Latest news with #Saito
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japanese Ex-Pro Baseball Pitcher Yuki Saito Building Ballpark for Kids in Hokkaido
NAGANUMA, Hokkaido (Jiji Press) — Yuki Saito, a former pitcher for the Japanese professional baseball team Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, is spearheading the construction of a new field dedicated to boys and girls in the town of Naganuma, Hokkaido. Saito, 37, envisions the new field as a venue that will inspire the next generation of professional players. It will offer a scenic view of ES CON Field Hokkaido, the home stadium of the Fighters. The field that Saito has helped to construct since August last year was unveiled to the media on May 5, coinciding with Children's Day. To mark the occasion, local baseball teams were invited to play a commemorative game. Saito took the mound for the ceremonial first pitch, facing Hideki Kuriyama, the chief baseball officer of the Fighters, who stepped in as the hitter. Kuriyama, who managed the Fighters for most of Saito's career, is also renowned for nurturing Shohei Ohtani, now a two-way superstar with the Los Angeles Dodgers, during his tenure with the Fighters. 'I'm incredibly happy to see the children enjoying themselves so brightly and energetically,' Saito said. 'I think the main point is that he wants to create something tangible that children need,' Kuriyama said. 'There's nothing more important than that. In fact, I might be the one who's even more moved by this.' Saito conducted an extensive search for the ideal ballpark location, focusing primarily on the Kanto region in eastern Japan. He visited more than 50 potential sites, including existing ballparks, mountainous areas and open fields. Ultimately, the flat terrain of Naganuma proved to be the deciding factor. The site's history as a baseball field, used up until 20 years ago, also meant that the soil was well-suited for the purpose. It is located near Kuri no Ki Farm, the little league field managed by Kuriyama, and ES CON Field Hokkaido. 'I happened to come across this plot of land by chance. I feel there's something destined about it,' Saito said. The ballpark, named Harappa Stadium, features foul lines measuring 70 meters and a center field stretching 85 meters. The name 'Harappa' means 'field' or 'grassland' in Japanese, reflecting the stadium's open, welcoming atmosphere. One of Saito's top priorities was the installation of a 1-meter-high outfield fence. Little league stadiums in Japan typically lack fences, so any ball hit past the outfielders can result in a home run. 'I hope Japanese children will experience the thrill of hitting home runs over the fence. I want them to play baseball freely and in a relaxed way,' he said. After the commemorative game on May 5, he joined the children in painting the wooden fence together. Saito started the project by personally cutting weeds and, with the help of local residents, preparing the site for games. His vision is to complete the ballpark by laying natural grass on both the infield and outfield, while planting trees around the perimeter. Looking ahead, Saito also dreams of building a lodging facility nearby. 'The experience of playing baseball in such a ballpark will be unforgettable [for young players],' Saito said. He hopes to transform the new field into an ideal ballpark for children. Saito rose to prominence as a star pitcher at high school and university. As the ace of Waseda Jitsugyo high school in Tokyo, he led his team to championship glory at the 2006 national high school tournament at the Koshien Stadium. The final game became legendary for Saito's epic pitching duel against Masahiro Tanaka of Komadai Tomakomai high school from Hokkaido, who would later go on to throw in Major League Baseball. Saito earned the affectionate nickname 'Handkerchief Prince' for his habit of using a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat on the pitcher's mound during the sweltering August heat, a distinctive gesture that set him apart from other players, who typically used their uniform sleeves.
Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Monster Island' Feels Like a ‘Predator' Movie Set During World War II
Near the end of World War II, a ship carrying POWs captured by Japan comes under attack. Somehow, despite being shackled together at the ankles, two prisoners manage to swim to a nearby island. Saito (Dean Fujioka) is Japanese, and Bronson (Callum Woodhouse) is British, which means they obviously clash at first. But survival requires them to work together—especially when they realize the island is… well, the movie's called Monster Island, so you know what's coming. With just enough backstory for these characters—the sensitive Saito has been branded a traitor, while the more brash Bronson is a known escape artist—and performances that quickly flesh them out into people who feel real despite the rather unreal circumstances they find themselves in, Monster Island clearly establishes what's at stake from the start. We like these guys, who go from trying to punch each other's lights out to realizing they make a good team pretty quickly. There's a language barrier, but the film gets around that by implying that Saito and Bronson have sort of an intuitive understanding. What they're trying to say to each other is mostly variations on 'Hey, let's do this' anyway, especially when a couple of fellow survivors stumble onto their beach, including Japanese officers still brandishing weapons. Seeing as how both soldiers have recently escaped from prison, they're in no hurry to be recaptured—but those worries are soon replaced by a much more vicious problem when the thing we've been sensing has been watching them makes its presence fully known. There's an almost Predator feeling to the build-up. We get stealth POV shots, a distinctive sound cue whenever the creature is lurking, and very early on we see a scaly arm try to grab Bronson. While the island is full of thick jungle, sheer cliffs, spiky trees, and at least one enormous alligator, its greatest threat is something far more cryptid in nature—or even mythological, as one of the men with the officers shrieks in fright as he realizes it's 'Orang Ikan!' Orang Ikan happens to be Monster Island's original title—clearly it was changed to be more universal, since many Shudder viewers likely aren't familiar with figures from Malay folklore. But a more recognizable touchstone stateside is another one of writer-director Mike Wiluan's acknowledged inspirations: The Creature From the Black Lagoon, which the Orang Ikan strongly resembles. The story setup is similar, too, as outsiders barge into an isolated habitat and disrupt the natural order of things, infuriating the resident monster holding down the top of the food chain. Just imagine the Gill-Man with many more razor-sharp teeth and claws, plus a spine-tingling vocalization, somewhere between a shriek and a wail, that echoes across the landscape. The war Saito and Bronson left behind was hell, but their new foe is just as gruesome. And once Monster Island rips the bandage off with its creature reveal, which happens early on, the monster fully becomes the third main character. There's no hiding in the shadows; we see it from head to toe and are made well aware of its violent power. The suit work and attendant special effects are fantastic, as the Orang Ikan chases the men around a wild environment that'd be treacherous even without a territorial sea monster. The terrors of the plot are further enhanced by the looming specter of war, which haunts both soldiers and has also left wreckage and other debris upon the island, letting us know this isn't the first time the creature has tangled with unwanted visitors. And while the Orang Ikan clearly the antagonist here, Monster Island also makes room to show us why it's behaving with such aggression—for reasons the viewer will certainly sympathize with, even if Saito and Bronson don't as they fight for their lives. At just over 80 minutes, Monster Island offers a fast-paced race to the end. You almost wish there wasn't a coda that contains flashbacks to scenes we just saw, but it also gives a conclusion that's both satisfying and leaves the potential for more. And for what it's worth, Return to Monster Island is definitely something we'd be interested in after this first visit. Monster Island streams on Shudder starting July 25. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
The Mainichi
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Ballots written in pencil altered? Baseless fraud myth persists in Japan elections
TOKYO -- Unfounded rumors persist around election voting and counting in Japan, with claims like "ballots are rewritten" and "spies manipulate results at ballot-counting stations." These myths of intentional election fraud are not only circulating online but are also being discussed in public spaces. 'Someone important at the prefectural office' rewrites votes? At a demonstration in Tokyo in late June advocating for the exclusion of foreigners, a young man with a microphone was seen urging participants, "Please go vote, but make sure to bring a ballpoint pen. There are Chinese spies infiltrating polling stations." The notion that pencils are provided at polling stations so votes can be erased later has been circulating for years. Despite a lack of evidence, some voters bring their own writing utensils. On the day before the Hyogo gubernatorial election in November 2024, a 20-year-old second-year university student attending a speech by candidate Motohiko Saito in Kobe mentioned to a friend, "I heard that if you write Saito's name with the pencil at the polling station, it will be changed to the name of his opponent." Believing this, she said she brought a ballpoint pen with her for early voting. When this Mainichi Shimbun reporter approached her, she explained that she had seen a YouTube video claiming "someone" wanting Saito to lose was erasing his name from ballots. She said that it was her first time voting and said, "They only provide pencils so they can rewrite the votes later, right?" When asked who might alter the votes, she replied, "I'm not sure, maybe someone in a high position at the prefectural office?" Double locks and public scrutiny Japan has multilayered measures to prevent election fraud in both national and local contests. Voters who arrive at polling stations first verify that ballot boxes are empty. Observers selected from the public are present, and at least two locks secure the boxes after voting. The keys are placed in separate envelopes and transported to ballot-counting stations, as stipulated by the Public Offices Election Act and its enforcement order. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, there are no restrictions on writing instruments used for voting, and ballpoint pens are permissible. However, Yupo Corp., which manufactures the voting paper, notes that the paper contains plastic, making it particularly suitable for pencils. Additionally, some municipalities advise against using ballpoint pens as the writing can be smudged. Fraud at counting stations is also difficult. The ballot-counting process is open to the public, with observers present. Representatives from political camps and the media, eager for early results, closely monitor the process. Local government staff involved in counting are prohibited from bringing writing instruments. A member of a prefectural election management committee stated, "Many of the staff working on holidays are focused on completing the task 'as quickly and accurately as possible' so they can go home." Past incidents of fraud That said, there have been instances of actual fraud by election staff. In the 2014 House of Representatives election, a discrepancy between the number of voters and actual votes in Sendai led to staff inflating the numbers of blank and take-home ballots. Similarly, in the 2013 House of Councillors election in Takamatsu, staff falsely reported votes for a specific proportional representation candidate as "zero" to cover up a discrepancy. In the 2017 lower house election, staff reported "blank ballots" in Koka, Shiga Prefecture, after a shortfall in ballots compared to voters emerged. An uncounted ballot box was later found, but a staffer took home about 400 ballots and burned them. In all these cases, the motive for the fraud was to cover up counting errors. Criminal cases were built against those responsible on suspicion of violating the Public Offices Election Act and the destruction of seals. However, there have been no known cases of fraud intended to ensure a specific candidate's victory, such as rewriting votes. Despite this, rumors of intentional vote tampering have persisted for years. In late June, following the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, the Election Administration Commission posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account, "There are false posts on social media claiming 'fraud is occurring at counting stations.' Counting operations are open to the public, and no fraud occurs." It is unusual for an election management committee to release such information. Nonetheless, replies to the social media post continue, with one asking, "Why do we have to write with a pencil?" while another demanding, "Prove your innocence." (Japanese original by Shota Harumashi, Tokyo City News Department)
Sydney Morning Herald
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Grief, art and a royal wedding: How one garment contains years of history
In Michiko Tsui's childhood home there was a room dedicated purely to embroidery. It was there that her mother, Fumiko Saito would create worlds, one kimono at a time. Michiko would help – holding the silk thread as her mother worked, and giving her massages as her fingers and shoulders cramped up. Embroidery began as a hobby for Saito. As for many young women growing up in Kyoto in the first half of the 20th century, the art form was taught as part of a good education. When Saito's husband died while their three children were young, however, she refined her skills and turned her art into a career. Now, Saito's work is on display in the National Gallery of Victoria as part of Kimono, an exhibition showcasing the history and evolution of the iconic garment. The work required great patience and was painstakingly exact, Tsui, who migrated to Melbourne in 1981, recalls. Her mother's career spanned three decades. One of the most public recognitions of Tsui's skills came in 1958 when she was tasked with embroidering the engagement kimono for the then future Crown Princess Michiko. At that time Kyoto was renowned for textiles and the Imperial family would have looked at the work of artisans working there, choosing the best. Saito later made a wedding kimono for her daughters to wear when they married. Featuring 20 vibrant orange and white cranes – a traditional wedding motif that symbolises longevity and happiness – the stunning garment took more than three months to make. While her two older sisters happily wore it, Tsui bucked the trend, opting instead for a modern version made from red silk. She and her sisters have donated the wedding kimono to the NGV and are thrilled it is being displayed, honouring their mother. 'I'm very happy … more people can see her exquisite handmade embroidery,' Tsui says, adding that the intricate sewing was hard work. According to curator Wayne Crothers, senior curator of Asian Art at the NGV, the kimono is a thing of great beauty. It also acts as something of a time capsule, he says, tracing the evolution of Japanese society from the 17th century to today. The garment illustrates 'changing fashion, cultural icons, class structure and ingenuity of creativity with materials and techniques'. 'It is a very impactful exhibition – we all love beautiful objects and in that instinctual sense, it's a really nice experience,' he says. 'It's not just a textiles exhibition … it's a historical journey from the Edo period, which is when it was what everyone wore... to current day, high-end kimono fashion.' More than 70 stunning pieces are on display, including seven dating back to the 1600s and 1700s when they were worn by the samurai and merchant classes. But kimonos were not the exclusive domain of the wealthy; even the very poor wore kimono, sometimes creating them from scraps of material. One of these is part of the show, made in the Meiji period (1868–1912), from more than 100 pieces stitched together. It is one of the most popular designs featured, says Crothers. Known as boro or rag kimono, ' Boro textiles are the creations of unknown craftspeople who never intended for them to be viewed as things of beauty,' as noted in the show. 'However, in a contemporary context they have a collage-like quality, their spontaneous designs imbued with a life and spirituality of their own.' There are sleepwear kimonos, undergarments (a bit like a kimono-shaped petticoat) to wear beneath some of the more ornate designs, and insights into etiquette - short-sleeved kimono are generally worn by married women, long-sleeved are designed for young women, for example. The obi, or belts worn with kimono, are an art in themselves, tied in different ways according to who is wearing them and the occasion on which they are worn. Accessories such as wedding sandals and other examples of the shoes worn with kimonos, head pieces (some crafted from turtle shells), handbags, fans and more are part of the show. The attention to detail underlines the Japanese commitment to all elements of design. Loading Kimono also provides insights into various artistic practices, including wood printing and dying techniques – particularly shibori, a manual dyeing technique that creates patterns on fabric by binding, folding, stitching or clamping it, with its distinctive blues. Japanese culture had a big impact on the West during the late 19th and 20th centuries, a period known in art history as Japonisme. Artists including Van Gogh and Monet created works referencing ideas and works found in Japanese art. It wasn't just art – early 20th century Western fashion was inspired by the kimono's design and silhouette. Several examples reference this in the show, including a Liberty & Co coat, an evening coat by Parisian couturier Callot Soeurs, and a day coat by Parisian couturier Paul Poiret. Japanese influences would come to the fore again from the 1980s onwards, as shown in more recent garments by John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Zambesi and Rudi Gernreich. Sydney-based fashion designer Akira Isogawa drew heavily on the kimono as an influence, as his work shown attests; there are also two vibrant ensembles by the late Issey Miyake. Pieces by contemporary Japanese designers Robe Japonica, Modern Antenna and Y&SONS are also on display, as is some of the latest in Harajuku street fashion and cute 'kawaii' styles. Designer Hiroko Takahashi's creations reflect contemporary takes on the garment. She uses black and white fabric and models her work in a powerful, feisty stance, rejecting traditional imagery and gendered colours. Crothers says there's a resurgence of interest in the traditional garment in Japan: young people are rediscovering kimonos and appreciating it as a key part of their heritage. 'They want to wear something that expresses their personality and not the kimono that their [parents and grandparents] wore,' he says. 'They want to own it for themselves.'
The Age
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Grief, art and a royal wedding: How one garment contains years of history
In Michiko Tsui's childhood home there was a room dedicated purely to embroidery. It was there that her mother, Fumiko Saito would create worlds, one kimono at a time. Michiko would help – holding the silk thread as her mother worked, and giving her massages as her fingers and shoulders cramped up. Embroidery began as a hobby for Saito. As for many young women growing up in Kyoto in the first half of the 20th century, the art form was taught as part of a good education. When Saito's husband died while their three children were young, however, she refined her skills and turned her art into a career. Now, Saito's work is on display in the National Gallery of Victoria as part of Kimono, an exhibition showcasing the history and evolution of the iconic garment. The work required great patience and was painstakingly exact, Tsui, who migrated to Melbourne in 1981, recalls. Her mother's career spanned three decades. One of the most public recognitions of Tsui's skills came in 1958 when she was tasked with embroidering the engagement kimono for the then future Crown Princess Michiko. At that time Kyoto was renowned for textiles and the Imperial family would have looked at the work of artisans working there, choosing the best. Saito later made a wedding kimono for her daughters to wear when they married. Featuring 20 vibrant orange and white cranes – a traditional wedding motif that symbolises longevity and happiness – the stunning garment took more than three months to make. While her two older sisters happily wore it, Tsui bucked the trend, opting instead for a modern version made from red silk. She and her sisters have donated the wedding kimono to the NGV and are thrilled it is being displayed, honouring their mother. 'I'm very happy … more people can see her exquisite handmade embroidery,' Tsui says, adding that the intricate sewing was hard work. According to curator Wayne Crothers, senior curator of Asian Art at the NGV, the kimono is a thing of great beauty. It also acts as something of a time capsule, he says, tracing the evolution of Japanese society from the 17th century to today. The garment illustrates 'changing fashion, cultural icons, class structure and ingenuity of creativity with materials and techniques'. 'It is a very impactful exhibition – we all love beautiful objects and in that instinctual sense, it's a really nice experience,' he says. 'It's not just a textiles exhibition … it's a historical journey from the Edo period, which is when it was what everyone wore... to current day, high-end kimono fashion.' More than 70 stunning pieces are on display, including seven dating back to the 1600s and 1700s when they were worn by the samurai and merchant classes. But kimonos were not the exclusive domain of the wealthy; even the very poor wore kimono, sometimes creating them from scraps of material. One of these is part of the show, made in the Meiji period (1868–1912), from more than 100 pieces stitched together. It is one of the most popular designs featured, says Crothers. Known as boro or rag kimono, ' Boro textiles are the creations of unknown craftspeople who never intended for them to be viewed as things of beauty,' as noted in the show. 'However, in a contemporary context they have a collage-like quality, their spontaneous designs imbued with a life and spirituality of their own.' There are sleepwear kimonos, undergarments (a bit like a kimono-shaped petticoat) to wear beneath some of the more ornate designs, and insights into etiquette - short-sleeved kimono are generally worn by married women, long-sleeved are designed for young women, for example. The obi, or belts worn with kimono, are an art in themselves, tied in different ways according to who is wearing them and the occasion on which they are worn. Accessories such as wedding sandals and other examples of the shoes worn with kimonos, head pieces (some crafted from turtle shells), handbags, fans and more are part of the show. The attention to detail underlines the Japanese commitment to all elements of design. Loading Kimono also provides insights into various artistic practices, including wood printing and dying techniques – particularly shibori, a manual dyeing technique that creates patterns on fabric by binding, folding, stitching or clamping it, with its distinctive blues. Japanese culture had a big impact on the West during the late 19th and 20th centuries, a period known in art history as Japonisme. Artists including Van Gogh and Monet created works referencing ideas and works found in Japanese art. It wasn't just art – early 20th century Western fashion was inspired by the kimono's design and silhouette. Several examples reference this in the show, including a Liberty & Co coat, an evening coat by Parisian couturier Callot Soeurs, and a day coat by Parisian couturier Paul Poiret. Japanese influences would come to the fore again from the 1980s onwards, as shown in more recent garments by John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Zambesi and Rudi Gernreich. Sydney-based fashion designer Akira Isogawa drew heavily on the kimono as an influence, as his work shown attests; there are also two vibrant ensembles by the late Issey Miyake. Pieces by contemporary Japanese designers Robe Japonica, Modern Antenna and Y&SONS are also on display, as is some of the latest in Harajuku street fashion and cute 'kawaii' styles. Designer Hiroko Takahashi's creations reflect contemporary takes on the garment. She uses black and white fabric and models her work in a powerful, feisty stance, rejecting traditional imagery and gendered colours. Crothers says there's a resurgence of interest in the traditional garment in Japan: young people are rediscovering kimonos and appreciating it as a key part of their heritage. 'They want to wear something that expresses their personality and not the kimono that their [parents and grandparents] wore,' he says. 'They want to own it for themselves.'
