[JO1] Nippon Housou News Online 220928

https://news.1242.com/article/388312

JO1’s Shiroiwa revealed that during his elementary and middle school years he did “his homework while sitting in the train” to which Mamehara replied “The typical city kid…”

On the night of the 21st September (Wednesday), the radio program ‘JO1 All Night Nippon X’ (every Wednesday from 24:00~24:58 on Nippon Housou) aired of which Shiroiwa Ruki of the 11 member global boy group JO1 acts as the main personality. As the weekly changing personalitiesKawashiri Ren and Mamehara Issei appeared in this episode. In response to a mail from a listener, asking “Before smartphones became common, how did you spend your time?”, Shiroiwa and Mamehara talked about events from their school years.

Ruki: As I am from the flip phone era, I listened to music or did my homework.

Issei: You did your homework?

Ruki: During my elementary and middle school days, I played soccer at a place that was one and a half hours from my home. Back then, I of course had no smartphone and also no music player. Hence, at this time, I did my homework while sitting in the train. My thighs were my desk.

Ren: Eeeeh!

Ruki: When school was over, I directly boarded the train to go to soccer and when I came home it was already late at night. So I had no other time for homework. I guess the adults around me thought “What is this kid doing in the train?”, but if I didn’t do it someone would have gotten angry.

Issei: You are so admirable-. The typical city kid-...

Ren: I know a super fun game which you can do in the train.

Ruki: Oh! Please tell us about it!

Ren: The game is about making the 4-digit number of the license plate of an car in the opposite direction be 1, by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing. It’s fun, so everyone please try it.

Ruki: It sounds like you really have to use your brain for this… If it is an expressway, a lot of cars are coming up, right?

Ren: It is sometimes hard to keep up! (laughs)

Ruki: I guess… I won’t play this game! (laughs)

Ren: Do it! (laughs) When your phone battery runs out for example, please try it.

Issei: I never rode the train before smartphones became common. Ren: Ah!

Issei: But when I started high school. I didn’t ride a(n electrically powered) train but a steam train.

Ruki: Ehh?

Issei: Well, I am from the countryside.

Ren: That’s amazing.

Ruki: I never rode a steam train.

Issei: There were also unmanned stations.

Ruki: That’s so cool! Just like in Harry Potter! Something I only have seen there!

Ren: Right!

Issei: Because it was unmanned. (Station staff) was only there in the morning.

Ruki: Hm?

Issei: They were there at 7 am for example, to sell tickets. But then the stations were unmanned after the shutters closed.

Ruki: Wow!!

Mamehara didn’t go to high school by electric trains but by a steam one. Mamhehara added that “Even though I say it is a steam train, it was not a choo choo train. These are running on the same motor power as a steam one.”, which caused the mood to liven up as both Shiroiwa and Kawashiri said “But that’s because these are also a steam train!” “I was able to listen to an amazing talk!” and they seemed really curious about it.