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American actor Charlotte Kate Fox wins role as 'mother of Japanese whisky' American actor Charlotte Kate Fox wins role as 'mother of Japanese whisky'
(about 1 hour later)
In six months' time, Charlotte Kate Fox will be a household name in Japan. In Scotland, whisky drinkers may well raise a glass in her honour.In six months' time, Charlotte Kate Fox will be a household name in Japan. In Scotland, whisky drinkers may well raise a glass in her honour.
The 28-year-old American actor has beaten more than 500 other hopefuls to secure the role of Rita Cowan – a Scottish woman regarded as the mother of Japanese whisky – in the national broadcaster NHK's hugely popular morning drama slot later this year.The 28-year-old American actor has beaten more than 500 other hopefuls to secure the role of Rita Cowan – a Scottish woman regarded as the mother of Japanese whisky – in the national broadcaster NHK's hugely popular morning drama slot later this year.
Tens of millions of viewers will follow Fox in her role as Rita, originally from Kirkintilloch in East Dunbartonshire, as she and her husband, Masataka Taketsuru, leave Scotland to lay the foundations for Japan's award-winning distilleries.Tens of millions of viewers will follow Fox in her role as Rita, originally from Kirkintilloch in East Dunbartonshire, as she and her husband, Masataka Taketsuru, leave Scotland to lay the foundations for Japan's award-winning distilleries.
Masataka, who will be played by the popular Japanese actor Tetsuji Tamayama, arrived in Scotland in 1918 to study organic chemistry at Glasgow University. The real purpose of his journey, though, was to fulfil a burning, if half-formed, ambition to learn the secrets of whisky distilling.Masataka, who will be played by the popular Japanese actor Tetsuji Tamayama, arrived in Scotland in 1918 to study organic chemistry at Glasgow University. The real purpose of his journey, though, was to fulfil a burning, if half-formed, ambition to learn the secrets of whisky distilling.
He was turned away by several hotels, ending up as a lodger in the home of his future wife, the daughter of a local doctor whose fiance was killed in the first world war.He was turned away by several hotels, ending up as a lodger in the home of his future wife, the daughter of a local doctor whose fiance was killed in the first world war.
After apprenticeships at the Longmorn and Hazelburn distilleries, Masataka set about fulfilling his second wish – persuading a middle-class Scottish woman to accompany him back to Japan.After apprenticeships at the Longmorn and Hazelburn distilleries, Masataka set about fulfilling his second wish – persuading a middle-class Scottish woman to accompany him back to Japan.
Despite opposition from both families and disapproving noises from their neighbours, Masataka and Rita married at a Glasgow registry office in 1920 and arrived in recession-hit Japan the following year. Despite opposition from both families and disapproving noises from their neighbours, Masataka and Rita married at a Glasgow register office in 1920 and arrived in recession-hit Japan the following year.
The later episodes of the drama will focus on their struggle to establish the Dai Nihon Kaju (later to become Nikka) distillery in Yoichi on Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, in the years before the Pacific war.The later episodes of the drama will focus on their struggle to establish the Dai Nihon Kaju (later to become Nikka) distillery in Yoichi on Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, in the years before the Pacific war.
"Without Masataka and Rita, the whisky industry in Japan may never have got started," said Chris Bunting, author of Drinking Japan."Without Masataka and Rita, the whisky industry in Japan may never have got started," said Chris Bunting, author of Drinking Japan.
"All of the major Japanese distillers trace their whisky making to the knowledge they brought back from Scotland in 1919 and the two big firms, Suntory and Nikka, were in a position in the postwar years to make whisky an important part of Japanese alcohol culture." "All of the major Japanese distillers trace their whisky making to the knowledge they brought back from Scotland and the two big firms, Suntory and Nikka, were in a position in the postwar years to make whisky an important part of Japanese alcohol culture."
Bunting believes the drama could strengthen Japan's well-developed thirst for whisky, including the country's vaunted single malts.Bunting believes the drama could strengthen Japan's well-developed thirst for whisky, including the country's vaunted single malts.
"There used to be a tendency to look down on Japanese whisky, but anybody who has been paying even passing attention to international whisky competitions since about 2001 knows that the Japanese distillers produce some of the best spirit in the world," he said."There used to be a tendency to look down on Japanese whisky, but anybody who has been paying even passing attention to international whisky competitions since about 2001 knows that the Japanese distillers produce some of the best spirit in the world," he said.
NHK said the drama would portray Rita and Masataka's struggle with the "difficulties of an international marriage and challenges in the production of Japan's first whisky," as well as Rita's attempts to get to grips with Japanese culture.NHK said the drama would portray Rita and Masataka's struggle with the "difficulties of an international marriage and challenges in the production of Japan's first whisky," as well as Rita's attempts to get to grips with Japanese culture.
The broadcaster, whose morning TV drama slot will enter its 91st season with Rita's story, described the characters as an unlikely match between "a Japanese man who is a socially clumsy dreamer and his British wife, who is brimming with elegance and speaks the dialect of Osaka", where the couple were based.The broadcaster, whose morning TV drama slot will enter its 91st season with Rita's story, described the characters as an unlikely match between "a Japanese man who is a socially clumsy dreamer and his British wife, who is brimming with elegance and speaks the dialect of Osaka", where the couple were based.
It promised a sympathetic drama that "vividly portrays the fundamental strengths of Japanese people who have struggled to get through tough times".It promised a sympathetic drama that "vividly portrays the fundamental strengths of Japanese people who have struggled to get through tough times".
But the years leading up to the outbreak of war were, if anything, more difficult for Rita.But the years leading up to the outbreak of war were, if anything, more difficult for Rita.
The couple were watched by the feared secret police, with Rita wrongly suspected of helping allied submarines navigate Japanese waters. Local children threw stones at their home.The couple were watched by the feared secret police, with Rita wrongly suspected of helping allied submarines navigate Japanese waters. Local children threw stones at their home.
After Rita died in 1961, having never returned to Scotland, a distraught Masataka reportedly wanted her bones to be placed by the side of his bed. They are buried, side by side, in Yoichi.After Rita died in 1961, having never returned to Scotland, a distraught Masataka reportedly wanted her bones to be placed by the side of his bed. They are buried, side by side, in Yoichi.
Fox, the first non-Japanese female actor to land a prominent role in an NHK drama series, said she was honoured to have landed the role. "I still can't believe I'm standing in front of you now," she told reporters in Tokyo. Fox, the first non-Japanese female actor to land a prominent role in an NHK drama series, said she was honoured to have gotten the part. "I still can't believe I'm standing in front of you now," she told reporters in Tokyo.
NHK scriptwriters said the drama's storyline would at times stray into the realms of fiction, adding that Fox's character would be called Ellie.NHK scriptwriters said the drama's storyline would at times stray into the realms of fiction, adding that Fox's character would be called Ellie.
Lori Henderson, the Scottish executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, said she was intrigued to see how Fox, whose grandmother is Scottish, would portray Rita.Lori Henderson, the Scottish executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, said she was intrigued to see how Fox, whose grandmother is Scottish, would portray Rita.
"There were some raised eyebrows in Tokyo's Scottish community about the nationality of the actress, and therefore the authenticity of the story, but anything that brings together the 'water of life' and the two great nations of Scotland and Japan can only be a good thing," she said."There were some raised eyebrows in Tokyo's Scottish community about the nationality of the actress, and therefore the authenticity of the story, but anything that brings together the 'water of life' and the two great nations of Scotland and Japan can only be a good thing," she said.
Massan – Rita's nickname for her husband – will run over 150 episodes, each lasting 15 minutes, every weekday and Saturday morning from September.Massan – Rita's nickname for her husband – will run over 150 episodes, each lasting 15 minutes, every weekday and Saturday morning from September.