| The Emperor in August | |||||
| Native Name: |
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| Director: | Masato Harada | ||||
| Producers: | --> | ||||
| Writers: | --> | ||||
| Starring: | Kōji Yakusho Masahiro Motoki Tori Matsuzaka Shinichi Tsutsumi Tsutomu Yamazaki | ||||
| Narrators: | --> | ||||
| Production Companies: | --> | ||||
| Distributors: | --> | ||||
| Runtime: | 136 minutes | ||||
| Country: | Japan | ||||
| Language: | Japanese | ||||
is a 2015 Japanese historical drama film directed by Masato Harada.[1] [2] It was released on August 8, 2015.[2]
A remake of Japan's Longest Day (1967), the film depicts the chain of command of Imperial Japan's government, military, and War Council under Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) in the immediate period before the surrender of Japan in World War II between April 1945 to 15 August 1945 (Hirohito surrender broadcast), chronicling Kantarō Suzuki's term as the Prime Minister and the final months of War Minister Korechika Anami, the Allied firebombing of Tokyo on May 25, preparations for Operation Ketsugō, the leadership's response to the Potsdam Declaration, Soviet–Japanese War and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the failed military coup intended to foil Japan's declaration of surrender.
The film recreates the chain of historical events from April to 15 August 1945 (Hirohito surrender broadcast), which determined the further fate of Japan: the last months of the command of the armed forces of Imperial Japan and the military council under the leadership of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) in the period before surrender of Japan in World War II, the tenure of Kantarō Suzuki as Prime Minister and the last months of his tenure as Minister of War Korechika Anami, the Allied bombing of Tokyo, preparations for Operation Ketsugō, the reaction of the leadership to the Potsdam Declaration, Soviet–Japanese War and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as a failed military coup designed to thwart surrender of Japan.
The film grossed on its opening weekend and was number 10 at the box office.[1] It had grossed by August 26.[3] The film received ten Japan Academy Film Prize nominations, as well as the Blue Ribbon Award and Mainichi Film Awards.[4] [5]