The fifth episode of the TBS Sunday Theatre drama " Caster " starring Hiroshi Abe (Sunday 9:00 pm) was broadcast on May 11th. The content of the complaint made by Shindo, played by Abe, on "Newsgate", where he serves as the main Caster, became a hot topic on social media.
◇The following contains spoilers
On the program, Shindo, who brought up the cover-up issue at Akasaka Minami Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, began by saying that through the incident he had glimpsed a deep darkness in society. "It is a structure in which power suppresses the truth and organizations suppress justice. It is a reality in which 'the right thing to do' is replaced with 'what is unforgivable.' Police officers who use violence are protected, and the voices of victims are drowned out. Those who try to report wrongdoing are threatened, and those who try to uphold justice are forced to submit. Why is this allowed to happen?" he asked.
The reason for this, Shindo said, is that organizational logic dominates individual beliefs.
"Under power, convenience takes precedence over truth. When someone points out injustice, they are shunned as 'not being able to read the room', and when they speak out for 'the sake of justice', they are silenced with 'staying in the loop.' Can you think of any of these? At work, at school, or somewhere in your daily life, you have swallowed an injustice. You have chosen to remain silent despite knowing something was wrong, and that silence has contributed to further injustice. For the sake of the organization, for the sake of your position, for the sake of what you need to protect, we unconsciously suppress our conscience. And that is how justice is trampled on and eventually forgotten."
Shindo addressed the viewers on the other side of the camera, saying, "But I want to ask a question. Is it really appropriate to say, 'It can't be helped'? Is it right to ignore it and say, 'That's the way it is'? As long as silence continues, the structure of this society will never change. Will you accept this reality? Or will you continue to have doubts? It's up to you to think about it."
On social media, comments such as "Shindo's words really hit home as someone who works in an organization," "When I hear what Shindo says about organizations, I can only relate to what he says," "Shindo's final words really hit home. Conscience dies within organizations...whistleblowing, cover-ups...it's all exposed in the drama, so I'm relieved!", "Shindo's great speech," and "I was taken aback by Caster."
