Movie Digest
This movie portrays the process of negotiations and meetings that were crucial in turning Occupied Japan into a Democratic nation. The GHQ (General headquarters) of the Allied forces was in control of Japan and its affairs post-WW II. The political environment was compared to that of the regime of the Shogun by both Japanese politicians and civilians. The two men who could compete with the GHQ at an intellectual and political level were Shigeru Yoshida and Jiro Shirasu. Shigeru Yoshida the foreign minister requested his friend Shirasu to help him in negotiation with the GHQ who were following an absolute authoritarian control over Japan because of the war crimes and aggression against the Allied nations. This film documents the very first steps of Japan as a nation toward being independent. ‘Independence of Japan’ tries to do justice to this very crucial period of Japan to depict the range of actions that took place to gain independence for contemporary viewing.
The Feel Good Part
This film does extremely well and sticks as close to facts as possible, giving a full picture of what it took to gain independence after having lost to the US. The patriotism toward the nation and the pride was bought forth through excellent storytelling and performances by the cast. From the interactions among the characters, viewers will be able to understand through the visuals how determined Japan was to take back its sovereignty. The film does not downplay the impact these fierce negotiations with the GHQ had on the personal relations of Jiro Shirasu. They do not shy away from showing how supportive his wife Masako Shirasu was of her husband’s political quests. The story is developed from both the GHQ perspective and the Japanese perspective so it is easy to follow.
The Disappointing Factor
Some criticisms come with every historical drama film on steering too close to the line of propaganda. ‘Independence of Japan” is also not excluded from these criticisms. That being said, to watch this film one must possess a basic understanding of how the political and national issues worldwide operated, took place, and impact post-war, dynamics between nations, etc. This film though has the advantage of some very excellent actors playing crucial roles, there are a lot of characters in this movie. For people new to the historical drama genre this would be a bit confusing to sit through. In the same vein, this movie heavily puts its weight on historical accuracy which ends up making it a bit monotonous.
In-Depth Analysis
The cast gave their best in performing their respective roles and it is very easy to gauge how immersive the film is despite being monotonous. The actor Kaoru Kobayashi had special make-up and did justice to his role as Shigeru Yoshida. His appearance was entirely changed to match the alikeness of the historical figure as closely as possible. The frames in this film match the aesthetics of the time portrayed as they have gone to the actual location to film it rather than set up a studio. Ito the director of this movie is also well known for films like the ‘moment of pride fate’ and ‘Tokyo tribunal’. Shunya Ito has had a strong experience in post-war Japanese dynamics and his works are a reflection of that as we can see in this movie too. He wanted to bring both perspectives to the forefront while depicting the instrumental event of Japan’s transit to a democratic nation. The film’s commitment to historical accuracy is visible through the verbal fights that ensued between Yoshida and Shirasu. Shirasu is termed as ‘the only Japanese disobedient to the GHQ’. The dialogue delivery is strong especially when they claim That Japan has to gain its independence back or it’s going to lose for the second or the third time.
Star Power
Rie Miyazawa who plays Jiro’s wife was already an acclaimed actress who made her entrance into the entertainment industry as young as 11 years old. Kaoru Kobayashi who plays Shigeru also has notable works in his acting portfolio such as Midnight Diner which is now a Netflix original drama. Tadanobu Asano who is well acclaimed overseas in the Hollywood industry also makes his appearance in this film portraying the role of Shirasu. He is noted for playing a part in the MCU movie Thor and worked along with Martin Scorsese. The acting was well-received by the general public with some news articles also claiming this film was a must-watch for all Japanese people.
Overall Opinion
The film is crucial for understanding how Japan had to reclaim its power after having strained relations with the Allied nations more importantly the US. It is very descriptive which gives it a monotonous tone in storytelling but that is to be expected out of a film created by Shunya Ito. It can be used as a part of syllabus training in Post-war dynamics and understanding how that affected the policies of nations in the current world, we exist in.
