The NHK Special (N-Spe) "Simulation: Defeat in the Summer of Showa 16," which consists of a drama based on Inose Naoki's best-selling non-fiction book "Defeat in the Summer of Showa 16," with a documentary conveying the historical facts of the Total War Research Institute, will be broadcast on NHK General TV for two consecutive nights on August 16th and 17th.
In the summer of 1941, on the eve of the outbreak of war between Japan and the United States, the Total War Research Institute under the direct control of the Prime Minister simulated every possible scenario in the event of war between Japan and the United States. The conclusion drawn by young elites selected from among bureaucrats, military personnel, and civilians was that Japan would suffer a crushing defeat... This is the story behind the program. This will be a heartfelt NHK special broadcast in the summer marking 80 years since the end of the war.
Starring Sosuke Ikematsu, the film also stars Taiga Nakano, Takanori Takanori Iwata, Aoi Nakamura, Takahiro Miura, Jun Kunimura, Ryuta Sato, Yosuke Eguchi, and Koichi Sato. This is the first war drama directed by Yuya Ishii, known for films such as "The Great Passage" (2013) and "The Night Sky is Always the Deepest Shade of Shade" (2017).
The first part will be broadcast on August 16th at 9pm, and the second part will be broadcast on the 17th at 9pm.
◇The synopsis is as follows:
In April 1941, a large number of young, top elites, with an average age of 33, were urgently called together. Selected from the military, bureaucrats, and private companies, they were to participate in the Total War Research Institute, a newly established organization under the direct control of the Prime Minister, with the aim of cultivating the talent to become Japan's future leaders.
The objective was to accurately predict the state of the war if Japan and the United States were to go to war based on various military, diplomatic, economic and other data, and to report the results of the simulation to members of the "real cabinet," including Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro (Kitamura Yukiya) and Army Minister Tojo Hideki (Koichi Sato).
At first, Ujita Yoichi (Ikematsu) and the other elites are confused, not understanding the true intentions of the country and the military. If the results of the simulation are not in line with the wishes of the higher-ups, they are worried that harm will come to them as well... Ujita and his colleagues continue to be under pressure, as they each have families of their own. Nevertheless, with access to various data that is normally a state secret and is used to measure Japan's national power, Ujita and his colleagues are excited to predict the state of the war after the outbreak of the war between Japan and the United States.
After much heated debate, the young members of the "mock cabinet" finally reached the conclusion that "if Japan goes to war with America, it will surely lose," a grim prediction of the future. The rationality of the elites told them, "This war must be stopped."
The day has come to report the results of the simulation to the "real cabinet." The young members of the "mock cabinet" muster up their courage and try to convey the "reality" that the simulation has revealed to the country's leaders.
What will be the reaction of Hideki Tojo and his men? And what is the "cruel ending" that Ujita and his men will witness afterwards?
