Staff writer
Just a few years ago, Tokyo looked much more vibrant than Paris, London, or even New York, recalls former United Nations Undersecretary General Yasushi Akashi.
He reminisced about Tokyo's quick tempo and spirited air that he said always inspired him. "But now the metropolis has lost its energy, and people have grim faces," Akashi lamented at a news conference where he announced his candidacy for Tokyo governor. "I would like to make Tokyo a town with vigor again."