Author
Mr. Soichiro Takashima
The person who wrote the picture book “Little Duck's Dream.”
35th Mayor of Fukuoka City (2010–2026)
He drew the pictures and wrote the words all by himself. Here's a quick look at who he is.
Mr. Takashima's story
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1974 Age 0
Born in Oita Prefecture
His birthday is November 1. This site's name, “19741101,” is his birthday in numbers.
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Childhood Ages 6–18
Goes to school in Oita
He finished elementary school, junior high and high school in Oita, then went to university.
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1997 Ages 22–35
Becomes a TV announcer
At the Fukuoka TV station KBC (Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting), he appeared on the morning show “Asadesu.” and other programs. He also did play-by-play for pro wrestling (telling the match in words as it happens).
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2010 Age 36
Becomes Mayor of Fukuoka City
He was chosen in an election. At the time, he was the youngest mayor of any big city in Japan.
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2010–2026 Ages 36–52
16 years of making Fukuoka City lively
He was elected 4 times in a row. Fukuoka City became the city with the biggest population growth in Japan.
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2022 Age 47
Writes the picture book “Little Duck's Dream”
He drew the pictures and wrote the words himself, with one question in his heart: “Can we grown-ups support children's dreams?”
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2026 Age 51
Announces he will step down as mayor
He announced that he would not run in the next election. His 16 years of work as mayor come to a close in 2026.
Want to know more?
You can hear Mr. Takashima's voice on his podcast, “Soichiro Takashima's Mochi no Ron.” Listen together with your family!
Listen to the podcast(opens in a new tab)
For grown-ups: the Soichiro Takashima Official Fan Site is here(opens in a new tab). The pictures and words in this picture book are the work of the author, Soichiro Takashima.