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snowboarding and skiing... I watched him play golf once and he reminded me of a top
Japanese professional." Fujimoto says he was handed a photo of Jong-un when he was younger, adding they refused to share recent photos with him. He was told not to make the photo public; however, in February 2009, he released the photo. Jong-il's other son,
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In June 2012, Fujimoto received an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and on July 21, 2012, flew to
Pyongyang via Beijing. During his visit, he reportedly visited Kim Jong Un and his wife, and mentioned that Pyongyang had changed significantly over the previous decade. In 2017, Fujimoto
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to buy some sea urchin, to which Kim replied "That's a great idea. Go for it!" On travelling to Japan, Fujimoto did not return to North Korea, and started living in hiding, after allegedly being targeted by North Korean agents. He appeared on
Japanese television with his face obscured as a "Kim
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He has described Kim Jong Il as having a "violent temper". In an interview on
Japanese commercial television, he says that Kim Jong Un, then the heir apparent of Jong-il, "knows how to be angry and how to praise. He has the ability to lead people... also he loves basketball, roller-blading,
210:
three times a week". According to
Fujimoto, he would travel the world for Kim Jong Il, all expenses paid, purchasing Chinese melons, Czech beer, Uzbek caviar, Thai papayas and Danish pork. On one occasion, an envoy was sent to China to retrieve some
185:
cars. Soon after, he became Kim's companion; both men, according to Kenji, went shooting, riding and water-skiing together. He confirmed a widely believed rumour that Kim had a serious fall from his horse in 1992, breaking his
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In addition to these claims, Fujimoto spoke of a nuclear accident in 1995 at an unnamed plant, where several workers became ill and lost their teeth, and that Kim Jong Il was severely affected by his
234:": young women chosen to dance for, sing for and bathe Kim, who would be instructed to undress but not allowed to be touched by other guests, saying it amounted to "theft". He said that Kim liked
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Fujimoto first visited North Korea in 1982. Six years later, he became Kim's personal sushi chef on a salary of £45,000 a year (equivalent to £152,000 in 2023), and was given two
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opened a
Japanese restaurant in Pyongyang. In June 2019, media reports suggested Fujimoto had been arrested. However, a month later, the British ambassador to North Korea,
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Fujimoto has stated that he thought about leaving for Japan on several occasions while in North Korea. On a visit to Japan in 1996, he was arrested after carrying a fake
238:, and preferred watching others dance, rather than dancing himself. Fujimoto said he himself later married one of the women at a drunken wedding, where he passed out on
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145:, detailing many of his experiences with Kim Jong Il. The veracity of his claims were initially doubted by skeptics. However, Fujimoto correctly predicted that
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passport. In March 2001, shortly before he escaped via China to Japan for fear he was being spied upon, he said he presented a videotape to Kim Jong Il of a
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937:"Lunch today prepared by Master Chef #KenjiFujimoto at his #Pyongyang Japanese restaurant. Sashimi set was excellent #britishembassy #DPRK #NorthKorea"
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Fujimoto states that Kim Jong Il had a taste for "live fish" and expensive alcohol such as French wines and brandies, particularly
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staffed by 200 individuals devoted entirely to Kim Jong Il's diet, ensuring he eats the best and most healthy foods.
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149:(who was relatively unknown at that time) would be appointed as his father's successor as Supreme Leader instead of
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dish from a
Japanese television show which he promised he would cook for him. Fujimoto said he would travel to
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from Tokyo revealed that he was the best and often the sole source of North Korean information for the
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that Kim holds have lasted for four days. Fujimoto also said there is an institute based in
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and whose real name is not public knowledge, published a memoir in 2003 entitled
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374:"What do we know about Kim Jong Un? Very little. That makes this guy an expert"
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918:"North Korea 'arrests' Japanese chef who served Kim family for 13 years"
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837:"Kim Jong Il's ex-chef heads to N. Korea at invitation of Kim Jong Un"
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Kim Jong-il
Satisfies his Gourmet Appetite while his People Starve
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843:. Japan: The Mainichi Newspapers. July 21, 2012. Archived from
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North Korea's Kim Jong-il 'eats live fish' claims former chef
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887:"Sushi in Pyongyang: Japanese chef opens rare restaurant"
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The
Honorable General Who Loved Nuclear Weapons and Girls
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The
Honorable General Who Loved Nuclear Weapons and Girls
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Kim Jong Il's sushi chef returns after fleeing for life
202:, while claiming that both Jong-il and his third son,
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Catering to the excesses of a self-indulgent dictator
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50:
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971:(in Japanese). KoreaWorldTimes. September 26, 2019
788:1st Picture of Kim Jong-il's Youngest Son Revealed
522:North Korean leader gobbles live fish with gusto
219:is filled with 10,000 bottles, he said, and the
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282:Jong-il expert". After publishing his memoir,
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8:
655:North Korea runs its first televised beer ad
444:Cook and tell: Another chef spills the beans
765:"The World's Most Dangerous Power Struggle"
497:Chef serves up Kim's life of sushi and orgy
462:
460:
458:
35:
968:やはり藤本健二氏の日本料理たかはしへ行けなくなっていた 日本人が拒否される理由は？
190:and lying unconscious for several hours.
242:and woke to find his pubic hair shaved.
166:Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office
137:from 1988 to 2001. Fujimoto, who uses a
129:is a Japanese chef who was the personal
16:Japanese chef of Kim Jong-il (born 1947)
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820:
491:
489:
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355:that Kenji Fujimoto witnessed firsthand
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763:Kurlantzick, Joshua (October 2006)
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442:Foster-Carter, Aidan (July 2, 2003).
7:
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1063:Japanese expatriates in North Korea
675:Kim Jong-il's wine, women and bombs
599:Australian Broadcasting Corporation
468:Kim Jong-il's chef spills the beans
407:. February 22, 2011. Archived from
286:, he wore a bullet-resistant vest.
133:chef of former North Korean leader
746:Petrun, Erin (December 21, 2006).
595:Chef lifts lid on Kim's cognac kid
466:McCurry, Justin (March 18, 2004).
399:"Cable leak: Japan has spy agency"
307:Fujimoto has written three books:
14:
699:Demick, Barbara (June 26, 2004).
673:McCurry, Justin (July 17, 2006).
495:Watts, Jonathan (July 20, 2003).
372:Fifield, Anna (January 8, 2016).
935:Crooks, Colin (July 23, 2019).
628:Bone, James (October 14, 2006).
353:North Korean leader's residences
337:
916:Ryall, Julian (June 28, 2019).
893:. March 5, 2017. Archived from
630:UN takes aim at Kim's luxuries
565:Joyce, Colin (July 21, 2003).
327:) was a best-seller in Japan.
1:
1053:21st-century Japanese writers
719:Fear of chef who pampered Kim
701:Rich Taste in a Poor Country
162:leaked U.S. diplomatic cable
33:when mentioning individuals.
1011:Dear Leader Dreams of Sushi
872:September 20, 2012, at the
806:Brother-in-law is kingmaker
539:Leach, Ben (June 3, 2009).
123:
54:1947 (age 76–77)
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680:February 25, 2021, at the
635:December 19, 2013, at the
546:November 24, 2020, at the
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992:Fujimoto, Kenji. (2004).
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45:
994:I Was Kim Jong Il's Cook
967:
321:I was Kim Jong-il's Cook
284:I was Kim Jong-il's Cook
230:He also spoke of "Kim's
143:I was Kim Jong-il's Cook
103:I was Kim Jong-il's Cook
29:. This article uses
21:The native form of this
1009:Johnson, Adam. (2013).
265:Escape from North Korea
748:Kim Jong Il: Party Guy
724:April 1, 2018, at the
502:March 9, 2021, at the
177:Arrival in North Korea
770:May 24, 2015, at the
731:Sydney Morning Herald
706:The Los Angeles Times
572:May 14, 2013, at the
473:July 7, 2018, at the
290:Return to North Korea
1058:Pseudonymous writers
999:The Atlantic Monthly
865:September 19, 2012,
814:. February 15, 2009.
796:. February 13, 2009.
1048:Japanese memoirists
1006:(1), 108—109.
754:. December 21, 2006
553:The Daily Telegraph
527:The Times of India
319:. His 2003 memoir
313:Kim's Private Life
271:Dominican Republic
215:hamburgers. Kim's
91:Kim's Private Life
31:Western name order
811:The Straits Times
734:. March 18, 2004.
449:Asia Times Online
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76:Personal chef of
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619:. June 27, 2004.
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112:Kenji Fujimoto
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973:. Retrieved
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899:. Retrieved
895:the original
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849:. Retrieved
845:the original
841:The Mainichi
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413:. Retrieved
409:the original
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297:Colin Crooks
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151:Kim Jong-nam
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127:, born 1947)
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86:Notable work
68:Chef, writer
26:
18:
1033:1947 births
1019:July 2013..
236:disco music
217:wine cellar
204:Kim Jong Un
188:collar bone
147:Kim Jong Un
135:Kim Jong Il
78:Kim Jong Il
1027:Categories
360:References
325:Kim's Chef
309:Kim's Chef
275:sea urchin
213:McDonald's
99:Kim's Chef
80:, defector
642:The Times
415:August 4,
383:April 25,
225:Pyongyang
172:Biography
139:pseudonym
947:July 23,
901:July 23,
870:Archived
851:July 24,
768:Archived
752:CBS News
722:Archived
678:Archived
659:NBC News
633:Archived
570:Archived
544:Archived
500:Archived
471:Archived
331:See also
279:Hokkaido
221:banquets
183:Mercedes
975:May 18,
953:Twitter
891:AP NEWS
579:The Age
255:father
240:cognac
194:Claims
105:(2003)
941:Tweet
876:, CNN
303:Books
131:sushi
118:藤本 健二
58:Japan
46:藤本 健二
977:2020
949:2019
903:2019
853:2012
417:2018
385:2020
315:and
51:Born
1004:293
153:or
25:is
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1016:GQ
1013:.
1002:.
996:.
920:.
889:.
839:.
819:^
808:.
790:.
776:GQ
774:.
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739:^
728:.
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488:^
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160:A
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