"Simulation: Defeat in the Summer of 1941" Press Conference: Comments from Sosuke Ikematsu

Actors Sosuke Ikematsu and Taiga Nakano attended a press conference for the NHK drama "NHK Special Simulation: Defeat in the Summer of 1941" held at the NHK Broadcasting Center in Shibuya, Tokyo on August 8th. The two will be playing brothers in next year's taiga drama "Toyotomi Brothers!" Looking back on the filming of "Simulation," Ikematsu said, "I feel like another big thing has piled up before my role as brothers in the taiga drama."

In "Toyotomi Brothers!", Nakano plays the main character, Toyotomi Hidenaga, and Ikematsu plays his older brother, Hideyoshi. Regarding filming, Nakano explained, "We filmed "Simulation" first, and then started filming the taiga drama after it was finished."

When asked if his experience working together on "Simulation," which was produced to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, was put to good use in the filming of the Taiga drama, Ikematsu said, "I don't think of this drama as a prelude to 'Toyotomi Brothers!'" He added, "'Simulation' was filmed in February and March of this year, and then 'Toyotomi Brothers!' started in June, so the filming periods were close together."

"We filmed (the Taiga drama) until very late yesterday. I have worked with Taiga on many projects, and this time the theme is (war), so I think it was a great experience to have the opportunity to create a work together with all our heart and soul before playing brothers in the Taiga drama," he said, to which Nakano nodded and said, "I completely agree."

Nakamura Aoi also attended the press conference.

The drama is based on Inose Naoki's best-selling non-fiction book, "The Defeat in the Summer of 1941" (Chuokoron-Shinsha). In April 1941, eight months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, young elites from all over Japan were gathered at the "Total War Research Institute" under the direct control of the Prime Minister. They formed a mock cabinet, collected confidential information from their former government agencies and companies, and simulated every possible outcome if Japan went to war with the United States. Having concluded that Japan would suffer an "overwhelming defeat," the young people then faced off against the military and the real cabinet, which were pushing forward with the outbreak of war... This is the story. The drama will be broadcast on NHK General TV from 9pm on August 16th and 17th.