Juri Ueno:Are you surprised by her husband Shunsuke Kazama's promotion? We talk about the changes in "Inspector Asagao" over the past 5 and a half years and the highlights of the New Year's special

Actor Juri Ueno plays the forensic pathologist Asagao in the Fuji TV special drama "Inspector Asagao 2025 New Year Special," which will be broadcast on January 3rd at 9:00 pm. It has been five and a half years since the drama began. Ueno spoke about the changes that have occurred during this time and the highlights of the new series.

◇ I was able to act while feeling the energy of Tohoku.

"Inspector Asagao" is based on the manga of the same name, written by Masahito Kagawa, illustrated by Naoki Kimura, and supervised by Yoshinobu Sato, which was serialized in the manga magazine "Manga Sunday" (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, currently out of print). The story is a human drama that depicts forensic pathologist Asagao (Ueno) and her father, veteran detective Taira (Tokito Saburo), solving the mystery of the body through autopsy and investigation. The first series was broadcast as a Monday 9pm drama in July 2019, and the second series was broadcast in the same time slot for two consecutive seasons from November 2020. In addition, one-night special dramas were broadcast in January 2021 and September 2022.

In the new film, Asagao and Taira, who have been slowly overcoming their grief with their husband, detective Kuwabara Shinya (Kazama Shunsuke), and their two daughters, come to say goodbye while searching for "proof that their mother (Ishida Hikari) was alive," whom they lost in the earthquake disaster.

Ueno says that the most memorable scene from this shoot was the one at the end where Asagao goes to Rikuzentakata alone.

"It was forecast to rain locally, but it cleared up completely at the end. We only had one day to shoot on location, but even though we were on the train with the forecast predicting rain, the windows were getting foggy and it was getting foggy. But it cleared up for the final scene. I think it was the energy of this place that made it so clear. I was able to act while feeling that incredible energy, and that's how we were able to create a mysterious scene."

Furthermore, in this work, the image of morning glories walking through Rikuzentakata reflects the people gradually recovering from the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Ueno says, "A certain plant is key to the events in this story, and when I went to Tohoku, I saw with my own eyes the greenery growing rapidly, reaching towards the sun. The population is gradually increasing, there are more and more stores that have been restored early and new stores, and there are festivals where people clash with each other. The energy of the people there is returning, and the place is colored by the visitors, and I felt that it is being revitalized by the power of people. Through Asagao's walk, I was able to get a sense of and convey what Iwate and Rikuzentakata are like today."

◇What are the gradual changes that morning glories have undergone over the past five years?

In this new work, his first in two years and four months, we talk about the changes in his marriage to Kazama.

Ueno said he felt the passage of time as Kuwabara was promoted within the police force and his position changed. Kuwabara is now the head of the Nogeyama Police Station's First Criminal Investigation Division and is issuing instructions to his subordinates at the investigation headquarters.

Ueno reveals, "In this episode, Asagao bursts into Kuwabara's workplace. The police station is full of people in black suits and has a relaxed atmosphere, so Asagao, who usually wears a forensic lab coat, feels overwhelmed for a moment. I reacted realistically to create a contrast in that moment, no matter how tense the situation. There are times when she gets a little flustered, like, "Wow, someone I usually live with at home is working in such an incredible place!" and she even uses honorifics (when speaking to Kuwabara)."

She also appealed, "He helps me with everything at home. In the second half of the show, the way Kuwabara and Asagao are perceived changes, so I hope you'll look forward to that as well."

◇ "I want people to feel alive and to feel that they are being kept alive."

Finally, when asked about the highlights of the film, Ueno said, "Everything (laughs)," and continued, "It's been 13 years (at the time of this interview) since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and I think that seeing morning glories can remind you of memories that gradually fade away as you get caught up in the busyness of daily life. There are many things that can be felt now, by living, by being kept alive, and by living side by side with death. What the characters want to convey throughout the film is that, when we get caught up in busy days, we can easily stop and reflect on our everyday lives that we have taken for granted, and that 'familiarity' is two sides of the same coin. That is why the message is that we should move forward once again, and I hope that you will feel that as you watch the film."