The 49th Japan Academy Prize, a celebration of Japanese cinema, held its awards ceremony in Tokyo on March 13th. Hokuto Matsumura of the popular group SixTONES was selected for the Popularity Award in the actor category, chosen by votes from listeners of "All Night Nippon" (Nippon Broadcasting System). Shintaro Morimoto of the same group, who won the same award last year, served as the presenter.
Morimoto jokingly greeted Hokuto, saying, "Hey, Hokuto. It's Shintaro," and then commented, "This is really something for us, or rather, we're in the same group, and I never thought we'd be able to stand side by side in such a wonderful place, so I'm a little excited." He appealed, "Our Hokuto will work even harder from now on, so please give him your support," and then congratulated him, saying, "Congratulations, Hokuto."
Matsumura said, "I never imagined we'd be able to spend time together in a setting like this. We've been working hard together for over 10 years, so this is a very special feeling."
Regarding the award, he said, "Many people say this, but I still feel that it's not really an award I received myself. I feel that it's an award not only for everyone who has supported me, but also for the real-life characters I played in the works. The two roles I played this year were like proof that everyone has been hurt a lot and is living while looking into their own lives...that's how I felt. This award made me want to continue to do my best through my roles and grow so that I can be of help to someone."
The award for most talked about was given to "First Kiss 1ST KISS" (directed by Ayuko Tsukahara), starring Takako Matsu and also featuring Matsumura.
