■”We will accumulate records that will be deeply etched in our memories” (Sho Sakurai)

Sho Sakurai has been appointed as the messenger for Nippon Television NNN’s 80th post-war project, “Don’t Let Now Become Pre-war”.

Sho Sakurai has been a caster for “news zero” since it started in 2006, and is currently in his 19th year. During this time, as his life’s work, he has interviewed the voices of many people who experienced war, and aired more than 40 “war projects.”

His great-uncle (grandfather’s older brother) was a naval officer who was killed in action off the coast of Vietnam, and three years ago, as a reporter, he published an article in Newsweek magazine that traced his life.

As we approach the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, this project will serve as a “flagship” to send out to the world the message of “don’t let the present become like the pre-war era.”

■The project will be broadcast daily from January 3, 2025
On January 3rd, we will look back at the events of that time to find out why Japan went to war, and explore hints for lessons to prevent such disasters from happening again, along with commentary from the news chief.

On January 4th, we will learn about what the “new pre-war era” is and how the Taiwanese emergency will affect our lives from events that happened 80 years ago.

On January 5th, Sakurai will air a VTR of “Memories of the War that Should Be Passed Down,” which he would like viewers to watch again 80 years after the war, from among the war projects he has covered so far.

■Broadcast program
Friday, January 3rd “news every.” 17:30-18:00
Saturday, January 4th “news every.Saturday” 17:00-17:30
Sunday, January 5th “NNN News” 18:00-18:30

From January 6th onwards, “Oha!4 NEWS LIVE”, “news every.”, “news zero”, and “Shinjo Hoso Bankisha!” ”, BS Nippon Television’s “Deep NEWS” and other Nippon Television news programs will do their best to think about, report on, and convey the idea of ​​“not letting the present become pre-war.”

■Sakurai Sho comment
“The thing about war is that once it starts, you can’t go back. So once it starts, it’s no good.
As you continue doing this, you will no longer understand why we are fighting a war.”

These are words that have left a strong impression on me from all the interviews I’ve done so far.

It has started.
I couldn’t stop it.
I couldn’t go back.
There was no turning back.

These words ooze out the feelings that border on regret from someone who knew how the war began and progressed.
Seeing off the students from taking part in the rain at the Jingu Gaien Stadium. During and after the war.
Three years ago, I heard a story about a scene that seemed to unfold before my eyes. Then, last year, he departed.

It’s been about 15 years since we started reporting in Nagasaki in August 2009.
I have talked to many people about the war.

The one who told me this with tears in his eyes.
Someone who moves his eyes and conveys the scene as if he were looking at it right now.
There were times when it seemed like I could see the older brother I was seeing off as I listened to the younger sister talk before the bridge.

Those who desperately tried to convey to me the things that are painful to remember. There are strong feelings that all people have in common.

“I hope nothing like that happens again.”

Eighty years have passed since 1945.
Don’t let that era become a distant past of black and white photography.
So that you can feel like you were in the same “everyday life” as you are now.
And so that we can feel that we are a continuation of that tradition.

We will accumulate records that will be deeply engraved in your memory.

“news every.” official website
https://www.ntv.co.jp/every/

“NNN News” official website
https://news.ntv.co.jp/