At a recent news conference, Satoshi Miyagi, the artistic director of Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC), gave notice of an imminent invasion — by girigirijin.

He explained that these "trailblazers" were set to descend on the annual World Theatre Festival Shizuoka, armed with ideas and ready to challenge audiences.

"Division has been increasing swiftly around the world, often between relatively wealthy people rather than rich and poor in the conventional way," he said.