Ventriloquism is popular in manycountries. For you, what is specialabout using a puppet in it?I :Through the mouth of a puppet, I canexpress frankly what I cannot usuallysay to others.I :Where did you perform in English for the first time?I :I performed in Las Vegas in 2000. I couldn’t speak English fluently then. I :What did you do to prepare for your performance?I :One of my American friends, Pakkun, translated the Japanese lines intoEnglish. Then I learned all the lines by heart. I kept on practicing. The performance was 30 minutes long, and it went quite well. Since then, I have been performing in various countries. I perform in local languages as much as possible.I :What is the most important factor when you perform in a foreign language?I :Rhythm! It is essential for a good performance in any foreign language. I try to memorize lines like a song.I :Why do you perform in local languages?I :It is because I want to break down the barrier between the audienceand me. If I perform in their language, they will understand that I am interested in their language and culture. This is more important than speaking the language fluently.