The aura surrounding people who become successful abroad is perhaps more pronounced in Japan than in other countries. There's a sense that the cultural gulf separating Japan from the rest of the world is deeper and more difficult to cross, so when someone does it successfully it seems more impressive.
Several such men (no women) are profiled on "Sekai wo Kakeru Hiro-tachi (Heroes Who Ride the World)," (Nihon TV, Mon., 10 p.m.). The main subject is Hidetoshi Nakata, who left Japan when he was 21 to play professional soccer in Italy. He has since become a superstar in Europe. In a rare interview, the normally mediaphobic Nakata discusses the "turning point" in his professional life and relates a number of personal anecdotes, including the time he met Giorgio Armani in Florence.
The program will also look at the careers of actor Ken Watanabe, who is now enjoying a second wind in Hollywood since being nominated for an Oscar for "The Last Samurai"; director Takashi Shimizu, whose Hollywood remake of his own horror film, "Juon," is a huge hit in America; Tadao Ando, the world-famous, self-taught architect; and Seibu Lions pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is about to embark on a career abroad . . . if he can secure a spot with a Major League team.