J-flicks in the USA

U.S. Releases of Japan-Related Films

Yoko Narahashi

Casting Director Casts Light on the Hollywood and Japanese Film Industries

Yoko Narahashi is an acclaimed Japanese casting and film director, garnering attention for her involvement in such films as The Wolverine, The Last Samurai, and Winds of God, for which she won Best New Director at the Japan Movie Critics Awards in 1995. Narahashi was educated in Canada and grew up learning Japanese, English, and a little bit of French. She cofounded the Model Language Studio, highlighting the importance of language and acting by promoting the teaching of English to Japanese students through drama. Tokyo Journal Editor-in-Chief Anthony Al-Jamie talked with Yoko Narahashi about her experiences working with Japanese and Western actors, the Model Language Studio, and her legacy in the film industry.

Tetsuya Bessho

Redefining Cinema through Short Films

A veteran actor, producer, and radio presenter, Tetsuya Bessho is no stranger to the Japanese entertainment industry. Following his Hollywood debut in 1990, Bessho has starred in many Japanese and American films, most notably Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth and Parasite Eve. In addition, he has performed in stage productions of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon, among others. Bessho is also the founder and director of the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia. Since its creation in 1999, Bessho has promoted the short film culture across Japan through collaboration, online cinema, and the festival itself. Tokyo Journal Editor-in-Chief Anthony Al-Jamie sat down with Bessho to discuss his personal experiences, passion for film and, of course, the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia.

From Nara, Japan to the Tokyo Olympics

Naomi Kawase’s Vision

for the Future of Film and the Next Generation

One of Japan’s most prominent directors, Naomi Kawase is best known for her documentary-style and semi-autobiographical filmmaking. As a graduate of the Osaka School of Photography, now the Osaka Visual Arts College, Kawase became the youngest person to win the Caméra d’Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for her film, Suzaku. At the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, she took home the Grand Prix for her film The Mourning Forest. Since then, Kawase has served on the Cannes Film Festival jury and gone on to found the Nara International Film Festival in her hometown of Nara, Japan. Her upcoming developments include a new film, True Mothers, that was chosen for the Cannes International Film Festival Official Selection 2020, and her role in producing the official film for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Tokyo Journal Editor-in-Chief Anthony Al-Jamie met Naomi Kawase at the 2019 Short Shorts Film Festival in Hollywood following her Master Class on the “Possibilities of Film” and the screening of her short film Lies.

Dancer and Actor Naoki Kobayashi

From EXILE to Hollywood

Over the last decade, Naoki Kobayashi has carved out a place for himself in Japan’s entertainment industry. Best known as a performer and choreographer for the J-pop bands EXILE and Sandaime J Soul Brothers, he performs frequently for audiences in the thousands while balancing projects as a runway model and TV and film actor. His latest venture is into Hollywood, making his debut in the English film Earthquake Bird, a psychological thriller produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Wash Westmoreland that was released worldwide in October 2019. Tokyo Journal Editor-in-Chief Anthony Al-Jamie talked to Naoki Kobayashi about his career in music and film.

EXILE: A Quest for Eternal Success

Interview by Anthony Al-Jamie and Elizabeth Mays Photographs by Shane Karns

EXILE is an all-male J-pop group that over the past two decades has evolved from a boy band to a multi-generational entertainment empire. Six of EXILE’s 11 studio albums have gone platinum, with over 20 million sold in Japan alone. The group has had four generations of members, beginning in 1999 as J Soul Brothers and continuing today as EXILE. The group’s founder, Hiroyuki Igarashi, better known as EXILE HIRO, has retired from performing, but he oversees the band as chairman of its management company, LDH JAPAN Inc. LDH produced a supergroup of artists known as EXILE TRIBE, a collective that includes EXILE, EXILE THE SECOND, J SOUL BROTHERS III, GENERATIONS, THE RAMPAGE, FANTASTICS, BALLISTIK BOYZ, and Gekidan (Theater Company) EXILE. LDH has branched out globally through a score of initiatives ranging from music production and artist development schools to apparel, martial arts, modeling, film production and distribution, organic food production, and wedding planning. Members and EXILE TRIBE have also ventured into the world of acting, including Ryohei Kurosawa, better known by his stage name EXILE AKIRA, who appeared in Martin Scorsese’s Silence; Naoki Kobayashi, a lead actor in the Netflix original film Earthquake Bird executive produced by Ridley Scott; and Ryuji Imaichi. Each of these members appeared with Hiro at the 2019 Short Shorts Film Festival (SSFF) at Japan House in Hollywood. This interview was conducted on January 17, 2019.

Japan House Los Angeles

Perspectives on Japan: Art, Culture, Design, and Technology

Yuko Kaifu, the daughter-in-law of former Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, joined the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs shortly after graduating from Nara Women’s University in Japan. Following an exciting career as an interpreter for Japan’s Empress Michiko and as a diplomat to the United States, Yuko Kaifu now serves as president of Japan House Los Angeles. Tokyo Journal Editor-in-Chief Anthony Al-Jamie sat down with Yuko Kaifu before the COVID-19 pandemic to discuss her role in the international promotion of Japanese culture and the efforts and successes of Japan House’s projects.

The Tange Legacy: Like Father, Like Son

An Interview with Architect Paul Noritaka Tange

Paul Noritaka Tange is an architect who graduated from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 1985. As the son of Kenzo Tange, one of the most world-renowned architects of the 20th century, Tange was exposed to architecture and design from a very young age. He developed his father’s passion for architecture and joined his father’s firm, Kenzo Tange Associates, where he later became president of the company in 1997. He has since founded his own architectural firm, Tange Associates, and risen to international prominence, designing buildings across Asia and the United States. He has been working hard to prepare for the Olympics in Tokyo, upgrading and designing important features of the Olympic landscape. Tokyo Journal Editor-in-Chief Anthony Al-Jamie spoke with Paul Tange to discuss his current and future projects, including his design role in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

TJ: The last time we spoke, you mentioned the prosperity that the Olympics would bring to Japan. It is amazing that since then you have had the opportunity to work on the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, the same type of building that your father created for the Olympics in 1964. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
TANGE: Of course. While our work has taken place during different time periods, we are thankful to have been able to work on the swimming venue in Tokyo. It has been an honor for us both to be able to serve our country for the Tokyo Olympics.

TJ: I understand that you are working on the Yoyogi National Gymnasium project, which was actually built by your father.
TANGE: Yes, we are currently upgrading the building in preparation for the Olympics. While respecting the original design, we have made changes to adjust to the modern expectations of the Olympics. Primarily, we want to ensure that the building is structurally sound in case of an earthquake. We have also worked to upgrade aspects of the gymnasium, including the addition of more comfortable seating and increased accessibility. While we have avoided making too many changes, we hope to achieve the modern Olympic standard.

Institute for Economics and Peace Founder: Steve Killelea

Measuring Peace with the Global Peace Index

Steve Killelea is the creative force behind the Global Peace Index, the world’s leading measure of peacefulness, endorsed by the Dalai Lama and Jimmy Carter. Killelea is the Australian founder of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), an international think-tank with offices in Sydney, Mexico City, The Hague and Brussels. IEP is dedicated to building a greater understanding of the interconnection between peace, business and economics, with emphasis on the economic benefits of peace. An accomplished high-tech entrepreneur, Killelea is at the forefront of philanthropic activities focused on sustainable development and peace. In 2000, he established The Charitable Foundation (TCF), which specializes in working with the world’s poorest communities in East and Central Africa and parts of Asia. TCF has substantially impacted the lives of over 2.3 million people. Killelea’s founding of IEP was recognized as one of the 50 most impactful philanthropic gifts in Australia’s history. In 2010, he was honored as Member of the Order of Australia for his service to the global peace movement and his provision of humanitarian aid to the developing world. In 2013, Killelea was nominated one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in Armed Violence Reduction” by the UK group Action on Armed Violence. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie talked with Steve Killelea about how he defines peace and the Global Peace Index.