I will not withdraw my whistleblower complaint.
Are you insane?
REQUEST TO RE-OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO CORPORATIONS RECEIVING SUBSIDIES
We're talking company profits,
and by extension, a project that will lead to the development of the country.
Why get in the way of that?
I can't take this any longer, Mr. Toyoda.
I've had it with your chicanery.
Your extraction of subsidies for AI technology that doesn't exist
is nothing less than criminal!
Matsuda.
Look out there.
Come on.
Your self-righteous behavior
will toss everyone here out on the street without work.
Do you think your whistleblower complaint is going to make anyone happy?
In fact, it's the exact opposite.
How can you say it's the right thing to do?
Can you?
Help me out here, Matsuda.
I want this company to be a success.
Work with me, okay?
Even if it's not possible now, it's our job to make it a reality, right?
Right?
The future of politics is in giving a good performance.
If you put on a show for the public with this in mind,
it will be easy to maintain this administration.
This problem can't be dealt with through performance.
Hello?
Check if you're being followed.
It's possible both you and I are being watched.
It's all clear.
Come inside.
Okay.
Aren't you…
CABINET SECRETARIAT, CIRO, SHINICHI MURAKAMI
You're in CIRO?
Since when?
I am not at liberty to answer that.
How do you know my brother?
When Kohei was assigned to work in the Cabinet Secretariat,
we worked together.
Is that right?
Well,
you know who Shinjiro Toyoda is, don't you?
Yes.
Did you know that it was Kohei who filed the whistleblower complaint on Toyoda?
Yes.
No matter how many times I asked Toyoda, he would never confirm it,
but I am sure of it.
He's trying to bury everything,
even the complaint that Kohei courageously filed.
Even the arrest warrant failed.
The police investigated after new evidence surfaced at the Ministry of Economy.
But
even that investigation was called off.
As long as Toyoda is a special advisor to the Cabinet,
his crimes will remain buried.
That's right. Exactly.
Toyoda knows too much about the secrets of this administration.
How come
someone like you in CIRO is going after Toyoda?
I am not at liberty to answer that either.
Then,
why did you contact me out of the blue?
That's because…
Is it about the Eishin Academy affair?
Mr. Murakami…
Mr. Suzuki's wife, Mayumi,
is preparing to file suit against the government.
We're getting signatures at a good pace.
Yes.
If the PM admits involvement, his wife will be properly compensated,
and people's awareness might change.
Won't you please give testimony?
Please.
This country has got to change.
I--
Excuse me.
INCOMING CALL TOMOYA TADA
Please. I don't want you to get the wrong idea.
I cannot be part of anything that would cause turmoil
for the current administration.
I am a bureaucrat.
Sorry for being late.
Thank you for coming.
Matsuda, we've got over 20,000 signatures.
There are plenty of calls on social media to pursue this.
-I'm certain this will go well. -Thank you.
It's good for it to gain attention.
It could give us insights from unexpected sources.
How about this?
You could take this opportunity to appear on television.
What?
Can we do that?
Yes. I know several people at television stations.
I can at least contact them.
I think it's a good idea,
but if she appears on TV, more people could try to interfere.
I'll do it.
Please.
Even if there's only a small chance that something will come of it,
I want to try.
I'm certain that's what my husband wants as well.
Thank you so much, Mrs. Mayumi.
You too, Ms. Matsuda.
I'll see you at the station.
Actually,
there's someone else that I'd like to see.
Do you have time after this, Ms. Matsuda?
Yes, I'm free.
Do you mean Ryo?
No.
Ryo!
Hey, Nakano. I heard you got a job offer.
-Congratulations. -It was down to the wire.
I never thought it would be this hard.
-I heard you got a job at Touto News. -Yes.
That's totally awesome.
It was pure chance.
Give me a break.
Don't let that nasty reporter bully you.
Watch what you say.
-Did you hear? -About what?
There's no graduation this year due to coronavirus.
-Seriously? -I mean, the situation is pretty bad.
I heard some companies were canceling their job offers.
I'm sure Touto News is fine,
but start-ups and mid-sized firms are in pretty bad shape.
Is that right?
Yes.
That would totally suck.
After all our hard work to get a job,
to get your job offer canceled would suck.
Our company does a lot of sightseeing-related work,
so we've taken a huge hit from this coronavirus.
I'm terribly sorry about this.
This doesn't make any sense.
How can you do this after giving an official job offer?
I know.
But if this keeps up,
we don't even know if the company will make it through the year.
As the number of those infected with the novel coronavirus increases daily,
people are feeling more and more insecure.
130,000 SIGNATURES COLLECTED DEMANDING
FORMER FINANCE BUREAU DIRECTOR-GENERAL MOURI
TESTIFY AGAIN IN EISHIN SCANDAL
Mr. Mouri.
I'm Anna Matsuda from Touto News.
I am Kazuya Suzuki's wife.
After Mr. Suzuki's note came out,
you know that society's opinion has changed greatly, don't you?
What are you doing here? Leave me alone.
I'm no longer a bureaucrat.
Mrs. Suzuki has something that she wants to ask you.
-This doesn't concern me anymore. -Mr. Mouri!
Won't you please properly explain
the situation behind the altering of the documents?
What caused this to happen?
I'm sure you know that better than anyone.
Won't you please…
won't you please testify again and tell the truth?
I've already testified to everything that I know.
The prime minister was not involved.
It was…
it was I…
who gave all the orders.
For what happened to Mr. Suzuki…
I am terribly sorry.
I'm sorry.
Mrs. Mayumi…
I doubt…
we'll get him to testify again.
Thank you.
Come in.
Thank you for taking the time to come.
Since my superiors won't approve an investigation,
my only choice is to act independently.
Is that right?
Have a seat.
However, if I can gather evidence, the case will be reopened.
Also,
this questioning is still completely voluntary, so rest at ease.
Will you give a statement?
Yes.
I'm prepared for whatever punishment I may be given.
Then…
If I may?
I apologize for being so direct,
but I'd like to know whether there was any involvement
by the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Finance in this case?
To be specific,
did the Prime Minister's Office issue orders
to former Finance Bureau Director-General Mouri?
I heard that…
the First Lady's assistant, Mr. Murakami, gave the order.
KAZUYA SUZUKI'S WIFE, MAYUMI SUZUKI
ANNA MATSUDA
CAN WE TALK AGAIN?
I've read almost all your books, sir.
-That was a great article. -Thank you.
Sir, we've gathered a nice group of cuties.
She wants to be a newscaster.
You've always said it was magnificent.
Well, then.
Cheers!
USED COMPANY FUNDS TO…
TOKYO METROPOLITAN POLICE PUBLIC SECURITY BUREAU
RECEIVED ONE MILLION YEN…
RUMORED TO USE DRUGS…
Even day-to-day work is fine.
At this rate, I won't be able to pay this month's rent.
You're well educated, so I'd really like to hire you,
but we just don't have any openings now.
At any rate, register with us, and we'll contact you again later.
Okay.
Hello?
Hi.
What is it?
I texted you before, asking if you were all right.
You didn't answer, so I was worried.
Where are you now?
What?
I'm at home.
Can I come over now?
What?
Seriously? To my place?
Yes.
The time seems right.
Well,
the place is tiny.
-It's a mess too. -Text me your address.
It really is tiny--
Seriously?
Yes.
All right.
I see.
Thank you.
How did it go with the TV stations?
No luck. Nobody will meet with us.
You must be kidding.
Look how much attention it's getting online.
It was considered at the production level, but the higher-ups nixed it.
Unbelievable.
There's something fishy about this.
There's probably some intense pressure coming from somewhere.
Currently, we have no options.
That's sick. With a girl this young?
This geezer is a real creep.
Where's Mr. Tada?
He's handling something else, so he'll be a little late.
I see.
You know, I think the Olympics will be postponed.
After all our hard work too.
I know I touted the success of performance in politics,
but it's no match for a little virus.
Humans sure are fragile beings.
I wouldn't be so sure.
What?
Do you really hate me that much?
I know you want to blame me for what happened to Matsuda,
but you're completely wrong.
Mr. Toyoda.
What?
Is it true that
Kohei Matsuda filed a whistleblower complaint about AI subsidies?
-Who told you that? -I can't say.
He lost his mind and suddenly became reckless.
How can there be fraud involved with a technology yet to be developed?
It simply needs to be made a reality.
Like with Eishin,
as long as those at the top get what they want, that's good enough.
That's ridiculous.
What?
You know how many people at the bottom suffer
from decisions made at the top?
-Do you? -What's got into you?
You have no idea how miserable it is living filled with a sense of guilt!
-Murakami! -Answer me!
-You don't get it, do you? -Murakami! Calm down!
Everything is being recorded.
Mr. Toyoda, I'm sorry about this.
Apologize.
I'm sorry.
I'll have you know that
Matsuda withdrew the whistleblower complaint himself.
Thanks to his recklessness,
tens of thousands of employees and their families
would have been hurt, so it was only natural.
Mr. Murakami,
you need to consider this very carefully.
Just whose mess do you think I'm cleaning up here?
Go home for today.
Why are you so fidgety?
I can't help it.
You're the first woman here since my mom.
That's hilarious.
Oh, shut up.
-So… -Yes?
Did something happen?
No, not really.
Oh, okay.
My job offer was canceled.
Seriously?
Seriously.
All my hard work as a student went right down the toilet.
Say something, would you?
I…
But that's ridiculous.
You should complain.
I did. I complained right to their face,
but it was no good.
The company itself might even go under.
Ryo…
you should be a good journalist, okay?
Forget about me.
No. I need you to become famous.
You see,
I want to brag that I was the one who taught you how to read the newspaper.
Don't be like that!
What are you getting depressed for?
I came over here for some encouragement.
Right.
Fine.
I know. I'll cheer you up.
-Let's drink. -Yes.
Thank you.
I delivered papers around here.
What memories.
Yes.
Right.
Say, Ryo.
Yes?
I've been thinking.
I thought about why my job offer got canceled
and who I should blame for it.
But it's nobody's fault.
It's absurd, isn't it?
It's like, "This isn't what I was promised!"
But there is one thing that I figured out.
There is?
In this world,
absolutely anything can happen.
So,
I'm going to make the most of what's happening in my life right now.
I'm going to live my life facing up to whatever comes my way.
I feel that way deep down.
I see.
I read the article about your uncle and the Eishin affair.
Good.
Have you gotten over it, Ryo?
I'm not so sure.
There's still a lot that's unknown.
I see.
Yes.
Face up to everything you encounter and don't try to run, Mr. Journalist.
I will.
-Bye. -Bye.
Mayu!
Can I write an article about you?
What?
I mean,
I'm not sure I can write anything good,
but I want people to know what you've gone through.
I'll think it over.
SHINICHI MURAKAMI ASSISTANT TO THE FIRST LADY OF JAPAN
PHOTO OF FIRST LADY'S ASSISTANTS SHINICHI MURAKAMI
CHIEF DIRECTOR OF EISHIN ACADEMY
EISHIN ACADEMY
FIRST LADY
PRIME MINISTER
SHINJIRO TOYODA SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE CABINET
SHINJIRO TOYODA
PRIME MINISTER'S WAY OF LIFE BY SHINJIRO TOYODA
"IF I OR MY WIFE WERE INVOLVED, I WILL RESIGN AS PM."
YOSHIKAZU MOURI FINANCE BUREAU DIRECTOR-GENERAL
MR. MOURI ORDERED THE TAMPERING
TADASHI KUROSAKI
DOCUMENTS SUSPECTED OF BEING ALTERED
CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST MR. MOURI AND 24 OTHERS
COMMUNICATION RECORD
MAYUMI SUZUKI
SUICIDE NOTE OF DECEASED EMPLOYEE REVEALED
KAZUYA SUZUKI, ALTERATION, SUICIDE
After a conference call with the president of the IOC,
he confirmed that they agreed to postpone the Tokyo Olympics
in the face of the spread of the novel coronavirus around the world.
He stated that the postponement would be for one year
and reiterated that they would not be canceled.
Postponed?
But, you know, this really is a fortunate tragedy
that will put the Eishin affair to rest.
Precisely.
The coronavirus has served its purpose by extinguishing the Eishin scandal.
We should take advantage of this crisis
to improve the image of this administration.
I'll be going now.
Goodbye.
We just got word from upstairs.
For the chief cabinet secretary's press briefings from April,
only one reporter will be allowed in from each newspaper.
Really?
They're taking advantage of the coronavirus to pull all kinds of crap.
I know how you feel, but we're in a state of emergency.
You need to realize that you won't be able to do things the way you used to.
Understand?
-Okay. -Okay.
Ms. Matsuda. Good afternoon.
Hello.
How's the training going?
Not bad. But I'm only doing grunt work.
What is it?
I have a favor I'd like to ask you, Ms. Matsuda.
You do?
I understand that it's not my place to do this kind of thing,
but there's an article that I'm eager to write.
I know I can't do it alone,
so I'd appreciate it if you could help me.
Of course, I'd love to.
Really?
Thank you.
Ryo.
Yes?
I also have a favor to ask you.
Okay.
If you don't want to, feel free to say no.
-Mommy! -Hi!
-Daddy! -Daddy!
Yay!
Watch!
-Okay. -Go ahead!
You did it!
Hayato.
Look at your face!
This?
It's so fast, isn't it? Which one's next?
This one!
This one over here!
-Hurry up! -Hayato, Natsuki, you're here.
Thank you for coming here.
So who is it you want me to meet?
This way.
It's nice to meet you.
My name is Ryo Kinoshita.
He's a new employee at my paper who started this year.
What does a new employee want to do with me?
I…
I am the nephew of the man who died…
Kazuya Suzuki.
Mr. Murakami.
I've come to you today with one final request.
-Sorry. I'm leaving. -Wait! Please!
-I just want a moment. -No! Wait!
I'm not here to blame you.
Please.
Since my uncle died,
I've thought about a lot of things.
Like who to blame…
and whose fault it was.
To be honest, I don't care anymore.
Because to me,
my uncle will always be someone I respect very much.
Mr. Murakami.
Yes?
Why did you become…
a bureaucrat?
"Why"?
I mean,
I doubt anyone would become a bureaucrat so they could do bad things.
I've forgotten why.
I'm sure you remember why.
I'm sure you, too…
have thought that things weren't supposed to be like this.
I am very sorry.
I have…
nothing to tell you.
Will you…
change things with me?
We can do it together.
Something
has to change.
Goodbye.
Welcome back.
Thanks.
They insisted on staying up to wait for you.
Figures.
Did it go all right?
Yes.
Want something to drink?
I think I'll have some coffee.
Sure thing.
Say, Yukiko.
Yes?
What would you do if I quit my job?
Well, let's see.
We could open a bento lunch shop together.
Why a bento lunch shop?
I don't know, but it seems like fun.
We could have Hayato and Natsuki help us. It would be the four of us.
Nice. I like it.
You haven't laughed like that in a while, Shin.
Remember what you used to always say?
"I work for
the citizens of Japan."
"So I will be a bureaucrat who works for the helpless."
But you seem like you've been under a lot of stress lately.
You try to hide it, but it's so totally obvious.
If the four of us,
Hayato, Natsuki,
you, and I…
can live a tranquil life together,
that would make me happiest of all.
Shin…
I want you to live life…
the way that suits you best.
Yes.
You're right.
I think…
I'll start over living life my way.
Thank you.
Good morning.
-Good morning. -Good morning.
-Morning.
Ms. Matsuda, the trial will be starting soon, won't it?
Yes. Starting next week.
Do you think you'll win?
We're still the underdogs,
but the chances aren't zero though.
I believe you'll win for sure.
Thank you.
Matsuda.
I read your e-mail.
Is this true?
I've independently confirmed it. I can go ahead with this, right?
Of course.
Nice work.
REQUEST TO RE-OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO CORPORATIONS RECEIVING SUBSIDIES
SHINPO AGENCY EMPLOYEE KOHEI MATSUDA
So professional.
Don't make fun of me.
I'll start now.
Go ahead.
Okay, it's recording.
Let's see.
Start by giving your name, please.
I am Mayu Yokokawa.
Let's see. So I'd like to ask you
how you felt when your job offer was canceled.
…yet to be developed?
It simply needs to be made a reality.
Like with Eishin,
as long as those at the top get what they want, that's good enough.
That's ridiculous.
What?
Do you know how many people at the bottom suffer
from decisions made at the top?
You have no idea how miserable it is living filled with a sense of guilt!
-Murakami! -Answer me!
-You don't get it, do you? -Murakami!
I think…
there are probably a lot of people who've gone through
the same experience I have.
I know those companies aren't at fault.
But I would like there to be more programs to provide support to people like me.
INTERNAL MINISTRY DOCS: SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE CABINET POSSIBLY INVOLVED IN AI FRAUD
In 10 or 20 years,
when we're even more grown-up,
I wonder what it is that we can do
in order for us to proudly declare that Japan is a good country.
INTERNAL MINISTRY DOCS: SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE CABINET POSSIBLY INVOLVED IN AI FRAUD
Hello?
People say that we, young people,
despise politics and are apathetic toward it.
But I don't think we're like this because we want to be.
What can we do
to get everyone to think about how to make this a better world?
The press
and the people who help run this country
and of course us as well,
I wish we could all work together for the benefit of this country.
INTERNAL MINISTRY DOCS: SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE CABINET POSSIBLY INVOLVED IN AI FRAUD
Here you go.
Hayato, get up.
Mr. Toyoda, is the story about fraudulent AI subsidies true?
Please comment on the voice recordings and internal documents!
Was there collusion by the PM?
What do you think about the police re-opening the investigation?
-Mr. Toyoda! -Mr. Toyoda! Please answer!
SUZUKI FAMILY GRAVE
What did you talk to Kazuya about?
I asked him to watch over me
and help me become a successful newspaper journalist.
That depends entirely on you.
Oh, cut that out. I know that.
You should do your best, okay?
Okay.
It's about time to go.
We might be able to get Shinichi Murakami to testify.
That would be our strongest evidence.
You sure as heck are persistent.
Boss.
Please remember what the purpose of our work is.
I'll try to get the higher-ups to support it.
What?
I'm a public prosecutor too.
I do still have at least some sense of justice.
EISHIN DOCUMENT TAMPERING TRIAL BEGINS
MR. SUZUKI'S WIFE: "I WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH."
NAGOYA DISTRICT COURT
The time has come.
Let's do our best.
Thank you for all you've done, Ryo.
That's what I should be saying to you.
I wonder how it will go.
I don't know,
but I'm sure it depends on us.
This is where it begins.
We should be going too.
Yes.
The characters and events that appear in this work are fictitious
and do not depict real life.
Subtitle translation by: Brian Athey