FRIDAY’s 40 Years: Iconic Shots that Defined Japan

Birth of FRIDAY

The first issue of FRIDAY was published in 1984. With the footsteps of the bubble economy approaching, a consumer culture that would be unthinkable today was swirling in the air. The press was booming, as was the economy, and FRIDAY was born in response to such a state of affairs.

One of the symbolic events that occurred in the early days of the company was the Japan Airlines plane crash.’ On August 12, 1985, a jumbo jet crashed on Mount Osutaka in Gunma Prefecture. The reporter who rushed to the scene of the accident was unintentionally blinded by the devastation. The bodies of many people were scattered in a mess on the bare surface of the mountain. Some of them were charred black from the fire caused by the crash, and others had damaged skulls. Stuffed toys and swimsuits from Disneyland were also scattered about, as if they were on their way home from a vacation during the Obon vacations.

Amidst the stench of death, a voice of hope echoed through the sea of trees: “There are survivors!

There are survivors!

FRIDAY captured the tense rescue operation by helicopter on camera. While four people were eventually rescued, 520 crew members and passengers were killed. It was the worst accident in Japanese aviation history.

Since then, FRIDAY has been on the front lines of catastrophes and heinous incidents where life and death intersect. In the wake of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995 and the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, FRIDAY reported vividly on the current situation in the disaster-stricken areas. He has also continued to cover the light and dark sides of the entertainment industry. In April 2000, he scooped Takuya Kimura (51, 27 at the time) and Shizuka Kudo (54, 30 at the time) on their trip to Tanegashima. Meanwhile, in 2007, we delved into the realities of the Yoshimoto Kogyo’s black market.

We trace the trajectory of the story with treasured photos.

In the midst of the bubble economy of the 1980s! Witnessing the Shocking Scene at the Dawn of the Bubble Economy

FRIDAY” was first published just before Japan was in the midst of its bubble economy.

During this period, there were a number of historical incidents, including the Recruit Incident and the serial murders of young girls. In particular, the stabbing death of the chairman of Toyota Shoji, Inc. was being broadcast live on TV when the murderer suddenly appeared and stabbed him to death with a bayonet. The unparalleled and shocking footage was broadcast to the public, and the FRIDAY photographer was able to witness the whole thing. In the world of sports, the “K-K duo” of Kazuhiro Kiyohara (57, then 18) and Masumi Kuwata (56, then 17), now baseball legends, brought excitement to Koshien. The Hanshin Tigers’ first-ever victory in Japan was also a sign of the times, as Tiger fans jumped into the Dotonbori River one after another.

Stabbing of Chairman Nagano of Toyota Trading Co.
July 5, 1985

On June 18, 1985, Kazuo Nagano (aged 32), the chairman of Toyota Trading, was stabbed to death in his apartment. The photo shows the perpetrators coming out with the murder weapon immediately after the murder. Toyoda Shoji was engaged in a fraudulent business practice in which it forced elderly people, mainly those living alone, to buy bullion and then gave them securities in exchange for money. The company caused approximately 200 billion yen in damage. On the day of the incident, about 30 members of the mass media had gathered at the scene after hearing that Chairman Nagano was to be arrested today, when two men who said they were asked to do so by the victim appeared and entered through a window. They entered through a window and killed Mr. Nagano. Thirty-nine years have passed since the incident, but the crime of robbing the elderly of their money has not disappeared, but rather has evolved into oleore fraud and pinpoint robbery. The lessons learned from the stabbing of Mr. Nagano have not been applied.

The “K-K duo” whirlwind
September 6, 1985 issue

In the 1980s, the “perfect children of Koshien” were the “K-K duo” of Kiyohara (left) and Kuwata. The PL Gakuen baseball team of that year had the slugger Kiyohara, who hit the most home runs in Koshien with eight (at the time), as its No. 4 pitcher, and Kuwata, who hit 145 km/h, as its ace. The duo participated in the spring and summer games a total of five times. They played five times in the spring and summer, winning two championships and two runner-up finishes. On practice days, about 50 fans crowded the field to catch a glimpse of the two, cheering them on through the wire fence. Kuwata, however, seemed unconcerned, saying, “At first I didn’t like the noise, but I’m used to it now,” and Kiyohara said, “It’s my last year, so I just have to do it without any regrets. After that, Kuwata left his hometown of Osaka and joined the Yomiuri Giants, while Kiyohara joined the Seibu Lions. They created an era in professional baseball as well.

Hanshin Tigers ″The Best in Japan
November 22, 1985 issue

Hanshin Tigers players splashing oversized kegs of sake and getting drunk on beer. On November 2, 1985, the Hanshin Tigers won their first Japan championship in the 50th year of the team’s existence. Randy Barth (70, 31 at the time) won the triple crown with a .350 batting average, 54 home runs, and 134 runs batted in. Masayuki Kakefu (30, 1969) hit .300 with 40 homers, and Akifumi Okada (27, 1966) hit .342 with 35 homers, for a total of 129 homers by the three. At the victory celebration, a keg of sake and 2,000 bottles of beer were sprinkled around the venue, turning the floor into a pond. Meanwhile, at Ebisu Bridge in Osaka, 61 fans jumped into the cold early autumn Dotonbori River, and 300 riot police were mobilized when two passing cabs were overturned by excited fans. This mad party is still deeply etched in the hearts of the fans.

Princess Reimiya wears a “FRIDAY” T-shirt
September 5, 1986 issue

The young Emperor Akihito (64, then Prince Hiromiya, 26) and Princess Akishino (58, then Princess Reinomiya, 20) head to the tennis court. Although they could have been wearing brand-name tennis wear, they were both wearing T-shirts. If you look closely, you can see the “FRIDAY” logo on the left breast of Akishino no Miya’s T-shirt.

The previous year, FRIDAY published an article titled “Touring food stalls in support of Gakushuin Pro Wrestling. The article reported on Prince Akishino’s friendly appearance at the Gakushuin University Festival. Later, we made a panel of the photo from the article and left an original T-shirt addressed to Her Imperial Highness Prince Akishino at the Gakushuin University Co-op, but we had no idea that she would actually wear it.

This photo was taken on August 7, 1986. It was taken on August 7, 1986, during a visit to Karuizawa with His Majesty the Emperor (then Crown Prince) and Princess Michiko to take a rest. Thirty-eight years have passed since the photo was taken, and we can only pray for the continued development of the Imperial Family.

Announcement of resignation of “Hamakoh
March 4, 1988 issue

Koichi Hamada (84 years old, 59 at the time) resigned as Chairman of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives due to his aggressive proceedings and gaffes. He promised to eat a reporter, “What the hell is this? but on this occasion, he was all “Please stop it! but on this occasion, he fled the scene with the same vigor he had when jogging.

The Case of the Serial Murder of Young Girls
September 8, 1989

From 1988 to 1989, four young girls were kidnapped and murdered in Saitama and Tokyo prefectures. The perpetrators sent the remains and a statement of the crime to the families of the kidnapped girls and to newspapers, which shook the public. At his trial, he repeatedly stated that “a rat man appeared and I couldn’t understand what was going on, and when I came to, I found that something like a mannequin had fallen out.” A psychiatric evaluation was conducted, but he was sentenced to death in February 2006 and executed in June 2008. Miyazaki’s father took five years to settle the payment of alimony to the bereaved family, and then he committed suicide by throwing himself from a bridge 32 meters above the ground over the Tama River. The case proved that in a heinous crime, the family of the perpetrator, not to mention the victim, can also be plunged into a tragic situation.

From the November 22/29, 2024 issue of FRIDAY