What is the luxury Japanese watch that 91-year-old Soichiro Tahara has been using for many years?

Journalist Soichiro Tahara, who was reportedly hospitalized at the end of 2025, is now 91 years old. He not only achieved his goal of working until he was 90, but has even surpassed it, and his daily life can be seen on his official YouTube channel. His companion of choice was a Grand Seiko quartz model, boasting world-class precision.

His own YouTube channel, "Tahara Soichiro Channel," is doing well

　Since his first post in January 2023, Tahara Soichiro has now gained 27,800 subscribers. He has already posted 198 videos, demonstrating an energetic personality that is hard to believe for a 91-year-old. There were reports that he was hospitalized at the end of 2025, but tests showed no abnormalities, and it was reported on his channel that he may have been suffering from summer fatigue. After being released from the hospital, he showed how he prepares his own breakfast, and fans have been leaving warm comments.

　Soichiro Tahara's breakfast is known as the "legendary breakfast." It consists of poached eggs, thickly buttered sliced ​​bread, sweet bean bun (bean bun), lettuce, milk, apple juice, and black tea (or cold tea). He prepares the same menu himself for over 30 years. This combination was taught to him by his late wife, and while it is a simple meal that doesn't require the use of a knife, it provides a good balance of carbohydrates, protein, vitamin C, and more.

　It was made based on the simple idea of ​​"eating healthy food" for work, and he still faithfully adheres to the thick layer of butter that was a last wish from his wife.

The famous host who led "Live TV Until Morning!"

　The debate program "Asamade Nama TV!", which began airing in 1987, is a show that chooses a controversial topic each time and brings together people involved in that topic and commentators for a heated debate. Its tendency to challenge taboos has led to a wide range of topics being covered, including politics, the Emperor, the Imperial Family, religion, discrimination against women, the Korean issue, nuclear power, declining birthrates and an aging population, television, and media regulation.

　When the show first began, it was thought that this type of debate show might not be suitable for Japan, but the boldness of the topics it covered, the heated debates between the panelists, and the sometimes-forceful management style of host Soichiro Tahara attracted viewers.

　The debaters who have appeared on the show, in order of frequency, are Masuzoe Yoichi, Miura Ruri, Oshima Nagisa, Takano Takeshi, Morimoto Satoshi, and Tsujimoto Kiyomi. His refreshing way of cutting down their arguments with one slash became popular, and he firmly established the name "journalist Tahara Soichiro."

　He has a special attachment to the show, and has said in interviews that it has become his life's work. Since turning 80, he has even harbored the desire to "die during the morning live program," so his passion is astonishing.

An eventful working life

　After World War II, the values ​​that people had been taught up until then were turned upside down. At that time, Tahara Soichiro felt that "there is no absolute truth in this world, and you can't trust what important people say." This experience may have sparked his interest in journalism, a field in which people research, gather information, and put their feelings into words.

　After graduating from high school, he aspired to be a writer, but after reading the works of his contemporaries, such as Ishihara Shintaro and Oe Kenzaburo, he realized he could never compete with them and gave up on his dream of becoming a writer. He instead wanted to become a journalist. After joining Iwanami Productions, he worked as a cameraman's assistant before joining TV Tokyo when it launched in 1964. Many of the programs he directed were radical in content, and he maintained a forward-thinking attitude.

　He became a freelancer in 1977 and began his full-time career as a journalist. He hosted and appeared on discussion segments such as "Asamade Nama TV!" from 1987 and "Sunday Project" (ended in 2010) from 1989. "Gekiron! Crossfire," which ran from 2010 to 2025, was forced to end due to his own gaffe, but he has sincerely addressed the situation and apologized and explained. He continues to be active even at over 90 years old, broadcasting live videos of his daily life and interviews on his YouTube channel.

His favorite watch is the Grand Seiko SBGS003, which boasts high precision.

　An image of Soichiro Tahara wearing a Grand Seiko watch was spotted in an official X post. The image was posted after he took the stage at the closing symposium "Let's start from Kochi - The system is there, but what about the heart?" at "Carnival 00 in Kochi," held in Kochi on November 4, 2019.

　The watch he is wearing appears to be the Grand Seiko SBGS003. It is a model equipped with a high-precision quartz caliber with an annual accuracy of ±10 seconds, and dates back to 1988 when Grand Seiko resumed quartz production. With its elegant appearance and GS logo, it is a classic and intellectual piece.

　Looking back at the history of Seiko's quartz watches, the Quartz Astron 35SQ, released in 1969, was the world's first mass-produced quartz wristwatch. Being more accurate than mechanical watches and eventually becoming more affordable, quartz watches quickly became popular. Meanwhile, Grand Seiko, which primarily manufactured mechanical watches, temporarily stopped production.

　After a period of dormancy, Grand Seiko released the SBGS003, a quartz model, in 1988. By using a high-quality quartz oscillator with excellent temperature, humidity, and shock resistance, it achieved even higher accuracy than standard quartz watches, with an annual accuracy of ±10 seconds.

　The model worn by Soichiro Tahara was likely purchased between 1988 and the early 1990s. This was a year after "Asamade Nama TV!" began broadcasting, and in 1989, "Sunday Project" had just begun. It's no surprise that Soichiro Tahara, who was in his mid-50s and on the rise, chose a high-precision Grand Seiko, a watch that reflected his determination to be at the forefront of his career as a journalist.

　Soichiro Tahara has been eating the same breakfast and routine for decades, and not only has he kept his promise to "work until age 90," he continues to extend it. Watching over his days for many years has been a Grand Seiko watch, equipped with a quartz movement that boasts world-class precision.