There is a song that many Japanese like to sing, a song called "ashita ga arusa" (Have hope for tomorrow) sung by a popular comedy company "Re:Japan". The song won the 2001 "shin-go" award. The song was originally sung by Kyu Sakamoto who was famous for the international hit "Sukiyaki". Most ordinary Japanese have been facing hardships because of the long recession, and singing the song cheers them up.
	Mr. Junichiro Koizumi, 59 years old, was inaugurated as Japanese Prime Minister in April 2001. He comes from a political family, his grandfather and father were also politicians. Famous for his unusual behavior. Koizumi is trying to implement structural reform of administration under the slogan of "Seiiki naki Kaikaku" (Political Reform with no sanctuary). Koizumi's use of the internet to promote his policies through a weekly online magazine have been dubbed "e-politics".
	New year in 2002 saw Seiji Ozawa, 66 years old, become the first Japanese to conduct the Viennese Philharmonic Orchestra in a New Year Concert. More than 750,000 live music CDs of this concert have been sold. On 20 April 2002, he conducted his final concert with the Bostonian Philharmonic Orchestra, where he had been music director for 29 years.
	Ichiro, 29 years old, is a right fielder with the Seattle Mariners in American baseball major league. In 2001 when he had enrolled in the Mariners, he established a distinguished record as a rookie with "242 hits". This year he won the award for leading hitter and steals as well as the award for best rookie and MVP.

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