CueRio Tokyo supported the production of an episode of Insight by Channel NewsAsia as fixer and field producer in Japan.
Please watch it here.
While the documentary mainly focused on stories filmed in the Kansai region, CueRio Tokyo handled the Tokyo portion of the production. Our role included filming exterior shots of several government-related buildings in central Tokyo, as well as coordinating and producing an interview with economist Professor Sayuri Shirai.
For this shoot, I once again worked with trusted and highly experienced crew members — cinematographer Masaki Kakuyama and sound recordist Teiji Kuroki. Since this was a relatively small-scale production, I also handled transportation myself and drove the crew around Tokyo in a rental car throughout the filming day, as well as working as the Fixer and field producer.
We visited several locations including the Bank of Japan, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Ministry of Finance, the National Tax Agency, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to capture visual sequences related to Japan’s economic policy.
The interview with Prof Shirai
Professor Sayuri Shirai, a professor at Keio University and fellow at the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), has frequently appeared in international media as an expert on Japan’s economy and monetary policy.
As Professor Shirai speaks fluent English, we connected her directly with producer Shauna in Singapore via WhatsApp, allowing the interview to be conducted remotely. The discussion covered a wide range of topics, from Japan’s current economic challenges to how Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration aims to revive the economy.
Professor Shirai’s explanations were both powerful and accessible, making for an excellent interview. After filming, she even complimented producer Shauna on the sharpness of her questions and the depth of her preparation — something that made me genuinely happy as part of the team.
Hopefully next time, we’ll have Shauna back in Tokyo again so we can work together on location.
