Latest news with #Nakayama
Yomiuri Shimbun
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Felt Art Cats and Dogs Ready to Spring into Life at Ibaraki Museum
The Yomiuri Shimbun Midori Nakayama holds two of her felt artworks. CHIKUSEI, Ibaraki — Stretching their bodies or strolling, many of the cats and dogs created by artist Midori Nakayama have lively expressions and look as if they are about to move. Visitors to the Shimodate Museum of Art in Chikusei, Ibaraki Prefecture, can get a close look at her felt art masterpieces at an ongoing exhibition. About 500 pieces — mainly cats and dogs — created with wool felt are on display. Now a leading felt artist in Japan, Nakayama majored in Japanese painting at an art university. In 2001, she came across felt art and started creating works modeled after her family dog. She then began receiving orders from pet owners who saw her work and now creates custom items. The exhibition featuring her artworks has been held across the nation. At the museum, the space under the high ceiling has been put to use to showcase her artworks. 'I hope visitors can enjoy the display of cats holding umbrellas coming down from the ceiling,' she said. The exhibition runs through June 29. The museum is closed on Mondays. Admission is ¥700 for adults.
Yomiuri Shimbun
28-05-2025
- General
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Residents in District of Japan's Quake-Hit Noto Area Learn Disaster Radio Knowhow; Volunteers Learning from Area in Miyagi Hit by 2011 Quake
The Yomiuri Shimbun Shin Nakayama, right, and other members of the Machino district in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, learn broadcasting techniques during a training session in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, on June 17. KANAZAWA — Members of a community affected by a major earthquake and heavy rains are working on opening a temporary disaster radio station in June that will provide information to the area in emergencies. The Machino district of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, suffered damage from the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and heavy rainfall that hit the prefecture. Volunteers are being taught how to broadcast information by a radio station in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, an area affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Lessons from Miyagi A temporary disaster radio station is an FM station set up by local governments to provide information on disaster relief, such as water supplies and food distribution. The system was established after the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake, with 28 municipalities opening such stations during the 2011 earthquake in the Tohoku region. The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry issues licenses to municipalities and decides the station's broadcast frequency. Supervision by a qualified individual with a second-class technical radio operator for on-the-ground services or higher is required, but qualified individuals from companies or volunteer organizations are permitted to help out. In mid-May, six Machino volunteer members visited Onagawa FM's radio room for their five-day training program to learn how to run a radio station. 'Wajima is just like Onagawa in that it is by the sea and is rich in nature. We want to rebuild it into a stylish town like Onagawa,' one of them said in a test broadcast via video streaming. After the earthquake in January 2024 and the heavy rains that followed in September, television signals and Internet connections in the Machino district were lost, leaving residents without access to information. Drawing lessons from these major disasters, a group of local volunteers called the Machino reconstruction project committee is preparing to launch a temporary disaster radio station with the cooperation of Wajima City. After test broadcasts were conducted in February, other residents who wanted to help the project came forward. One of the members, Shin Nakayama, 29, lost his older sister, then 31, who was swept away by mudslides during the heavy rains. He currently lives in temporary housing. 'My sister would've been listening to our radio,' Nakayama said about the reason to join the project. 'I want to deliver information to the community.' During his visit to Onagawa, Nakayama said he was able to share his feelings with people who also lost their loved ones in the 2011 earthquake. Enhancing readiness Onagawa FM's predecessor Onagawa Saigai FM served as a temporary disaster radio station until 2016, when its duties were taken over by a general incorporated association. It ceased broadcasting in 2022 and now supports the opening of similar radio stations nationwide. Former Onagawa Saigai radio host Machiko Abe, 42, was among the instructors teaching the Machino team in the training program. 'Rather than telling people about problems, communicate with residents to enhance disaster readiness,' Abe told the trainees. Yusuke Yamashita, 39, who represents the Machino committee, was taught about reporting and production skills. 'We will practice together while being aware that residents would be listening on the other side of the microphone,' Yamashita said.
Forbes
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
New Mazda MX-5 Miata To Get Bigger Engine And Maybe EV Spec
2017 Mazda MX-5 RF Sport Nav. (Photo by National Motor Museum/Heritage Images via Getty Images) Mazda's MX-5 Miata is by far the biggest selling roadster on the planet, boasting well over 1.2 million units sold since 1989. Having already gone through four generations, Mazda's chief designer Masashi Nakayama, confirmed recently in a Road & Track interview that he is now sculpting the exterior of the brand's fifth generation model—which will most probably be called the NE model. But before we progress too far into this story, I think it's important to let our readers know that Mazda's top executives all compete in endurance races in Japan piloting a race-spec MX-5, which is a lot more hands on than most other local carmakers, except maybe Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda who also competes in road racing and rallying. These guys are passionate about what they do and it shows in their cars. Mazda executives like Nakayama, and his colleagues including CEO Masahiro Moro, chief technical officer (CTO) Ryuichi Umeshita and former design chief Ikuo Maeda all take turns behind the wheel of an MX-5 in the annual 4-hour endurance race at Tsukuba Circuit. Now back to the car's design. Apart from the new design, which is expected to be an evolution of the current model, not a revolution, we can expect to see the next-gen get a choice of a larger Skyactiv-Z 2.5-liter internal combustion engined (ICE) version with the same power output as the current 181-hp 2.0 liter, and an optional fully electric model, that would probably arrive a year after the ICE model. No turbo model is being considered. "The U.S. requested that the car be larger and have more power when I began designing this fourth generation,' he says. I remember when Mazda were designing the 2nd generation back in the 90s, and the design department in those days said exactly the same thing about American requests. 'They want it bigger, with more power.' Didn't happen. To Mazda, that's not what a Miata is. 2017 Mazda MX-5 RF Sport Nav. (Photo by National Motor Museum/Heritage Images via Getty Images) From the very first generation way back in 1989, the car landed in showrooms with the catchphrase 'lightweight sports' and 'Jimba Ittai' which means 'car and driver as one.' To keep costs and emissions down, the car had to remain small and lightweight. Mazda has endeavored to follow that mantra over the last 35 years, and although the third generation, launched in 2005, did put on weight, the 4th generation 'ND' model went on a diet and reverted back towards the original model's 1000 kg (2200 lb) mark. And then came the most critical comment so far. 'When we consider the next-generation MX-5 Miata, we are thinking of making it less than one tonne in weight, and less than four meters in length,' said Nakayama. That's around 2200 pounds and 157 inches in length, which almost mimics the current model's 154 inches. These are definitive numbers pointing the way to a leaner, lighter next ND-gen 2.0-liter Miata, which makes it over 100 pounds lighter than the current 2330 pound ND-gen model. And because of this philosophy, the new coupe will continue to employ natural aspiration and won't require more power. Meanwhile, CTO Ryuichi Umeshita asserts that the power-to-weight ratio is sufficient at the moment. 'Since we can currently fully utilise and enjoy the engine's capability and capacity, we don't believe the car needs any more power. And expect the car to keep its 6-speed manual gearbox.' These are all reasons why the MX-5 has, in the past, won Britain's Top Gear Car of the Year award. While Nakayama is finalizing the 5th-gen's exterior and Umeshita is deciding on which powertrains to employ, don't expect to see the new model in showrooms any time before 2027. The bottom line to Umeshita is the car's subtle yet spritely performance. It is by no means a powerful car, but by efficiently and cleverly using the 2.0-liter engine at higher revs, drivers can enjoy the car's potential without breaking speeding limits. Umeshita also tells us that Mazda has thought about producing an electric MX-5. A few years ago, Japanese publications suggested that the next MX-5 would be powered by batteries, but the company decided to stick with gasoline for the time being, to keep weight down. While Mazda currently has one EV, the MX-30 SUV, it is not a big seller, one reason that is sure to delay any potential electric MX-5. A hybrid version was also rumored, but its extra weight in the motor and battery pack would nullify the structural adjustments to minimize weight. So the hybrid is currently shelved. Although a prototype has not yet been spied testing, it has been suggested that the Iconic SP sports car concept, which debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2023, may serve as a design preview. Fingers crossed that Mazda utilize the SP's gorgeous proportions.
The Star
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Tearful farewell to late star Miho Nakayama involving celeb friends and fans
A memorial service for the late Japanese singer-actress Miho Nakayama, who died in December 2024 aged 54, was held in Tokyo on April 22. Photo: Live Door News/X Japanese singer-actress Miho Nakayama may have died in December 2024, but her fans and friends remember her fondly. At a memorial service held for the late star in Tokyo on April 22, 800 friends and acquaintances from the entertainment industry, as well as 10,000 fans, showed up to say their last goodbyes. Nakayama, who starred in the seminal Japanese romance film Love Letter (1995), died on Dec 6 due to an accident during a bath. She was 54. According to reports from Japanese news outlets, the memorial hall was decorated with a large picture of Nakayama framed by an arch of flowers. Photos of her over the years, as well as some stage costumes she wore while performing, were also presented at the venue. Stars at the service included Nakayama's lifelong friend, singer-actress Kyoko Koizumi, filmmaker director Shunji Iwai and actor-singer Katori Shingo (a member of the now-disbanded J-pop boy band Smap), as well as Nakayama's younger sister, actress Shinobu Nakayama. Koizumi, 59, teared up while giving a speech, recounting how she first met the shy Nakayama backstage in the waiting room of a TV station, when Nakayama was 16. 'You were like a frightened little kitten then,' Koizumi recalled. The stars, who both got their start as teenage pop idols in the 1980s, quickly became fast friends. Koizumi added: 'As we faced new challenges and developments in life, we had fewer opportunities to meet. I wondered what you were up to as I lived my busy life and thought to myself, 'No matter what, we'll definitely meet again. And there'll be so much to catch up on once we meet.' I did not expect to be standing here today... bidding farewell.' Iwai, 62, also paid tribute to Nakayama. He directed her in his debut feature film Love Letter , in which she played dual roles – a woman who writes a letter to her dead fiance and his high school crush. He said Nakayama was the perfect embodiment of both characters and remembered how they once spent a night singing karaoke together. He ended his speech on a poignant note, referencing the plot of Love Letter: 'Times have changed, so (instead of a letter), I'll send you a message on (chat app) Line. Please take your time to read it in heaven... but if a 'seen' notification comes in, that will be a little creepy... Actually, no. I'll be happy, and perhaps I'll cry.' A remastered 4K version of Love Letter was recently released in Japanese cinemas to mark the film's 30th anniversary. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 中山美穂fan (@mihonakayamafan)
The Star
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Tearful farewell to late Japanese star Miho Nakayama involving celeb friends and 10,000 fans
A memorial service for the late Japanese singer-actress Miho Nakayama, who died in December 2024 aged 54, was held in Tokyo on April 22, 2025. - Photo: LIVEDOORNEWS/X TOKYO: Japanese singer-actress Miho Nakayama may have died in December 2024, but her fans and friends remember her fondly. At a memorial service held for the late star in Tokyo on Tuesday (April 22), 800 friends and acquaintances from the entertainment industry, as well as 10,000 fans, showed up to say their last goodbyes. Nakayama, who starred in the seminal Japanese romance film Love Letter (1995), died on Dec 6 due to an accident during a bath. She was 54. According to reports from Japanese news outlets, the memorial hall was decorated with a large picture of Nakayama framed by an arch of flowers. Photos of her over the years, as well as some stage costumes she wore while performing, were also presented at the venue. Stars at the service included Nakayama's lifelong friend, singer-actress Kyoko Koizumi, film-maker director Shunji Iwai and actor-singer Katori Shingo (a member of the now-disbanded J-pop boy band Smap), as well as Nakayama's younger sister, actress Shinobu Nakayama. Koizumi, 59, teared up while giving a speech, recounting how she first met the shy Nakayama backstage in the waiting room of a TV station, when Nakayama was 16. 'You were like a frightened little kitten then,' Koizumi recalled. The stars, who both got their start as teenage pop idols in the 1980s, quickly became fast friends. Koizumi added: 'As we faced new challenges and developments in life, we had fewer opportunities to meet. I wondered what you were up to as I lived my busy life and thought to myself, 'No matter what, we'll definitely meet again. And there'll be so much to catch up on once we meet.' I did not expect to be standing here today... bidding farewell.' Iwai, 62, also paid tribute to Nakayama. He directed her in his debut feature film Love Letter, in which she played dual roles – a woman who writes a letter to her dead fiance and his high school crush. He said Nakayama was the perfect embodiment of both characters and remembered how they once spent a night singing karaoke together. He ended his speech on a poignant note, referencing the plot of Love Letter: 'Times have changed, so (instead of a letter), I'll send you a message on (chat app) Line. Please take your time to read it in heaven... but if a 'seen' notification comes in, that will be a little creepy... Actually, no. I'll be happy, and perhaps I'll cry.' A remastered 4K version of Love Letter was recently released in Japanese cinemas to mark the film's 30th anniversary. - The Straits Times/ANN
