I'm writing this article listening to Shiina Ringo's "NIPPON" on the Red and White Song Festival, singing "Hurray, haray, Japan!" But there's no such thing as a final work day for online media. I'm often asked, "Do you have days off?" No, I don't. Watching performances by Perfume and Golden Bomber is part of my job. I was surprised to see MIYAVI on the 2014 Red and White Song Festival. He's Japan's current world-class musical performer. He was so cool. I also liked Perfume wearing mame, and Yoshitaka Yuriko wearing the new Hanae Mori, designed by Amatsu Yu. The photo shows a look from the Spring/Summer 2012 collection, the debut season of the Sakaki, a men's brand that fuses Western and Japanese styles at a high level. I had the opportunity to interview designer Kotaro Sakaki for a special New Year's special. Enjoy!

Now, in 2015, our publication plans to base its coverage on "Japan" (you can see why in the article published this afternoon). While the effectiveness of Abenomics is being called into question within Japan, the Liberal Democratic Party remains in power and is working to revive the economy. There are cries of Japan's national power declining, but this is something I feel strongly when I witness the increasing number of seats from Asian countries while covering the Paris Fashion Week.

However, rather than becoming depressed by this situation, I truly believe it is our mission as a publication to cover the seeds of this future within the field of fashion.

Fashion is often thought of as something light and empty (and, to some extent, that is true), but its true essence is something that is realized through being seen. This means that fashion is the fastest medium, changing instantly through quantum mechanical observation, and quickly reflecting society.

Looking at its current state, I feel that, as a result of rapid globalization driven by the development of digital technology, fashion is becoming a sustainable way of life that is both hedonistic and seeks to bring happiness to everyone involved. While fashion refers to cutting-edge styles and forms, we also see it as contributing to society and culture. It is precisely in this transitional period that reporting and sharing fashion in real time is meaningful.

As the great designer Yohji Yamamoto said, "It's just clothes," but "it's still clothes." What kind of era will the atmosphere of the clothes released this year reflect?

This has been a long letter, but I sincerely hope that all of our readers will have a prosperous 2015.
Thank you for your continued support of FASHION HEADLINE this year.