Departures of note

Kichijiro Kato was a Japanese broadcasting director, music producer, and author based in Nagoya. Born in Shiga Prefecture, he joined Chubu Nippon Broadcasting (CBC) and worked as a radio program director, becoming known as one of the station's most distinctive and forward-thinking directors. In 1974 he produced the Chunichi Dragons baseball team's cheer song 'Moe yo Dragons', which became a lasting local anthem, and in the 1980s he served as chief director of the CBC television variety show 'Paroparo Everyday', helping pioneer the evening time slot and sparking the 'name-neko' cat boom.