Movie "This is Kirishima"

I lived under a false name.
But he didn't lie in his heart.

On January 26, 2024, shocking news spread across Japan. It was discovered that a man believed to be Satoshi Kirishima (70), a member of the East Asia Anti-Japanese Armed Front wanted for a series of corporate bombings in the 1970s, had been hospitalized in a hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture with terminal stomach cancer.
The man had been known as "Uchida Hiroshi" for several decades and had been working as a live-in employee at a civil engineering company in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture. He had used this name when he was hospitalized, but had not presented any identification such as his health insurance card, and said, "I want to die under my real name." He passed away on the 29th, three days after the news was released, bringing to an end a life on the run that had lasted for nearly half a century.
Kirishima Satoshi was wanted nationwide on suspicion of violating the Explosives Control Act for his involvement in the planting and detonation of a bomb at the Korea Industrial Economic Research Institute building in Ginza, Tokyo on April 19, 1975. Ultimately, no charges were filed due to the suspect's death.

What was Kirishima thinking, what crime did he commit, and what kind of life on the run did he lead for the next half century?
Student newspaper intern鑑賞I would like to share my impressions of the movie. I hope you all will come to the theater!

While this is a fictional film based on interviews, witnessing the life story of Kirishima Satoshi allows viewers to experience not just the image of a wanted criminal, but also the human experience. I only knew his face and name after seeing the wanted poster, but I sensed a more ordinary life than I could have imagined, working hard in civil engineering and exchanging greetings with neighbors. This film also offers a glimpse into his commitment to those in vulnerable positions. I was shocked when I saw the news last year that he had revealed his real name at the end of his life, but even without knowing the serial corporate bombings 50 years ago, it made me think about why they committed these crimes and what they were thinking. While they committed crimes, this film broadens our perspective on the crimes, suggesting that their motives may have been to help someone they wanted to help.
Sophia University, 4th year student, Shirasaka Himari

It was the first time I had ever felt the gravity of the act of "running away" so vividly.
What struck me most after watching the film was that the loneliness, anxiety, and regret felt by Kirishima, a man, was conveyed through the screen in a way that would not be apparent from simply knowing the outline of the incident. Emotions that could not be known from news reports or articles were certainly present.
What was particularly impressive was the pain of living in the tension of never knowing when your true identity will be revealed. This tense daily life is carefully portrayed through the quiet direction and the delicate acting of Maikuma Katsuya, and even the viewer's breathing becomes shallower as they watch. The motives for Kirishima's actions are also conveyed naturally, not through words, but through facial expressions and timing - and before I knew it, I found myself trying to understand him.
While depicting the wanted criminals in the crime, the film also asks the question, "How should we live as human beings?" The film left a lasting impression long after the film was over, quietly moving the heart.
Karin Ishimatsu, a third-year student at Tsuda University

Ever since I was a child, I often saw wanted posters of Kirishima Satoshi at police stations. Back then, whenever I saw his face, I was overcome with shivers, and even as I got older, the impact remained immense (laughs). However, contrary to my image of him, the film left me with the impression that it depicted Kirishima's life on the run in a leisurely manner. Watching him interact with the people he met, converse with them, and build relationships with them, I even began to wonder, "Is this guy really a criminal?"
Furthermore, the fusion of fiction and non-fiction stimulates the viewer's imagination, making them wonder, "Maybe this person actually lived such an elegant life," or "But there's no way they could have lived such an easy life." Also, be sure to pay attention to the process by which the appearance of the house and the views of the people around them change over time as they live a settled life.
First of all, what is a "normal life"? I recommend watching the film with the mindset of watching over someone's life, while constantly letting your imagination run wild.
Mai Wakao, third-year student at International Christian University

Everyone knows his face, but I only knew his face and didn't fully understand what crime he committed. Before seeing the movie, I assumed he was a wanted criminal and therefore possessed even more heinous and dangerous views. However, the film portrayed him as a man with a strong sense of justice, someone who was proactive in reaching out to those in need and sympathizing with the vulnerable. His sense of justice ultimately led him to commit a crime, but it made me realize the prejudice of stereotyping someone as "dangerous because they're a criminal." The story is set in Japan during the period of rapid economic growth, when a labor movement erupted among unfairly treated workers. Today, to the point where workers are often referred to as gods, labor supply constraints are becoming more and more prevalent, and workers are shifting from being chosen to choosing. It can be assumed that in today's world, dissatisfied with their working conditions, more people would consider changing jobs rather than striking. In other words, the historical context also influenced his actions. If he had been a student today with access to the internet, would he have avoided committing the crime of bombing and lived a free life?
Ayami Matsuyama, 1st year student at Aoyama Gakuin University