Chunichi Shimbun, April 19, 2025, 11th Edition, Page 4
Column: Winds Abroad: Newspapers – Connecting People is Key
Text and photos by Akihito Yamaguchi
(English translation from the Japanese article) A slightly unusual concert was held at a Zen Buddhist temple in Little Tokyo, the Japanese American district of Los Angeles. It was organized by Mr. Shigeharu Higashi (71), the editor of "Cultural News," an English-language online newspaper that introduces events related to Japanese culture.
To support Mr. Higashi, the performer, Mr. Kenichi Koshio (59), a musician originally from Nagoya, drove approximately eight hours from his home in Arizona to come to the show. He captivated the audience with nostalgic Showa-era songs, Okinawan sanshin music that made people want to dance, and powerful Japanese taiko drumming.
What was the purpose of this concert? Mr. Higashi, who founded the English-language tabloid newspaper in 1998 and switched from print to online distribution five years ago, stated, "I want to create a community through my media activities." The approximately 50 attendees were mainly his acquaintances and supporters, and the event provided a community that connected them with one another.
Mr. Higashi said, "We live in an era where media that simply conveys information will not be read." Touching on the sense of unity as everyone sang Kyu Sakamoto's "Ue o Muite Arukou" (American name: Sukiyaki) together, he realized that becoming a nexus connecting people is one of the roles that newspapers should play.
Akihito Yamaguchi = Correspondent for the Tokyo Shimbun/Chunichi Shimbun Washington Bureau since March 2025. Because the Tokyo Shimbun is published by the Chunichi Shimbun Co., Ltd., which has its head office in Nagoya, Tokyo Shimbun reporter Yamaguchi serves as a correspondent for both the Tokyo Shimbun and the Chunichi Shimbun in Washington.
