Adventurous Cooking with Chef Ben Ford

Chef Ben Ford has had a three-decade-long career working alongside several of the biggest culinary names at some of the most established restaurants in the United States and has performed diplomatic missions for the U.S. Department of State. As a volunteer for the L.A. Mission, the renowned chef feeds 5,000 homeless on Christmas Eve each year. His restaurant, Ford’s Filling Station, located in the Delta Terminal at Los Angeles Airport and in the JW Marriott at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, is based on the fundamentals of teaching, cooking and foraging, and was awarded the prestigious Cochon555 prize. All of this without relying on the Hollywood fame of his father Harrison Ford. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie spoke to Ben Ford about his career and projects.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta: A Real Life Superhero

From Mild-Mannered Reporter to Lifesaving Neurosurgeon

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who can be seen on the ground reporting from sites of natural disasters and wars around the world, discretely changes from suit to scrubs on Monday mornings to perform neurosurgery on patients’ brains, spinal cords and other parts of the nervous system. Dr. Gupta is CNN’s multiple Emmy award-winning chief medical correspondent. In addition to hosting CNN’s Vital Signs, he has reported on topics ranging from health care reform to brain injury, medicine, HIV/AIDS, fitness and dis- aster recovery. Dr. Gupta advised First Lady Hillary Clinton as a White House Fellow and authored three New York Times best-selling books. He is currently the associate chief of neurosurgery at Atlanta, Georgia’s Grady Memorial Hospital and a member of the staff and faculty at the Emory University School of Medicine. He is so committed to the profession of neurosurgery that to continue his work as a practicing neurosurgeon he withdrew his name from consideration for the position of Surgeon General of the United States. If all of this isn’t enough to qualify him for superhero status, then add being named as one of the sexiest men alive by People magazine and one of the most influential celebrities by Forbes. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie spoke with Dr. Sanjay Gupta on December 3, 2014 for an update on the Ebola outbreak and insight into medicine, health and the multifaceted doctor’s extraordinary career.

Judge Albie Sachs

South African Freedom Fighter Exacts Soft Vengeance

Albie Sachs is one of South Africa’s most noted political activists and judges. Appointed by Nelson Mandela to the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Albie was among the group of 11 judges who certified the country’s groundbreaking Constitution after the first democratic elections in 1994. Sachs, who holds a law degree from the University of Cape Town and a Ph.D. from Sussex University, began his legal career defending victims of apartheid’s repressive laws. His work with the freedom-fighting movement, resulted in him being put in solitary confinement for nearly six months without trial and later went into a 24-year exile in England and then Mozambique, where in April 1988 he lost his right arm and sight in one eye due to a car bomb. Sachs, who retired in 2009, has received multiple awards, including the Tang Prize for the Rule of Law. He continues to write, teach and speak internationally about the South African experience in healing divided societies. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie spoke with the eloquent freedom fighter Albie Sachs about his groundbreaking achievements and his views of the world today.

Actor and Singer Genki Hirakata

Young Actor Takes on Old Role as the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland

Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie talked with singer and actor Genki Hirakata, who starred as the White Rabbit in the HoriPro musical production of Alice in Wonderland in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya in November and December 2014.

Mitsuki Takahata

Japanese Actress and Singer Makes International Debut in Award-Winning Film

2014 proved to be a busy year for 23-year-old actress and singer Mitsuki Takahata who starred as Helen Keller in the stage play The Miracle Worker and appeared in the TV drama Cheering Beat for Tomorrow, Gunshi Kanbei, the made-for-TV movie Tokyo Sentimental, the domestic film Jossy's and in the international film The Vancouver Asahi. The Vancouver Asahi, based on the legendary Japanese-Canadian baseball team, was featured at the Hawaii International Film Festival as well as the Vancouver International Film Festival where it scored the top audience award–the Rogers People’s Choice Award. Her past work includes the title role in a five-year run of the stage play Peter Pan and a two-year role in the TV drama Kinpachi Sensei, one of Japan’s most beloved TV dramas with a three-decade history. The singer has also released two albums and three singles. She shows no signs of slowing down by performing in the stage play Iyaounashini in January and February 2015 as well as the TV drama Restaurant with Something Wrong in January 2015. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie spoke with Mitsuki about her recent projects.

2014年10月11日、X Japan は多くの日本人バンドにとっての長年の夢を達成した。レッド・ツェッペリンやザ・ローリング・ストーンズ、ザ・フー、

FEMM

Far East Mention Mannequins

Latex-Clad Electronic Pop Duo are a Twerk of Art

The concept: Two mannequins, RiRi (a combat mannequin) and LuLa (a nurse mannequin), are controlled by human agents Honey-B and W-Trouble in a quest for world domination. They are heading a movement to support mannequins who’ve been mistreated by humans for years. The concept combines Japanese high fashion and otaku [nerd] culture. Fans earn points (called mentions) by spreading the word about FEMM through social networking on Twitter and Facebook and can use them toward getting items for mannequins that they control. Is this the concept behind Japan’s newest anime, manga or video game? No, this is the Avex pop duo FAR EAST MENTION MANNEQUINS (FEMM). Combine the producers behind global phenoms such as Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Beyoncé for a slick sound; HIDALI, the choreographer behind will.i.am and the robotic team WORLD ORDER’s dance moves for a polished performance; designer GM Atelier for outlandish latex costumes, and English songs with memorable titles like “Fxxk Boyz Get Money” and “Kill the DJ” and you have FEMM. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie spoke with Honey-B and W-Trouble.

Yoshiki Sakurai made his debut in the world of anime as a scriptwriter while studying economics at the University of Tokyo. After graduating, he joined Production I.G and wrote the screenplays for such titles as Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, the Annecy-nominated feature film xxxHOLiC–A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, which was the sixth animated movie in history to compete at the Cannes Film Festival. Sakurai added producer to his credentials with the recent Giovanni’s Island, one of 20 features submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 87th Academy Awards. Tokyo Journal’s Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie met with Yoshiki Sakurai at Anime Expo 2014 in Los Angeles.

Keiji Inafune Stays Ahead of the Game

From CAPCOM to comcept

Keiji Inafune has been named one of the top 10 game creators in the world. The video game concept developer and designer had a stellar 23-year career at CAPCOM as head of the production, research & development and online development divisions. He oversaw over 900 employees and produced over 60 game titles including CAPCOM’s bestselling hits Mega Man, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Dead Rising, Lost Planet and Onimusha. In 2010, he went on to found comcept Inc. and in 2013 the company successfully raised over $4 million in funding from 70,000 backers through Kickstarter for his newest project, the Mighty No. 9. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie met with Keiji Inafune at Anime Expo 2014 in Los Angeles to find out more about this innovator.

Eric Garcetti became the 42nd mayor of the City of Los Angeles in 2013 after serving as city councilmember since 2001 and president of the city council from 2006 to 2012. Holding a B.A. in political science and urban planning and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, he also studied as a Rhodes Scholar at The Queen’s College, Oxford and at the London School of Economics. In November 2014, Mayor Garcetti led a 12-day trade mission to China, South Korea and Japan–L.A.’s number one, two and three trading partners, respectively. Tokyo Journal Executive Editor Anthony Al-Jamie met with the mayor at Los Angeles City Hall to discuss the trip and his experience living, studying and working abroad.