A Historical Drama of Olympic Proportions

(ATR) The Olympics will be the focus of a year-long historical drama series to be aired by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK).

NHK says that the series will begin in 2019, one year before Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympics. It will be based on stories about the participation of Japanese athletes in past Olympic and Paralympic Games. The focus will be on the period from 1912, when Japan first participated in the Olympics, to 1964, when Tokyo hosted the Summer Games.

"NHK's historical drama series will be broadcast during the final build up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games," Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto tells Around The Rings.

"I hope that it will increase awareness in Japan of the extent to which Japanese people have participated in the Olympic and Paralympic games, and will generate excitement and momentum as we approach the year 2020."

NHK has aired the popular annual historical drama series since 1963. This is reported to be the earliest that the network has decided on the topic for the series, which often features feudal warlords and their wives as main characters.

Kankuro Kudo, a successful screenwriter, will write the script. The actors and the name of the project are still to be determined.

Written by Gerard Farek

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