It has recently been revealed that actress Riko Fukumoto will star in the drama series "In the Town Where Forget-Me-Nots Bloom ~Azumino Medical Records~" (Sundays at 10 PM), which will air on NHK BS and BS Premium 4K starting June 28th. This human drama is set in a small general hospital in Azumino, Shinshu, and carefully depicts how nurses and doctors seriously confront the lives of each individual patient. Fukumoto will play the protagonist, young nurse Mikoto Tsukioka.
Fukumoto said, "The character I will be playing, Mikoto, was born and raised in Matsumoto and is a nurse who has been working for three years at a small hospital in Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture. I was greatly drawn to her cheerful, lively, and positive attitude, as she diligently builds upon what she can do even amidst her hectic daily life."
She also revealed, "As I read through the story, questions arose such as, 'What is the meaning of life?', 'What is life extension?', and 'How do we face death?' Amidst these questions, I was deeply moved by the sight of healthcare professionals who, while grappling with the realities of geriatric medicine and end-of-life care, continue to sincerely face their patients." She added, "How will we accept the future that will one day come to ourselves and our loved ones? And what kind of medicine will connect us to the future? I will continue to contemplate these questions as I engage with this work."
The drama is based on the novel of the same name by Sosuke Natsukawa, a novelist who is also a practicing physician and is known for works such as "God's Medical Chart" and "Spinoza's Consulting Room." It was also announced that Shinki Sugo Mitsuru Fukikoshi the slightly clumsy intern, Shotaro Katsura, Mitsuru Fukikoshi will play Seiichi Mishima, a gastroenterology supervising physician, and Takeshi Naito will play Takashi Naito, a cardiology supervising physician.
