A Japanese drama that instigated a nationwide debate about female infidelity and societal values, "Hirugao: Love Affairs in the Afternoon" has been made into a heart-wrenching movie that aims to have audiences reaching for the tissues.

Set three years after the television series ended, the film focuses on the illicit relationship between Sawa Sasamoto (Aya Ueto) and Yuichiro Kitano (Takumi Saito), who rekindle their love affair after a chance meeting in a seaside town. The former has already divorced from her husband, but Yuichiro is still married to Noriko. The role of his long-suffering wife is played brilliantly by actress and occasional singer Ayumi Ito, whom The Japan Times recently met at a hotel in Roppongi.

"When it comes to Japanese dramas and movies, the husband is traditionally portrayed as the cheat while the wife stays at home cooking and cleaning," says Ito, who is also known among "Final Fantasy" fans as the voice behind Tifa Lockhart. "'Hirugao' challenges that stereotype. There are many people having affairs in this country and it's not always initiated by men. Women are also looking for something more exciting in their lives.