Cat watches over railway in its role as station master

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(3 Jul 2008) • Wakayama, Japan - June 4th 2008 • 1. Wide shot Kishi Station • 2. Wide shot train pulls out of Kishi Station • 3. Wide shot train en route to Wakayama City • 4. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Yamaki Yoshiko, PR representative, Wakayama Electric Railway Company: • At the time the Nankai company was running the line it had a deficit of 500 million yen per annum. The Wakayama Electric Railway company is the name of the company that took over to keep the line running. • 5. Various of Tama the Station Master Cat watching passengers get on train. • 6. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Yamaki Yoshiko, PR representative, Wakayama Electric Railway Company: • Thanks to Tama (and the novelty trains that we have introduced) the number of passengers using the line has been increasing by around 10%. The number of passengers per annum was 1.92 million. That has increased to 2.1 million and has raised by another 100,000 again this year. • 6. Wide shot of novelty train pulling into Kishi station • 7. Various of passengers gathering around the station masters office • 8. Wide shot of Tama being coaxed out of office • 9. Various of Tama modelling for adoring public • 10. Mid shot Tama's owner Koyama Toshiko preparing cat food • 11. Mid shot Koyama gives the cats breakfast • 12. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Yamaki Yoshiko, PR representative, Wakayama Electric Railway Company: • Koyama, asked the CEO of our company to do something for the cats. She said that she didn't care about the shop but asked that the cat's house could be (saved from the eviction order). The CEO agreed to move the cat's house into the station but as they were to live on company property they would need to become company employees. (On a visit to the station) he took one look at Tama and was instantly taken with her. He decided there and then that she should become the new station master. On January 5th of the following year he returned to Kishi station and officially proclaimed Tama Station Master. • 13. Close up Tama and mother, Miko having breakfast. • 14. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Koyama Toshiko, Tama's owner and also owner of the station shop • Essentially Tama is on duty in the station master's office between 9am and 5pm. Otherwise she lives in a house in front of our shop. In the morning she has something to eat and has a little time to relax before she goes into the office. • 15. Tama goes to work • 16. Mid shot of Tama being taken to the station master's office • 17. Pan shot of cats' office • 17. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Koyama Toshiko, Tama's owner and also owner of the station shop • From Hokkido (in the very north) to Okinawa (in the very south) people come from all over Japan to see Tama. I've made lots of friends through this little one. A lot of people from abroad have also come to see her. • 19. Various of Tama's visitors including a set up for a couple from Osaka • 20. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Hora Hiroko, Vox Pop • I first saw Tama on TV quite a while ago and have read all about her in newspapers and I really wanted to see her in person. So here we are today. • 20. Various of two train drivers from Chiba (near Tokyo) who made the trip to come and see Tama. • 21. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Two train drivers from Chiba (no names given) • First man : She's so quiet and calm. Being close to her is therapeutic. • Second man : That's right therapeutic. Just seeing her and the fatigue of the journey has vanished. • 21. Various of the Kishi station shop and Tama merchandise • 22. Tama meows • LEAD IN: • Tama was officially proclaimed station master on January 5th 2006. • STORYLINE: • Keyword animals wacky • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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