Oct. 3/11 JST – A Busy Day on Television


Today's Report
Oct. 3/11 JST 


Saito-san was the guest interviewee in the noontime TV Asahi news program "Lunch News Access," shown across Japan on digital satellite. They did a great job interspersing commentary with dramatic images of the trip. It was the sort of "gee-whiz!" interviews he's getting used to now, but it was particularly telling how it hit home, judging by the rapt attention of the 15 or so young TV staff as they watched on the studio monitors.

Arriving home in late afternoon we learned that NHK Television had today aired a 7-minute clip – in English – that Saito-san enjoyed watching, including a personalized and well researched presentation featuring his sailing background, a dramatic report of his voyage, and a clever animation of the circumnavigation.
  
Several other TV programs are in the works, including a major NHK special in November to help raise money for survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. He's to appear first on the program, as the only non-singer among a dozen or so top vocalists in Japan.

He won't sing, but the truth is his voice isn't half bad… and he favors Italian opera (not to mention Japan's absolute favorite -- Frank Sinatra singing "My Way").