The state of Washington › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

Thursday 20th August, 02:00 PM JST

American actor Denzel Washington, 54, and cosmetic surgeon-turned-actress Ayako Nishikawa, 38, salute the media during a promotional event for the film “The Taking of Pelham 123” at Kokuritsukyogijo subway station on the Oedo line in Tokyo on Thursday. Washington, who was last in Japan in 2000, was made an honorary train dispatcher for the day and Nishikawa, an honorary station chief. Washington also stood on the platform for a few minutes and “oversaw” the arrival and departure of a train that arrived at 1:23 p.m., announcing in Japanese “The train is departing.” The film, which deals with a subway hijacking in New York, opens in Japan on Sept 4.

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Latest 15 of 35 Total Comments Show All

LoveUSA at 09:39 PM JST - 20th August

He is the most perfect man ever on this planet! His lips are so sexy, the most kissable lips on the planet Earth.
Redhots at 09:44 PM JST - 20th August

@pathfinder--Why be so cynical? Is it that hard to believe that an attractive woman can also be intelligent?
KitsuneYoukai at 10:41 PM JST - 20th August

You have to admit changing from a cosmetic/plastic surgeon to an actress tells you something about this person; it doesn't make sense whatsoever. And attractive??? Well, that is relative.
seesaw at 11:08 PM JST - 20th August

Denzel Washington...he certainly is sexy. regardless of his age..:)
USNinJapan2 at 12:15 AM JST - 21st August

I can't stand Nishikawa. She is little more than a self-absorbed pompous bitch who thinks she's far better looking than she ever really was in her prime. Talk about an unattractive personality...
doedel at 12:27 AM JST - 21st August

Can't stand that 'surgeon-turned-actress' either. Ugly as bell, with (brown ... ugh) hair looking like an outworn brush. But then, .. that seems to be fashionable the recent years.
XXXXX at 12:36 AM JST - 21st August

Denzel, 54 already?? And Nishikawa is not very sympathetic is she, I can't stand her gaze and the way she talks. I imagine an ex-doctor would be doing better than that.
DenDon at 01:11 AM JST - 21st August

another classic remade into a 40 cuts a minute pile of keeerap
OssanAmerica at 03:47 AM JST - 21st August

When the original "The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3" came out, nobody other than us New Yorkers had any idea what Pelham was. Subway 1-2-3 is just fine for Japan and elsewhere.
herefornow at 05:56 AM JST - 21st August

Cool, I'm there. If it is half as good as the original it will be JPY 1,800 well-spent.
blvtzpk at 06:48 AM JST - 21st August

I saw the original as a teen. Knew nothing about it before I entered the cinema. It was one of the greatest rides I ever had with a movie. From that day on I swore that I'd try to know AS LITTLE about any film before seeing it, so everything would be fresh from the word go. I still try and keep that rule.

AS for the new version, I wonder if the anti-Japanese (Asian?) bent of the Matthau character is still intact. In that version, during the emergence of the crisis, a group of Japanese transport officials are visiting the control center. Mattahu, viewing them as an intrusion and a nuisance, insults them, believing they don't speak English. However, when it's time for them to leave, a member of the group thanks him - in perfect English - for the opportunity of seeing the center in action. Leading to much tension-breaking hilarity... ;)
NeilWarnock at 10:56 AM JST - 21st August

OssanAmerica; Actually us Brits knew. We read the advertising info,quite easy really.
NeilWarnock at 10:58 AM JST - 21st August

Also Ossan/Nigelboy/Kyotochris; the film should be called by the real name to be authenticand may even educate some of the Japanese you adore so much.
Himajin at 01:37 PM JST - 21st August

the Japanese you adore so much.

Ick.
LoveUSA at 02:12 PM JST - 21st August

this is the most pleasing picture of the year (without the doctor will be even better!)

Denzel looks fabulous. He is sublime.