The Emperor in August

The story

In July 1945, Japan’s leaders are deadlocked over surrender as the Potsdam Declaration, and then the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, force the war to a breaking point. Cabinet meetings stretch through days and nights while the emperor worries about his people, General Korechika Anami wrestles with the decision, and Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki tries to hold the government together. At the same time, young officers opposed to surrender move to seize the palace and a radio station before the imperial broadcast can go out. Koji Yakusho and Masahiro Motoki are among the officials and military men caught inside the standoff.