4月12日号 1面
Sushi Soul
国際派俳優を志す 伊原剛志さんに独占インタビュー
We had the pleasure of interviewing Ihara Tsuyoshi, who recently appeared in "Sushi Prince Goes to New York: the Movie." The "Sushi Prince" is Maizu Tsukasa, a man on an unending quest for the perfect "shari" (sushi rice). In this film, the Prince finds himself in training at a New York sushi bar called Yasohachi, where he meets up with such characters as Haruki (played by Ihara), an expat sculptor who frequents the shop.
Many people may remember Ihara in "Letters From Iwo Jima," where he played the part of Baron Nishi, an officer of the Japanese Imperial Army who was killed in action on the island. The film, directed by Clint Eastwood, met with great critical acclaim and was nominated for four Academy Awards. The film won an Oscar for Best Sound Editing, and also left Ihara with a penchant for foreign shores.
This time, though, Ihara takes on an entirely different kind of character. Wearing shades and a short mustache, he comes across as a lightweight "yakuza." "I was a bit uncomfortable at first," he admits, but says the character opened his mind to new possibilities.
Like the sushi in the film ― such as the tandoori chicken sushi invented by an Indian and a special Korean sushi roll topped with spicy grilled beef ― Ihara's character has torn down a stereotype.
"Sushi is part of our national psyche. This film is a wake‐up call to the `sushi soul' within us all and that's what makes it so fun."
(Continued on page 7)
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【WORDS 単語をチェック】
have the pleasure of ～ ～する光栄な機会を得る appear 登場する unending quest あくなき探求 find oneself in training いつの間にか修行している meet up with ～ ～に偶然出会う character 人物（後出は役） expat 海外在住の sculptor 彫刻家 frequent よく訪れる Baron 男爵 officer （ここでは）陸軍中佐 Japanese Imperial Army 日本帝国軍 killed in action 戦死した meet with great critical acclaim 批評家の称賛を浴びる (be) nominated for ～ ～にノミネートされる leave ～ with a penchant for foreign shores ～に海外への（俳優活動の）思いを残す take on 引き受ける entirely different 全く異なる wear shades サングラスをかける short mustache ちょびひげ come across as ～ ～のような印象を与える lightweight 軽い uncomfortable 居心地の悪い tear down 打ち壊す stereotype 固定観念 national psyche （ここでは）日本人の魂（とも言える食べ物） wake‐up call to ～ （ここでは）～を呼び覚ます刺激
Glen S. Fukushima, a native of California, is President & CEO of Airbus Japan and former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan. From 1985 to 1990, he was based in Washington, D.C. as Director for Japanese Affairs and, later, Deputy Assistant USTR for Japan and China at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. 
