Japan’s Longest Day

The War of Japan

Synopsis: Documentary-style war drama depicting one day before the end of the war, beginning with the Imperial Conference over the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration. It reveals the movements of government leaders over the Gyokuon-broadcast and the coup d’etat plans of young officers opposed to the end of the war.

The film profoundly depicts the difficulties of ending a war, and the skill of director Kihachi Okamoto is admirable. The film’s cast includes Toshiro Mifune, Chishu Kasa, Takashi Shimura, Seiji Miyaguchi, Satoshi Yamamura, Hideyo Amamoto, Daisuke Katoh and others. The staff and cast are all familiar with the current situation in Japan during the war. This makes the film very realistic. There are many war films, but “Japan’s Longest Day” is one of the most precious.