Decisive day!?

I'm not an Iranian and I can't sense how crucial the Leader's message to the people is. Could it be something like our Emperor's message during the second world war in our nation where it was a word of God that everybody had risked their lives for a "divine" cause. If it is, the protests should stop, but there's no indications that it will easily stop.
The Supreme Leader clearly warned that the protests should stop. He even hinted there could be bloodshed. The opposition has a mass demostration ready tomorrow and there's no clear sign of its cancellation. Are we going to see something we don't want to tomorrow?
I don't want to see these people killing each other, but now I think both sides see a "divine" cause in this, and who could stop either!? I don't think I can, so I have to stand put and report about what is going on... impartially!


in front of the University of Tehran


broadcast live!

Bang bang!

They opened Pandora's box and now it's real turmoil heading our way! Gunshots have killed a protest participant and I could have risked my staff to get into major trouble! It could have been pure luck that it wasn't my staff who had been killed! I really have to be careful about my decisions as I'm in charge of their lives and not just about the broadcasting!
I was really happy to see their faces back in our office and I swore I have to think not twice but ten times before making decisions!

NO PICS TODAY...
HOW CAN I TAKE PICTURES...
IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO DO ANYTHING!

END OF PEACE!?

It was nothing but turmoil today... We had to see the results come out all night, starting with a clear and big lead for the incumbent...
It didn't change all day and in the end the supporters of the challenger were so angry they went out to protest... actually more than a protest! There were clashes and the street that I always see with shoppers was now a stage of chanting and beating! How easily could a safe city turn into a chaotic mess!?
I see trouble coming up... real trouble!


completely unexpected... double score finish...

ELECTION DAY!

Time to vote for the people, and for me, time to get ready for broadcasting!
Overnight I had one live broadcast around 2:45AM and I had another one in the evening. I asked our coverage team from Tokyo to go out and film the people voting and I had to stay in my office... I just had time to go to a ballot station that was set at a school just about 30 meters from my office and I saw tons of people lining up waiting to cast their votes!

After I finished my broadcast, news came in that the voting time was to be extended... Well, they should vote as long as they want, but after that... it's time to see what their choice was... a hardliner or a moderate!



the two rivals were waiting patiently for the outcome... foo...

Historical battle on TV

Today everybody was so enthusiastic to see the two top runners in the race fight each other face to face. For us it was a nice topic for a report and we had our team at full force before our television set from 9PM... but suddenly our satellite receiving was greatly disturbed and I almost went crazy as we had to record the pictures and send it to Tokyo for broadcasting. We managed to receive pictures without noise in the other room of our office... Oh please, why do so many crazy things happen this time!?


The TV Debate... (pic from Iranian media)

Greatly relieved...

Mission complete... The fruit of our hard working two months was finally broadcasted... I also had the role of giving out a live coverage from the central square of Tehran along with a short video package in our prestige 30 minute documentary. I was expecting some trouble, but it happened two minutes before the live run! I lost the interruptible feedback (called IFB in media jargon) connected via my mobile phone and I had to go without it completely trusting the cue by my Japanese colleague talking to Tokyo with his mobile which became our lifeline...
Luckily the broadcast was finished in clean air and how alleviated I felt after I heard this from Tokyo! I had to be more cautious about preparing for these live coverages! I really thank God that it went fine as it was merely pure luck that it did not turn out to be a disaster. I also thanked God that the sun showed its face right before the live time. This was also a gift from God!
Motashakkeram!

Pics of the day...
It was still cloudy...

but good signs that we can see the sun coming out!

Just before the live coverage...

the sun came out... completely!

All I had to do was...

talk to the camera... believing in myself and my colleagues!

Losing my motivation...

It's not a title for a day that was the greatest day for the Iranians. It was the 30th Anniversary of the Islamic Revolution and I left the office just after 6:30AM to get to Azadi Square where the grand ceremony was going to be held.
All the foreign media were there and some of my Asian colleagues were there too. They were all taken interviews by the Iranian state channels and as I found out later on that they were broadcasted in the news channel and night news, I was relieved I didn't decide to let them interview me. Phew...
Meanwhile I had some quarrels again with Tokyo and with the stress controlling my temper, I was quite angry I really thought why our people do not think about working together to make something great. Are they trying to train me or humiliate me? Oh, who cares... my passion has already dispersed and I have completely lost my motivation to be a foreign correspondent in this memorial day.
I worked for the morning news, which was of course a "political" kind of news report that I detest to make the most, but since I'm paid for this, I worked on it mechanically without any emotion if not an angry sentiment.
At least I made it through the peak point and I was really happy to hear my colleague who is here in Tehran to help me was successful in the live report tonight. I really felt relieved when Tokyo was feeling fine with how the broadcast went... really relieved like hearing your son has passed the college entrance exams... (of course I don't have a son yet but I'm sure that's how you feel...)
Anyways, congratulations to the Iranian people that you have achieved many things after a great turning point in your history and I hope your advancement continues... hopefully in a way that I really would want too...

Pics of the ceremony...

not much people at the Azadi Square first thing in the morning...

but it was filled soon enough!

and the President gives out his speech... what I had to write for the news...

Happy and reborn!

It was Christmas and time to celebrate. I'm living in an Islamic country now, but I had a very special event that I can celebrate. As of 9:10AM (JST), I'm not a bachelor any more! I had some congratulations calls and e-mails and though it's really hard to feel that I'm not single any more as my belle is still in Tokyo and she will not make it to Tehran until April at the earliest, but it has become a day I will never forget!

Today was also exactly 5 years from the earthquake that shook Bam located in southeastern Iran. I went to cover an earthquake drill held in central Tehran from the morning. This country is very vulnerable to quakes and I hope that everybody will become more aware of the situation. I know the upgrading of life is more important in everyday life, but you will lose everything if you're not prepared for a major disaster!

The drill was held by the Tehran municipality with the support of JICA and it was nice to know that the Japanese philosophy of disaster management is being infused into the minds of Iranian people. I know diplomacy and financial assistance is important, but to me, such cooperation that could very well lead to saving thousands of lives is more valuable!


fire extinguishing drills!

I felt the existence of God today when it was so warm that the temperature rose to around 14 degrees. It even rained last night and there were rumors that snow could return to the city, but the weather was so nice that I really wanted to take a nap in the park where the drill was held!

Judgment day...

I thought the day of judgment was tomorrow, but surprisingly I had a call from Tokyo today. The go ahead signal was announced and I have no choice but to now run at full speed to complete our mission which February would be the ultimate goal.
I still have so many things to do to reach that goal but there's no way turning back and the pressure will mount each day...

At night, there was another power cut. Frustrated, I went to bed before 11PM... there's nothing I can do so who cares!

lighting the candle again!

Taking a unflinching step

It was Eid ul-Azha (Eid al-Adha) and a day off in Iran. It was a great help for me to recover from my malfunction and I worked at a very slow pace...

At night, I filled out a significant document that showed my unflinching determination to take a step forward in my life. I'd made my decision months ago and my feelings have not changed.

It was at least my sign of seriousness that I wrote it today on a holiday like today so I can concentrate rather than writing it like I'm filling out a document about work.

Let's see where this will take me to. I'm sure it will be a great start in life that I will be looking forward to spend.

A very different day off!

It was warm in the afternoon and it was a great day to take a walk.
Going out to eat at a hotel and walking in the park was the best amusement I can think of but I guess it wasn't that bad to spend it that way.
I felt a little uneasy to be taking a day off seeing the terror in Mumbai heightening to a breaking news which will surely be the top news for weeks even with the economic crisis enveloping the globe with darkness.
But I made my decision that today was a different day for me and it is more important to relax and have fun today than to take it at any other day in the near future.


walking through the park...

having a nice steak for lunch!

At night, I went to the airport to see off an important visitor. A precious moment to share as it takes about an hour to reach the far out airport in suburban Tehran. The city is getting colder each day, but I think this week was much warmer than expected. Not just because of the weather, but a heartwarming and indispensable supplement to my life. I hope I would be able to spend my life the same soon.

PS
I could see that the Bangkok chaos is also affecting our country!

the flights are cancelled!

Time for Independence!

It was time to say good-bye. From tonight I will be left alone as my precursor has left the city. I have to stand on my own feet now and it's all up to me to make decisions... about the operation of my office... the payments, the management, the accounts, and of course the reporting!
Yes, I'm on my own. But I think I have enough confidence with the staff and that's the most important element! All I need is the motivation to go on and of course I have to be healthy!
Tomorrow, it's a day off in this country... I better use my time wisely!

For a start...

back to the kebab meal!

Overtime!?

The real deadline was today, but I didn't get what I need to for me to get out of this country and enter the Persian state. There was news that I might get it tomorrow, and if I do, I'm only 24 hours late and that's not that critical. Let's see if I'll get the thing I need smoothly tomorrow!

After driking till nearly 2AM last night, I was so sleepy today. But since I couldn't leave Tokyo, I had to go back to the documentary making procedure and I devoted so many hours in to it. I went back to my neighborhood in the morning and around lunchtime, I had my haircut done. It would be very hard to get some satisfying haircuts for a while, so I just had to enjoy this haircut conversing with the barber I've been having my hair cut for 8 years. It's really sad that I have to leave where I've enjoyed so much. But I had to say thanks and bye to these people!

saying one last good-bye to Shinjuku...

and my home town for eight years...

Sneaking back...

I was spending some precious time...
I just couldn't help it. I didn't want to go back to work. No way...

I knew this could be my last time to enjoy sushi, so I told myself again that this was a much more important matter.

I went back to work in the afternoon and that was it for the day. I had to work work work!
I'm still worried about my next destination, but the documentary will not wait for me. I had to participate and work on the making of this piece. Well, it's too late to say I'm not going to be a part, after using so much money in India!



it's more than just about sushi!

A very meaningful day!

It was just a lunch. But a very meaningful one.
I think I'm set to go on with my plans for the future!

Last night I stayed at my office till nearly 3AM and I was so sleepy as I went to bed at around 4AM. It was also an overnight duty day, but I didn't mind spending my precious day without sleeping at home.

spending some time at Ikebukuro... it was another hot day in central Tokyo...

After eating a beef bowl meal at Matsuya, I rushed to my office and went into overnight duty. From the start of the shift I was ready to nod as somnolence was dominating my body... what a long night it will be...

The formal notice...

I'm set.
Now it's inevitable.
I'm going!

Now, my only resistance is to set a buffer zone where I can breathe a little. I'm sure I won't be able to breathe properly after several weeks, but I want to make my mind clear enough to at least give a smile when I leave Japan.
I ran back home in the evening after working a while, and started cleaning my room again. The Tigers-Dragons game did not help me at all to concentrate, but I was happy enough to see my favorite team beat the second best team in the league! I'm sure my favorite team will capture the pennant this year, but I'm sad I won't be able to watch it live in Japan...


my late lunch... won't be able to eat even these kind of cheap noodles too!

Important weekend in Osaka...

It was a peaceful night, but that could make the shift work so painful as each time the sand man attacks I had to fight it off!
After returning home quickly, I slept for only about 40 minutes and rushed out to head for Osaka.
It was an important weekend for me and I wanted to do my best to make it a successful one.


Shin Osaka...

I went to meet my parents and they were really happy to see me different as always with a visitor. There's a lot of scary things waiting before us and I'm quite sure I can overcome any difficulties!

The notification...

I was quite anxious from the morning. A very crucial day for me, as I was waiting a call from Tokyo.
I had to make a call in the morning to an Indian ministry in New Delhi at 11AM, and right after that, I got the call...
I was notified by my boss that I will become the "Tehran Bureau Chief".
I went blank for a while... I really did...
Yeah, it was something that I expected, when I was notified privately that I might be transferred to Iran before my trip to India, but I just couldn't sense that I really would be going until I got the notice today...
I have another week here to spend in India, but after that it will be a very rough month... very... it could be even one of the roughest in my whole life!

In the afternoon, I moved to a different hotel and was joined with my filming crew flying in from Mumbai.
We had some wine with them at a late dinner and I was congratulated for this "promotion", but thinking more about the things I have to sacrifice, rather the things I might gain, I was not really in the mood the celebrate...

Oh well, that's life, and someday I hope I truly will feel that this is really one of the best things that happened to me in my whole life!

I had to relax with a mango cake and coffee... relax, relax...

the basketball match was on TV... no time to watch!