Chapter 94: Japan Roadshow, Izumi Sakai and Noriko Sakai
[Chapter 94: Japan Roadshow, Izumi Sakai and Noriko Sakai]
On the afternoon of August 22nd, Linton traveled from Los Angeles International Airport to Tokyo accompanied by his bodyguards Danny and David, assistants Meena and Bella, agent Ellie, and Universal's publicity staff Jason to kick off the overseas promotional tour for the movie Step Up.
According to Universal's promotion plan, Linton was scheduled to visit Japan, France, and Germany. The original plan was to spend three days in Japan, two days in France, and two days in Germany. However, after reviewing it, Linton slightly adjusted the itinerary by adding an extra day in France while keeping the rest the same. Before departure, he naturally informed Izumi Sakai, Noriko Sakai, Sophie Marceau, and Heidi Klum.
...
On the plane, Linton received the detailed itinerary for Japan from Jason. Due to the time difference, they were set to arrive at Tokyo Narita Airport at 10 a.m. on August 23rd.
On August 23rd, they would check into the Four Seasons Hotel in the morning. That afternoon, Linton would participate in TV and newspaper interviews at the hotel, and in the evening, he would interact with audiences at the HUMAX Cinema in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district and the HOTO Cinema in Shinjuku.
On August 24th, in the morning, there would be a fan meeting held in Tokyo's Chuo district, followed by a recording at a variety show on Japan's Asahi TV in the afternoon. That evening, Linton would attend a dinner hosted by Matsushita (Panasonic)'s collective president, Matsushita Masaharu.
On August 25th, he would travel to Osaka in the morning. In the afternoon, a fan meeting would be held on the bustling Shinsaibashi shopping street, and in the evening, he would interact with the audience at a local cinema before staying overnight in Osaka.
On August 26th, they would fly from Osaka to Paris.
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Linton and his entourage arrived at Tokyo Narita Airport at 10 a.m., where Ichiro Koi, president of Universal Japan, greeted them.
As they emerged from the plane, thousands of enthusiastic fans erupted in cheers. They were all wearing T-shirts featured in Step Up, holding supportive banners saying, "Linton takes flight, Stars follow bright."
Flashes from countless cameras almost blinded Linton, surprising him as the reception felt even more intense than in the U.S.
Seeing the passionate fans made Linton and his team very happy. To avoid interfering with airport operations, Linton kept his interaction brief, answering a few questions from reporters before leaving.
Since entering the Radiant Core stage, Linton's learning ability had been impressive. In just a few months, he mastered several major languages. This time, he communicated entirely in Japanese without a translator, earning enthusiastic responses from fans and journalists alike.
Upon arriving at the Four Seasons Hotel in Tokyo, the crowd of passionate fans awaited again. With the help of security, Linton's group managed to check in smoothly.
In the hotel room, Linton went to the balcony and smiled, waving and blowing kisses to the fans below, which drew loud cheers and female screams. Reporters snapped photos nonstop. After about 30 minutes of this far-reaching interaction, he returned inside as the crowd slowly dispersed.
...
After all the hassle, it was already 11:30 a.m. After a simple lunch at the hotel, Linton held interviews with sixteen TV and newspaper media outlets arranged by Universal in the hotel conference room.
During the interviews, Linton spoke fluent Japanese without a translator, impressing the reporters. ...
Meanwhile, Bella, accompanied by David, visited Tokyo's fan meetup spots to connect with core fan groups and discuss viewing activities.
...
Japanese media interviews differed greatly from those in the U.S. Apart from asking about the movie's plot or Linton's feelings transitioning from pop singer to director, they were curious about his impressions of Japan, favorite Japanese films, and favorite actresses.
Fortunately, Universal Japan had prepared in advance, and Linton was well-prepared. He handled the questions comfortably.
Of course, Linton kept his focus -- no matter the question, he always circled back to promoting Step Up.
...
Ichiro Koi did excellent PR work, and that evening, numerous media outlets reported on Linton's promotion of Step Up in Japan. Articles highlighted its hot streak in the U.S. and praised Linton's fluent Japanese and sincere friendship with the Japanese people.
...
That night, Linton engaged with audiences at the HUMAX Cinema in Ikebukuro and the HOTO Cinema in Shinjuku, spending an hour at each venue.
Forty minutes before the screening ended, he arrived backstage at the theaters, shaking hands and taking photos with theater agents. He signed posters and small gifts prepared for the cinemas and gave exclusive interviews and photo sessions to on-site media.
At the screening's end, accompanied by the host, Linton took to the stage in front of the audience to interact.
Thanks possibly to advance publicity about his visit, both cinemas were packed with 500 enthusiastic attendees each, who greeted him with screams and cheers, creating an electrifying atmosphere.
During the interaction, the audience eagerly asked questions -- some about the plot, others about his personal life, how he learned those incredible dance moves in the movie, and if he had any favorite Japanese actresses. Curiously, no one asked about his rumored romance with Naomi.
...
Returning to the hotel near 11 p.m., as expected, Izumi Sakai and Noriko Sakai were waiting in the room.
Izumi was both confident and elegant while Noriko was charming and sweet, both with flawless, radiant skin that under the lights highlighted their unique East Asian allure.
Not having seen each other for over half a year, the three were excited. The two women eagerly embraced Linton, sharing passionate kisses before quickly getting close in a lively and intense way that filled the room with sweet melodies until dawn.
During their intimacy, Linton confirmed the two women's popularity had risen significantly since their last meeting, indicating a good half-year's progress.
...
"My dears, I'm booked all day today until night. Do you have any plans?" Linton asked.
They exchanged a glance. Izumi said, "My company gave me three days off. I'll be with you these days. You focus on your work. Other than accompanying you to tomorrow night's dinner, I'll wait for you at the hotel."
"Same here," Noriko added.
Such understanding made Ichiro Koi's exceptional hospitality apparent -- he was well on his way to a bright future.
Since Ichiro, Izumi, and Noriko were so considerate, Linton wanted to return the favor. Before departure, he handed assistant Meena a credit card and instructed her to take the two ladies shopping, also including herself, each with a $100,000 limit.
He also asked her to buy two gifts: one for Matsushita Masaharu hosting the dinner that evening, and one for Ichiro Koi.
...
That morning, under Universal's local publicity team's arrangements, Linton attended a media and fan meeting at Tokyo's Chuo district plaza.
When Linton appeared on the temporary stage, the crowd of media and fans erupted in excitement. Especially the young fans who had watched Step Up and followed Linton, their loud screams seemed to echo across the Pacific.
At the fan meeting, Linton performed the street dance from Step Up, sang his song B What You Wnna B, shared behind-the-scenes stories from filming, interacted warmly with fans, signed autographs, posed for photos, and faced questions from reporters and paparazzi until noon when the event concluded.
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