18.12.29 Kouhaku Press Conference - ARASHI

[arashitranslation]

[MC - Sakurai Sho]
Q: Your enthusiasm.
S: I feel that this day finally comes. Many staff and people on stage have spent a lot of time preparing for today, I have a concrete feeling that it starts during the three days of 29, 30, and 31 December. I am excited.

Q: How is your team work with the other two MCs?
S: Very good, right?

S: When I am in other music programmes, as a fan, as Uchimura-san said, I introduce the programme thinking that I would like to enjoy the performance. We three had working meeting just then, while Suzu-chan is going to the live of various artists. "I had attended the live of this artist", "I like this artist", because she likes music, if we convey the feelings that we are enjoying the show, I think the audience would also enjoy the show the same as we do, so I would like to directly convey this feeling. Though I'm not yet sure how it would be in Kouhaku!

S: I have talked to Kitajima Saburo-san a while ago, for many singers, Kouhaku Uta Gassen is a special stage. Therefore, I would like to serve this big role as MC while enjoying the unique sense of tension embraced in this NHK Hall, or the stronger feeling than enjoyment.

[ARASHI]
Q: It is ARASHI's second year serving the grand finale. What do you think?
S: For us there is not much difference in terms of our performance for a grand finale, while it was announced on Friday, and many people contacted me, greeting "Congratulations to the grand finale", and (looking at the reaction of other four people) I was like "Eh~?".

Q: Did you all receive contacts from others?
M: I didn't (giggle).
S: (Giggle). Perhaps there is difference between individuals, but indeed I concretely feel that it's a splendid thing by being greeting "congratulations".

Q: Maybe they also congratulate you for your MC role.
S: Thank you. I think it is an honour to me that ARASHI performs the grand finale while I serve the MC role.

Q: Would Sakurai-san or Uchimura (Teruyoshi)-san introduce ARASHI's songs?
S: Because our performance is not meant to be labelled as "grand finale", so we shall do the choreography of our songs and start singing.
Q: It was also the same when Aiba-san was the MC.
A: Right so, yes.
Q: Though it feels like you are doing it in a senpai style ... (giggle).
A: Really (giggle)? We shall try our best!
S: We shall try our best! It'll be strong style. The strong senpai style (giggle).
All: (Giggle).

Q: Do you have any advice as Kouhaku MC?
N&A: No we don't.
N: Because he's done Kouhaku MC when ARASHI was the MC.
A: Because he's the one who does MC most (giggle).
N: Because he's done Kouhaku MC when ARASHI was the MC. We absolutely have no advice to him.
S: Well, no news is good news, we have a trustful relationship.

Q: It's for the 10th time ARASHI perform in Kouhaku.
M: Right. We have been performing since 60th Kouhaku, it is our 10th time this year. This time, it's the first time for King & Prince to perform, right? So I recall the first time we performed in Kouhaku.
Q: What did you recall?
M: Because we were very nervous, Nakai (Masahiro)-kun was the MC that year, I remember that Nakai-kun followed us a lot. I am grateful about this.

Q: This year perhaps there would be scenes that you follow the kouhais.
S: Um. I would like to help whatever I can. Though I am not sure how far I can do.

Q: Is there no face-to-face interview?
M: No there isn't.

Q: Are you meeting your kouhais?
S: Yes I am.

Q: What did you say to King & Prince?
S: To be exact, I'm going to meet them today. It's a bit bad timing, I should have talked to them before this press conference. I am sorry.

Q: Could you talk about the performance of ARASHI?
S: (Looking at Ohno Satoshi) So finally it should be your turn? We have kept you waiting for long time.
All: (Giggle).
S: Leader, is there any highpoint of our performance?
O: I, I can't make good introduction.
S: Because somehow you don't speak (giggle).
N: Just a bit, would you please tell us?
O: Well ... well ...
M: (Suddenly) This time ...
All: (Burst into laughter).
O: This time, we went to Iitate Village of Fukushima Prefecture for location filming, and we interacted with the local residents. We have went to location filming several times, and we have more memories. It was a great memory.
M: We did a coverage on people who started to return to the village after the evacuation order was lifted, we have talked various things such as how they pass their lives after returning to the village. We would like to deliver this as well as their messages to the audience through our songs.
S: I think the local community is strong. After this coverage, there were people writing "I came from Iitate Village" at the Osaka venue (of concert), I thought that the connection of the district was strong.

Q: ARASHI finally reaches your 20th year, how was this year to you?
M: Shall I answer in Kanji?
All: (Giggle).

Q: Kanji is also fine (giggle). How was this year?
M: So Leader who has been waiting for long time would answer (giggle).
O: It's impressed that we five have been together. We gathered on the day we debuted, one thing or another, we five are together. There are also many tours next year. We meet more and more every year.
S: Just then there was also one fateful thing happened. Since I needed to do a solo narration, I headed for the stage alone with the staff responsible for MC. And when I walked, the other four ARASHI members were heading me from the other side, and they took my photo secretly, saying "here is the MC, the MC".
A: Because we couldn't meet you easily (giggle).
All: (Giggle).
Q: Please disclose that photo in some way (giggle).
A: Can I? It was a splendid photo. He looked blank (giggle).

Q: The grand finale of Heisei's last Kouhaku. Would you also put your feelings towards the last year of Heisei era into your performance?
M: There were various natural disasters in Heisei era, including the one we did coverage on. I think there are also people who are still working their utmost. We chose the songs for NHK-san which embed the messages we have for these people, and which may, through us, deliver the feelings of these people to the audience. I hope that it will be the stage where the power of heading for the future would be conveyed.
N: In this Heisei year 30, ARASHI has our 10th Kouhaku performance. That is 1/3 of the Heisei era, but there are senpais who have performed for a longer period of time. The only thing we can do is to compete on the richness of performance rather than period of time. I hope that our message could be well conveyed, and since this is a song competition, I hope that this Heisei era will end with white team winning and Sho-san holding the victory flag.
O: I think I shall never forget this. It is really precious and we are allowed to perform in it, and indeed ... we want to win. The victory flag ...
N: Sho-san will hold it.
O: ... I wonder what would happen (giggle).
All: (Giggle)
A: I almost only have memory of Heisei era, Heisei if most of myself. Though it is not only Iitate Village where suffers from natural disaster, I hope that our performance would let audience feel the feelings of Iitate Village where we have just visited.
S: It was very impressive to me that, when we went to Iitate Village for coverage, the owner of udon restaurant said "there is only future when tomorrows are accumulated". While this happened after our songs were decided, what a coincidence that the songs we are going to perform also have "tomorrow" as keyword. As everyone said, we hope that we would be able to send cheering of "heading for tomorrow" to the people who are in difficulty.

Source: https://mdpr.jp/music/1813281, https://mdpr.jp/music/detail/1813305