A London-based Japanese actor has produced and premiered a short film about the 1944 Battle of Imphal between the Imperial Japanese Army and the Allied forces to deliver a message — the world should never wage war again.
The film "Imphal 1944" by Junichi Kajioka depicts a Japanese veteran who devoted half his life to reconciliation between Japan and Britain after fighting in the battle, and a former British soldier who befriended the Japanese. The film is based on the life of former Japanese soldier, Masao Hirakubo (1919-2008), who was an awarded the Order of the British Empire.
At an event to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the battle this year, the 30-minute film in which 44-year-old Kajioka plays the role of Hirakubo, was screened at a theater in Imphal, northeastern India, in late June, and received a standing ovation from hundreds in the audience.