16.11.02 AnAn Interview - Aiba Masaki [English translation]

Gift

Aiba Masaki

To choose a gift or present is the very moment to feel that "I am an adult".

Hope the various gifts from Aiba-san reach you well.

"It's tasty, please try it" I say.

"Not just to receive, I have to return too."

"Are you happy?" "I am happy."

"I always bring gifts with me. When I meet my senior, and when I go to watch the theatre performance of my senpai. I also receive lots of things, and when I have something that I think ‘tasty', I take the card of the shop and go to buy it later. In this summer I went to watch the theatre performance of V6's Morita Gou-kun, I brought the baumkuchen I liked as treat. And then Gou-kun said, ‘Ah, I know this. It's tasty thing right' (Giggle). I was happy about that."

When choosing gifts, the situation of the recipient should also be considered.

"There are lots of co-actors in theatre performance, things in small portions, things that many people can eat, things that would not be troublesome to consume, these things are good. After that, things that don't expire quickly are good. Expiry date is important!"

Gift is a proof of adulthood to Aiba-san.

"In that past I was the one who received lots of things. But, I thought that I have to return for that. As an adult, it takes much courage to go empty-handed. Nowdays, when I choose gifts for Chu-gen (mid-year) and for year-end, it's the very moment that I feel ‘I'm an adult~'."

Is it good to re-consider the souvenirs to members?

When Arashi members have overseas work, it is a routine for them to bring back souvenirs. But, "I choose gifts to senior with totally different consideration. Until now I have bought many T-shirts or coasters with the logo of the location, things like ‘that's souvenir'. Though I buy things that can be used in daily lives, I have not seen any member wearing the T-shirts I gifted. So perhaps T-shirt is not a good choice (Giggle)."

Regarding the activities of Arashi, the arena tour starting from April was a success, the whole-country dome tour will start in November. New album is also on sale. This year there are "Gifts from Arashi" in various formats too.

"The album this time has an image of broad breadth. The title is ‘Are you Happy?', and different people have different answers to this question. It may be ‘happy' or ‘unhappy', I think there can be much interpretation."

By the way is Aiba-san happy today or…

"I am happy! Full of happiness. I also have a lot of fruit (snack in the filming site), I am very happy about this, I have finished one piece of work today, just to think about dining afterwards makes me happy. In relation to fruit, [I want to have] lots of meat (Giggle). Happy. How to perceive it is up to you. Human gets used to fortunate things as well as painful things. Though I hope I can get used to painful things, [I hope] I don't get used to fortunate things, I want to stay sensitive."

Live is one symbol of fortune (happiness).

"It's an occasion to communicate directly with fans, to sing and to dance is what I have been doing since I was Johnny's Jr., an occasion that I can do this is fundamental. But I am not sure what live I can make, I think I don't want to get used to this fortune (happiness). Work is, perhaps slow, perhaps stumbling, perhaps failing, but it's fine and you go on everyday. Do not give up, and ‘until you succeed, keep going, then you'll succeed'. I think about this whenever I challenge something."

"Until you succeed, keep going, then you'll succeed."

16.11.01 New Year Postcard News – Ohno Satoshi, Aiba Masaki [English translation]

Ohno Satoshi replied the question "Tell me your address!" raised by Aiba Masaki with "There are various problems"

Idol group Arashi's Ohno Satoshi and Aiba Masaki appeared in the on-sale ceremony on 1 Nov of 2017 New Year Postcard (年賀状, nengajou) with Lottery. Arashi being the communication partner of "New Year Postcard with Lottery" has performed in the TVCM "New Year Postcard on stage - Appearance" which will be on-air through the country on 1 Nov.

Regarding the upcoming New Year Postcard, Aiba-san said "I may send them to members." "But, members don't tell me their address. So I can only send them to office."

Aiba-san said to Ohno-san "Really, tell me your address! When I said I want to send you the Year-End gift, you just replied ‘Send it to office'", and Ohno said vaguely, "It is because there will be various problems, right." Aiba-san pressed, "I don't leak your address!", and Ohno-san refused with "Give it to me by-hand will be fine", Aiba-san said laughingly.

While, Ohno-san thought about the New Year Postcard with "to draw a picture with bird and me" which matches the upcoming zodiac sign – the cock. He was filled with image "To draw within a set range is fun, and I want to try it." Aiba-san asked "Can the New Year Postcard be made in 3D, with little erection on top of it?" which raised a discussion about delivery. The President of Japan Post, Yokoyama Kunio-san, cut in with his opinion "slight [may be OK]", Ohno-san said with wry smile "slight adjustment is difficult."

Furthermore, Aiba-san said he wanted to receive New Year Postcard from Ohno-san, and claimed that "I also for once drew picture. And I write New Year Postcard every year. But you never comment on it!" Ohno-san commented the picture of Aiba-san "You tried hard to draw it", and finally said "You said so far… I'll write it next to you and properly give it to you."

Source: My Navi News

16.10.31 News Zero Ichimen - US Presidential election - Sakurai Sho [English translation]

The key of US Presidential election is "the generation of millennial"

The upcoming US Presidential election will be in next week.

The latest poll conducted by the Washington Post on 30 Oct revealed that the difference of support rate between Candidate Clinton of the Democratic Party and Candidate Trump of the Republican Party was slightly 1%. The difference is close to this point.

In that, it is said that "that generation" might determine victory or defeat.

Here are three people.
The founder of Facebook, CEO Zuckerberg,
Former CIA staff, Snowden, who disclosed the intelligence collection activities of US government.
And, Lady Gaga, the "diva of the world".
The common point of them is they are called "the generation of millennial" according to their age.

Millennial means "1000 years", and now it means "the new generation born after year 2000".

Generally it refers to the generation born from 1980 to the first half of 2000, age being the latter half of 10s to the first half of 30s, those used to Internet from their young age, the digital generation.
By the way, I belong to this generation too.

There is also this ranking.
The survey asking the millennial generation of US "how do you know the political news" revealed that Facebook topped the information channel, suppressing TV channels ABC and CNN.
While using smartphone, there is stocks of political information.

In Japan, there is one in five people aged 18 – 34 who is eligible for voting.
While in US, one in three "millennial generation" is eligible.
In US, it is said that "the vote from the young person is important".
But half of them do not support any political party, they are "political independents".

According to experts, this generation boosted the victory of President Obama in 2008. In US, people has strong initiative to politics, they are good at using Internet, they send out information and call for vote, they partially attributed to the "Obama Fever".

But, there is change of this millennial generation in the presidential election this time.

The university students of millennial generation were interviewed about the presidential election.

The young generation, when surveyed with "I definitely shall go to vote", answered with 74% "definitely shall go" in 2008, but just 47% this time, without any enthusiasm.

So, both candidates are desperate in how to motivate this generation.

In fact, many millennial generation is with student loan when they graduate from university.
In average, the loan is US$29,400, which is around 3,000,000JPY.

Regarding this situation, Candidate Clinton said, in the debate, that she will try to make students go to university without debt.
Candidate Trump also said, in his speech, that he will help the students in debt.

When comparing their pledges,
Candidate Clinton has raised "increase the minimum wage" in addition to the tuition fee problem.
While Candidate Trump raised "tax relief on childcare",
These policies target mainly the young generation.

So which candidate will the millennial generation vote.

The latest poll introduced in the beginning of this corner had sub-group analysis according to age, which revealed that while there is favor towards Trump among age group above 40s, there is a great lead towards Clinton in age group 18 – 39, including the millennial generation.

The US Presidential election will be held on 8 November.

Source: News Zero

Arashi - Are You Happy? 01 DRIVE lyrics [English translation]

01 Drive / under the supervision of Jun M.

Ha~ Whoo Oh~

The usual face, the unchanged weekend
The stupid talk, laugh, tears, fine to have them together
(Well, yes, To the high way) Disappearing from the flamboyant street
(Hey now, such life) Is it not a son who may enjoy it!?

Drive Drive Drive Euphoria Music
Run Night Night Night So let's go

Go away City Lights Before the wind We go
Every time I accelerate The best Drive all night
Ha~ Just as it is
Whoo Oh~ Anywhere
Ha~ Let's go
Whoo Oh~ Drive all night

Surrounded by countless constellation Keep going Starship
The place in my dream is the other side of that star yeah
(Wonder In the star lights) Flying as drifting
(Faraway To the other side) The ground is like diorama

Shine Shine Shine The galaxy
Time is Stop Stop Stop Into the night

Our track Completely Twinkled Five stars
The lively night sky The best Drive all night

The sudden surprise The unexpected
(The sky was greatly decorated)
The out-of-season skyrocket as a blessing

The shining colourful Light parade
The comet that runs through The best Drive all night
Aiming for the future Tonight is
Just anywhere