Sakurai Sho: Reprises role as Olympic Newscaster & talks about Great Hanshin Earthquake
Arashi's Sakurai Sho - Reprising Role as Olympics Caster Following the Beijing Olympics
NTV announced on the 10th the list of casters that will represent the station at the Vancouver Olympics, set to start on February 12th (13th Japan time to account for the time difference).
The main caster will be Arakawa Shizuka, gold medalist at the Torino Olympic Games for figure skating. The special caster will be Arashi's Sakurai Sho. Sakurai will be reprising his caster duties following the 2008's Beijing Olympics. "To be able to witness such a moment in history, it will always be something I'll hold close to heart," recalls Sakurai.
There's lots to be enthusiastic about in Vancouver as well. "I'd like to report the 'crystals of athletes' thoughts' like snow shining in the sky in Vancouver," said Sakurai. As well, Ogiwara Tsugiharu, who competed at the 1998 Olympics Games held in Nagano, will be taking on the caster role for the third time.
Source: Mainichi Japan
Translated by: sparkles_n15 @ asianfanatics.net
Sakurai Sho Talks About the Great Hanshin Earthquake
On the 11th, Arashi's Sakurai Sho (27) appeared at the preview event for his Fuji Television special drama "Hanshin・Awaji Daishinsai Kara 15 Nen: Kobe Shimbun no Nanokakan~Hisaichi ni Ikita Kishatachi no Tatakai~" which airs on Saturday January 16th at 9:00pm.
In the docudrama, employees at Kobe Shimbun must confront the crisis they are faced with during the aftermath of the earthquake. While the office building housing the newspaper suffered damages, they are determined to keep the paper running. Sakurai plays the role of a photographer who has been working at the newspaper for the past four years.
Sakurai is very grateful for the chance to play this role, "There was a sense of fear that was unearthed [from the victim's feelings]. Afterwards, there was also the Sarin Incident that occurred. The coverage of the Sarin Incident overshadowed the earthquake, so there was a side of the earthquake disaster that was never brought to light. I'm happy for the chance to uncover [the reality of the situation]." Playing his colleague, a new photographer, Fukiishi Kazue (27) was in Nara at the time of the earthquake and recalls being awakened by the tremors. "I still remember it. When I went to where my mother and brothers were, I could feel the place shaking."
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Note: The Great Hanshin earthquake occured on January 17, 1995. The Subway Sarin Incident occured two months later on March 20, 1995. This act of domestic terrorism killed twelve people when sarin gas was released on the subway. (Information from wiki)
Source: Nikkan Sports
Translated by: sparkles_n15 @ asianfanatics.net
source: AF: 1,2