved in politics? He said he wanted to influence the direction of the entire country, so why did he suddenly become so dejected?

Is this a sign of burnout?!

"What's wrong, Shuichi-san?"

Naoki Nagayama asked,

"Is there anyone in politics who dares to make things difficult for you? Is it Mr. Doi?"

If we really encounter this kind of abuse of power, Shuyou won't stand idly by! Our executives are here representing Shuyou's interests. Are you trying to oppose the Shuyou Group?!

I wanted to say that during the cherry blossom viewing party.

Shuichi Itō put down his wine glass and continued speaking.

"The 'culture-based nation' policy is now 9% complete. As long as Congress passes it by the end of the year, it will soon become law!"

"Prime Minister Doi is probably trying to regain control, which is why he's distanced himself from me."

Initiative?

Naoki Nagayama frowned slightly. Could it be that he wanted to control the power over future policy shifts and resource allocation? Was he trying to use this to win over other interest groups?

It's important to understand that it's impossible for tree enthusiasts to absorb all the policy benefits following the "cultural nation-building" initiative at once. However, the most important parts will definitely require tree enthusiasts' approval before being shared with others.

So, Doi Tagako felt that giving such a large slice of cake entirely to Tree Friends was a bit too much?!

Recalling Doi Tagako's hasty trip abroad for exchange, Naoki Nagayama wondered if she had come into contact with some groups or departments in the United States, such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

Has it been under pressure from the United States?

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and Naoki Nagayama keenly connected them to the possible underlying connections. After all, before going to America, Prime Minister Doi had clearly been very supportive of Shuichi Itō and his friend!

"No matter what."

After a pause, Naoki Nagayama said,

"Shuichi-san, remember, Shuyou and I will always stand behind you!"

"Even if Prime Minister Doi wants to kick you out, he needs to consider the attitude of the tree friends."

Are you kidding me, my financial backer? There's more than one political heavyweight who's been colluding with you these past few years. Believe me, you might directly support other factions within the Social Democratic Party to oust you?

It's important to understand that there are constant internal conflicts within the ruling party!

It seems that after the "Culture-Based Nation" policy is passed, a celebration will be held, inviting bigwigs from the ruling party to showcase the strength of Shuyou within the party.

Let Prime Minister Tagako Doi calm down and think things through!

"Hey, I understand!"

Itō nods.

"It's just that politicians' faces change too easily. Doi-san's sudden change of attitude recently left me somewhat exhausted."

"Haha, that's just how politicians are!"

Naoki Nagayama patted him on the shoulder to comfort him.

"Who knows, the US might produce a president who changes his mind every single day! He might promise something one day and then completely renege on it the next."

"Huh? That's impossible!!"

Shuichi Itō did not believe.

"After all, it's the United States. How could the president break his promise?"

"Hahaha, anything can happen in this world!"

"."

Matsuo Muneo, Nishimoto Tomoyuki, and the others who had been quietly listening nearby all exchanged bewildered glances. They simply couldn't believe that the leader of one of the world's two superpowers would be such an untrustworthy person. He wasn't some rogue businessman!

Time flies when you're chatting!

As the opening ceremony began, Prime Minister Doi, led by a group of people, finally arrived at the venue, and Yoshimura Otomo finally arrived at the banquet table:

"Plant a mulberry tree, and plant a straight mulberry tree."

"Has Prime Minister Doi made the arrangements?"

"Hi, it's in the safe room by the side door. It'll be convenient for you to go on stage and give your opening speech later!"

Yoshimura Otomo nodded and said,

"However, after I finish speaking, I will have to leave. Prime Minister Doi is still very busy!"

Naoki Nagayama said with a smile:

"Haha, it's okay, as long as she's here, our goal is already achieved!"

Just then, the lights in the venue began to dim, and the hosts, Bunta Mino and Mari Yoshimura, walked onto the stage.

"Welcome everyone! A gathering of stars, a truly dazzling event. Many thanks to the Shuyou Group and NTV for their generous support."

"The opening ceremony of the 3rd Tokyo International Film Festival is officially beginning!"

"Next, please welcome Ms. Akina Nakamori for the opening performance!!"

"."

As the host finished speaking, all the lights in the venue dimmed, but the main stage lights came on. Amidst a thin mist, Akina, dressed in a gown and adorned with jewels like a royal concubine, stood in the center of the spotlight.

As the music began to play softly, the now-popular song "I Missed, the Shock," which is played throughout the streets and alleys of Japan, appeared at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Standing center stage, Akina, amidst a gathering of stars from around the world, maintained her stable vocals and explosive stage presence, radiating a bright and radiant aura. She truly possessed the presence of an international star!

After the song ended, enthusiastic applause rang out. Even though some people couldn't understand Japanese, the captivating performance on stage was still amazing!

"Arigato~~"

Yoshimura Mari walked forward while clapping.

"Thank you, Ms. Akina Nakamori, for your wonderful performance."

"Next, please welcome Japanese Prime Minister Doi to the stage to deliver the opening address!!"

Applause erupted again in the hall. Doi Tagako calmly walked to the stage, smiled and bowed to the audience amidst the focus of numerous cameras, and then began to speak:

"Gentlemen, it is an honor to deliver the opening remarks at the Tokyo International Film Festival."

"This was an international cultural exchange. It allowed the world to see Japan's culture and experience the charm of different cultures."

"I hope the Tokyo International Film Festival will be a success and continue to improve."

"."

Takako Doi's speech on stage was sincere, polite, and respectful. It not only reflected the warmth of the host country but also expressed her love for film culture from various countries and her anticipation for the Tokyo International Film Festival.

As a politician, public speaking is an important skill for her, and naturally she performed it perfectly.

However, Naoki Nagayama, sitting in the audience, didn't want to hear any more of this official jargon; it was pointless. Taking advantage of the dim lighting, he said to Otomo Yoshimura beside him:

"Otomo-san, I'm going backstage now, I'm going on stage soon!"

"Oh right, Naoki-san is also the chairman of the judging panel!"

Yoshimura Daitomo nodded.

"go quickly!"

"Um"

However, Naoki Nagayama did not go directly to the backstage to wait; instead, he went to Akina's dressing room!

"Mingcai."

Akina was drinking water in the lounge when she saw Naoki Nagayama and exclaimed in surprise.

"Naoki-san?! What are you doing backstage?"

"I'll be going on stage later too, and the judges will be here to drop by and see you!"

Naoki Nagayama smiled and said,

"How are you? Nervous?!"

He knew that Akina was nervous every time she went on stage. It was a little better when the recording was done in the studio, as she could do it again. However, she was even more nervous when performing live!

My hands were shaking!

Akina extended her hand in front of Naoki Nagayama.

"Things haven't calmed down yet!"

Naoki Nagayama took Akina's hand and smiled:

"Haha~ It really was shaking, and my hands were sweaty! All wet!"

"."

Akina silently withdrew her hand; her husband really had no tact!

"Okay, okay~"

Naoki Nagayama gave him a gentle hug.

"Go sit down at the table and rest for a while. I'll go up on stage for a bit and then come right back!"

"Um"

Akina nodded, then suddenly thought of something.

"By the way, Naoki-san, did you see Prime Minister Doi?"

"Haha, she's giving a speech. It's a pity we didn't get to meet her in person!"

"Oh, what a pity~"

Akina sighed,

"Japan's first female prime minister!"

"Haha, I'll bring Akina with me next time!"

"How is this possible?!"

Nothing is impossible!

Naoki Nagayama walked towards the door.

I'm leaving now.

"Hi~~" (End of Chapter)