It has been announced that actress Sakurai Hinako will be appearing in the special drama "1995 - 30 Years After the Tokyo Subway Sarin Gas Attack: Voices from the Front Lines of Lifesaving," which will be broadcast on March 21st on Fuji TV. The series is a documentary drama based on the Tokyo Subway Sarin Gas Attack that occurred on March 20th, 1995, and Sakurai will play Hoshino Nao, a hospital nurse. This will be her first appearance in a Fuji TV drama in six years, since the station's 60th anniversary special project, "Matsumoto Seicho's 'Suna no Utsuwa'."
The "Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway" was the release of the highly toxic nerve gas sarin by followers of the Aum Shinrikyo cult inside trains on the Marunouchi, Hibiya and Chiyoda subway lines, resulting in 14 deaths and approximately 6,000 injuries. In stations and hospitals that were in a state of panic, desperate rescue efforts were made to save as many lives as possible. Based on original reporting over the course of 30 years, this drama depicts the "relay of life" in the midst of this terrible panic, depicting the people who worked so hard to rescue people at the risk of their own lives.
The lead role will be played by Kenjiro Tsuda, a voice actor who is also active as an actor. Tsuda will play Tatsuhiko Kenki, the head of the emergency medical center, who is based on a real doctor who made the decision to accept all patients who requested treatment and provided emergency medical care. It was also announced that Yuki Izumisawa will play Naoki Sonoda, the driver of the vehicle in which sarin was released, who takes on rescue efforts at the risk of his own life.
Nao Hoshino, played by Sakurai, is a character drawn based on the testimony of doctors and other people involved in the investigation of the situation at the time. She was always close to the patients and worked hard to save their lives. After the incident, she immediately went to Tsukiji Station at Kenki's instruction and witnessed the devastation with her own eyes.
Sakurai said, "I was born after the Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, so I didn't know much about what happened at the time until I was offered this role. The more I looked into it, the more tragic, cruel and heartbreaking it became, and I felt that it was a production that you couldn't take on half-heartedly, and that you should approach with resolve." She added, "Even now, 30 years later, there are people who continue to suffer, and when I think about the lives that would have been spared if this incident hadn't happened, I am filled with a feeling of helplessness. I will play the role with respect for all those who worked hard to save as many people as possible in the confusion of not knowing what was going on. I hope you will enjoy the role."
The drama will be broadcast from 9:00 p.m. to 10:52 p.m. on March 21st.
