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TOEI PRESENTS

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The Strait of Hunger.

A strait like many of the straits in Japan.

Both love and hate reside in its depths.

As well as people with great hearts, tortured by misery.

A FUGITIVE FROM THE PAST

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: HIROSHI OKAWA

BASED ON THE NOVEL BY TSUTOMU MINAKAMI

SCREENPLAY BY NAOYUKI SUZUKI

CINEMATOGRAPHY BY HANJIRO NAKAZAWA

ART DIRECTION BY MIKIO MORI MUSIC BY ISAO TOMITA

SFX. DIRECTION BY SADAO UEMURA ASST. DIRECTION BY HAKU YAMAUCHI

TOEI W106 OPERATION - FILM RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT TEAM:

MICHIO MIDORIKAWA, YOSHIO MIYAJIMA, SHOZO ONISHI, TOYOTAKA YAMAMOTO

CAST:

RENTARO MIKUNI

SACHIKO HIDARI

KOJI MITSUI, YOSHI KATO SADAKO SAWAMURA, SUSUMU FUJITA

AKIKO KAZAMI, SEIICHIRO KAMEISHI

SHUSUKE SONE, MITSUO ANDO, RINICHI YAMAMOTO

KEN SAWAAKI, TADASHI SUGANUMA, KO SHINDO

YURIKO ANJO, KOJI SEKIYAMA, ITSUMA MOGAMI

KEN TAKAKURA

JUNZABURO BAN

DIRECTED BY TOMU UCHIDA

The Tsugaru Strait, between Honshu and Hokkaido,

was threatened by a typhoon.

At dawn on September 20th, 1947,

the weather forecast announced

that Typhoon No. 10 was going to hit the south-west

and would pass near the north of Tokyo.

The Sounmaru, a ferry of the Seikan line,

left the port of Hakodate at the scheduled time

with 856 passengers onboard.

HAKODATE

But at about 8:00pm,

the weather forecast gave a different warning.

The typhoon was changing its route

and seemed to be heading towards the south of Hokkaido.

A warning report was sent out to all fishing ports

from the south coast of Hokkaido up north to Iwanai.

Wind speeds were up to 55mph inland...

...and up to 78mph out at sea.

This unexpected typhoon caused a great deal of damage.

SASADA - PAWNBROKER

Fire! Fire at Sasada's home!

They mustn't see our faces. You get the tickets.

Three tickets for Hakodate.

Where's the tickets?

- There's a typhoon. - The fire will spread fast.

You're bleeding.

Here we go...

For you.

Here.

Give me a light.

Hey! Don't touch!

Your attention, please!

We are terribly sorry, but due to the typhoon

this train will have to stop here temporarily.

Thank you for your understanding.

- How long will it be? - Difficult to say, sir.

What a pain!

How far is it on foot to Hakodate?

About an hour, under normal circumstances.

But with this weather, it will take longer.

Oh, dear!

Sorry for any inconvenience, but please be patient.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but please wait patiently.

- Let's walk. - Walk?

Yeah. From Hakodate, we'll go across the strait.

What the hell's going on?

Looks like a ferry sank.

Police Inspector! Over here!

Hide! We have to hide!

Hey, give us some help!

Boss! Boss!

The beach is full of drowned corpses.

I'm heading back there. You warn the police.

Hey, big fella, find a boat.

What are we gonna do?

When it gets dark, we'll cross the strait.

SOUNMARU

Help!

The day after, September 21st.

FERRY CAPSIZES OUTSIDE HAKODATE HARBOR

The typhoon destroyed the south of Hokkaido.

EIGHTY PERCENT OF IWANAI CITY DESTROYED BY FIRE

There are dead bodies here!

It's the Sasada family!

The three victims died after a violent confrontation.

The laboratory says that their skulls were completely smashed in.

The murderer took their money from the safe and set fire to the place.

FERRY DISASTER VICTIMS - MORGUE ENTRANCE

- Good day. - Good day, sir.

Good day, sir.

- They're all accounted for? - Only two bodies haven't been reclaimed.

Only two?

- Let me see them. - Open the coffin.

They've been beaten.

Beaten by someone?

I don't think so.

I think they must have fallen on some floating broken timber.

But it's strange the both corpses have exactly the same wound pattern.

Open them both again.

CRISIS UNIT SOUNMARU SHIPWRECK

HAKODATE POLICE STATION

The Sounmaru officially had 856 passengers onboard.

There were 532 victims of the shipwreck, all identified.

But there are two extra bodies, not on the boarding list.

So, the 532 official victims,

they've all been identified by their relatives.

As of today, only these two bodies

have not been reclaimed.

They are still at the morgue.

Are they simply illegal passengers? We must be sure.

The Bodhisattva of Compassion

When he meditated deeply

He saw the emptiness of the Five Skandhas

And sundered the bonds that caused him suffering...

Inspector Yumisaka!

You recite the Heart Sutra better than I do!

Not at all.

So, you're not going to cremate these bodies?

Is there a reason for that?

It's my intuition as a policeman.

These two men didn't die simply by drowning, I believe.

And if I am mistaken, their relatives can still view their corpses.

SASADA CASE - MURDER & ARSON INVESTIGATION

Sir, I made enquiries at the bank.

Sasada hadn't made any deposits recently.

Apparently, he didn't trust the banks and kept all his cash at home.

He must have had about 800,000 yen in cash.

There's something else...

Three days before the disaster,

the Sasadas went to the Asahi Hot Springs resort.

I'm going there to make enquiries.

- Be thorough. - Good luck.

Thanks.

Inspector Tajima, this gentleman's been waiting to see you.

My name's Sumoto, deputy director of Abashiri Prison.

I have information for you.

In June this year, I released two prisoners on parole.

Their names are Hachiro Numata and Chukichi Kijima.

However, it seems they never returned to their home addresses.

These are the two men.

This is Kijima. And this is Numata.

The circumstances surrounding the Sasada family's murder in Iwanai

are very similar to the crime for which Numata was convicted.

The similarity hit me as soon as I read it in the paper, so I came straight here.

It's at the foot of this hill.

ASAHI HOT SPRINGS

Yes, the Sasadas stayed here from September 16th to 18th.

- Did you have other visitors staying? - Yes.

- Hey, bring the register! - Yes.

Were these men among the visitors?

Yes, it was them. For certain.

- Actually, there were three of them. - Three of them?

- Not just these two? - There were definitely three of them.

There you go.

"Sapporo, Southern District, No. 21. Takichi Inukai, plus two others."

- Who filled this out? - The tallest of the three.

One of them started to fill it in,

but then the other one took the register and handed it to the tallest guy.

Then the tallest guy filled it in.

The tall one, what did he look like?

"A third man named Takichi Inukai.

"Age about 28 or 29 years old.

"Height about six feet.

"Dusky skin, with a beard.

"He spoke with an accent from west Japan."

All that's noted.

So, Numata's the assassin, then,

and Kijima and Inukai are his accessories to the crime, right?

Yes, I'll open the investigation.

Are there photos of Numata and Kijima?

Reprints?

Send them to me urgently, please.

Are the three of them hiding in Hakodate?

Send out an urgent notice to all police stations on the island.

It's clear they wanted to leave the island as quickly as possible with their loot,

by boarding a ferry in Hakodate.

Sato, go and question the shipping company.

Tonami, you go and question the fishermen at the port.

Even the smallest detail counts. And find witnesses.

- Yes, sir. - Get to work.

Investigation section.

Is that you, Sato?

Nothing on the boarding registers? Understood.

Investigation section.

Yes. For you, boss.

Yumisaka here.

What?

A fishing boat was stolen?

- When was that? - They say on the 20th.

It was one of the boats requisitioned to search for bodies.

- There's been no sign of it since. - That's odd.

The police returned all the boats the day after the shipwreck.

A fireman requisitioned it, you say?

I'm coming.

What time on the 20th?

At sunset. Around 5:00pm.

5:00pm?

- Did the man have a beard? - He did.

I offered to help him, but he told me that he had partners nearby.

- Partners? - Yeah.

Boss, it definitely sounds like the three of them.

The sea in the Strait was very rough.

They'd only get as far as Shimokita.

It was above that cliff.

Where exactly, I don't know,

but I saw a fire during the night of the 23rd.

Yumisaka! Yumisaka!

Thank you.

Look, there are ashes.

Do people normally build fires around here?

Not the fishermen, anyway. Right, Officer Tsuda?

Not many people come here, not even the forest rangers.

Tonami, what do you think?

Inukai's a strong fellow.

Numata and Kijima bulked up in prison.

The three of them could've done it.

Tonami...

They must've burned the boat here, so as not to leave any traces.

Go back up to the top of Oma.

I'll head down towards Ominato.

Somebody must've seen them.

Find those witnesses.

My sleeve is wet with my tears.

I have so many things to tell you.

Where should I begin?

I'm so touched when I look at my children!

And I weep when I see the face of my husband...

When I crossed the River of Death to enter into the afterlife,

I understood that I could never return.

There are seven paths that lead to hell,

but there is no way back...

Wait!

Wait!

Grandmother...

Here... take these.

I don't smoke.

- It's too much. - Not at all!

That's very kind of you. Thank you so much.

Do you want a rice ball?

Go on.

I'm starving.

You're a nice person.

Who, me?

Yes, I can sense it.

Want another one?

My mother died only three years ago.

My father paid a medium, who made us hear my mother's voice.

The voice of your dead mother?

The medium came from Osorezan, "Mount Fear".

A medium from Mount Fear?

It was an old woman who could summon the spirits of the dead.

And did you hear your mother's voice?

"There's no turning back. There's no way to go back," she said.

Unbelievable!

Those old women talk nonsense!

Are you going to Ominato?

Me, too.

OMINATO

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Goodbye.

- Ah, Chizuru! Welcome home. - I just got back.

- I'm home! - You were quick.

HANAYA HOUSE

BUS STOP - KAWAUCHI BRIDGE

There's enough time...

HANAYA HOUSE

Ah, it's you!

You followed me, didn't you?

Come in, come in.

- Let me take these. - It's fine...

Of course!

Come on in. This way.

Come up! Come up!

In here, in here.

My dear!

The bath's hot.

Are you coming?

- Let me help you. - I'm fine!

I'll bathe on my own.

You're a funny one!

Shave off your beard.

I don't like hairy faces!

No! That way!

Down the stairs.

Turn right, and it's at the end of the corridor.

Three men, you say?

I haven't noticed anyone.

One of them is tall and has a beard.

Let's see...

How many brothels are there in Ominato?

Well, up until two years ago,

there were hundreds of them, because of the naval base.

But since the end of the war, there are only eighty left.

- Why do you ask? - I'll have to investigate every one.

HOKKAIDO DEVASTATED BY TYPHOON

Help!

Help!

What are you doing there?

What's wrong?

Come on over here.

Come over here and sit yourself down.

Would you like some?

So, then...

Without the beard, you're a good looking man.

Shall I bring you some sake?

I don't drink.

You're a shy one, aren't you?

What's your name?

I'm Chizuru.

It's written with the characters for "Thousand Cranes".

My real name is Yae Sugito.

Tell me your name.

And don't give me a false name like all the other clients do.

Takichi Inukai.

Takichi Inukai's my name.

Mr. Inukai, is it?

Mr. Inukai, right?

Oh, dear!

Such horrible weather!

You'll have to stay the night!

Mount Osore... You could say it's crying.

Is that the mountain that makes dead people talk?

Yes, where the itako live.

My dear... are you frightened?

Are you frightened?

"There is no way back!

- "There is no way back..." - Stop!

"I weep, seeing my husband's face!

"But it's too late to go back!"

Stop!

Stop! Stop!

"I crossed the river, the river that leads to the afterlife..."

Please stop!

"There is no way back!

"No way back!"

"Before me, seven paths lead to hell."

Stop! Stop!

MOUNT OSORE TALISMAN

My dear...

You despise me, don't you?

I can feel it.

But I don't mind.

Did I talk in my sleep?

You didn't say a word.

Good.

Dearest...

Give me your hand.

You have such long nails.

So, your mother died?

Yes.

She did nothing but work, work, work.

My poor mother!

- And yours? - Still around.

Good for you.

What does your father do?

- He's a woodcutter. - Eh?

Woodcutter!

He cuts down trees for the municipality and for rich people.

He always takes his lunch box with him.

But at the moment,

he can no longer work because of his rheumatism.

And the other hand.

You're poor, like me.

When my mother died, we fell into debt.

That's why I can't leave this job.

What happened to your thumb?

- It's misshapen. - It was crushed by a wagon.

You must have suffered.

Poor little thumb!

You're a nice girl.

- Chizuru? - Yes!

Listen...

Will you sleep here tonight?

No, I'm leaving.

- You're leaving? - What do I owe you?

How much is it?

It's 50 yen.

Tell me...

When will you be coming back?

I haven't counted it,

but here, this is for you.

I didn't steal it. I made it on the black market.

It's for you.

Wait a moment, my dear!

He said he didn't steal it.

What do I do?

What do I do?

Ouch!

Mr. Inukai...

Three men, you say? Well, no, not here.

But there was a tall fellow with a beard.

- When was that? - Last night.

Last night?

He was with Chizuru in her room.

Chizuru?

Can I talk to her?

Well, actually, she's taking her father for a stay at the hot springs.

They left this morning.

- Do you know which hot springs? - She said she was going to Yunokawa.

It's near her home village.

Yunokawa?

YUNOKAWA HOT SPRINGS

Dad...

...I want to quit working at Hanaya House.

What about our debts?

I'll pay them off.

With what money?

Well, I've been busy recently, I've had a lot of clients.

I'll pay off everything and head to Tokyo.

Tokyo?

I don't want to do this job anymore.

People know I'm a prostitute and look down on me.

Dad...

I want to get away from here.

I want to live the life of an honest woman.

Are you listening to me, Dad?

I'm listening.

Listen, you remember Toki, who used to work with me?

Now, she's earning well in Tokyo.

She sends 2,000 yen a month to her ma.

Really?

Well, go, if you want.

I'm staying here till I die.

Miss Yae Sugito?

My name's Yumisaka. I'm with the Hakodate Police.

Sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, but I'm looking for a man.

He looks like a client that you had.

That tall man, from yesterday.

Can you describe the tall man for me?

He was wearing the uniform of a repatriated soldier.

- He was coming from Kawauchi. - From Kawauchi?

Yes, he said he worked at the sawmill in Kawauchi.

He said his name was Kudo.

Kudo?

A brawny fellow with a square face.

He said almost nothing. I was bored with him.

Did he have an accent from west Japan?

He sounded more from up north.

Was he carrying a bag?

- No, just a small package. - Really?

I must've made a mistake.

I thought he was the one, as he matched the physical description.

Thanks, anyway.

You know, I never tell lies.

Lying gets you nowhere, doesn't it, Detective?

Are you heading to Tokyo?

Life here in Ominato is hard.

In Tokyo, I could earn much more and help my family out.

I see.

Goodbye, then, and good luck.

Tell the truth to a cop? Never!

Dad...

I'm leaving for Tokyo tomorrow.

Still nothing? You're wasting taxpayers' money.

You're not even capable of finding the stolen boat!

Get a move on!

You understand?

The three criminals from Iwanai escaped to Hokkaido!

Here's the report from Sapporo. Get to work!

And? Did it go badly?

KIJIMA (29 years), NUMATA (27 years)

Hey, Tonami, come here!

It's the dead guys!

Open it.

Right.

Open the other one.

- It's the two of them. - No doubt about it.

There you go.

- Thanks! - Eat up.

- A full bowl for you. - Thank you!

Is it tasty?

These two unclaimed corpses...

They didn't go down with the Sounmaru and drown.

But they're the ex-cons from Abashiri Prison.

What are you doing?

What's going on, you two?

He stole my potatoes!

Stop lying, you!

- You ate them! - No, I didn't...

Enough! Quieten down!

Don't look at me like that!

Don't be like that, Father!

Ichiro wouldn't do anything bad. He's just hungry.

You won't let me shop on the black market.

These portions aren't enough for the boys.

Pass your bowl.

You poor thing...

Are you going out?

Please be careful, dear!

Just calm down.

Quieten down.

You have to rethink everything, from the very beginning.

After having escaped Iwanai, the three of them came to Hakodate.

It was chaos because of the disaster.

A great opportunity for them.

They disguised themselves as firemen, and then they took a boat.

With all those boats and all those drowned bodies,

nobody would have noticed them.

After that, complications arose.

Numata and Kijima had sustained rather strange wounds.

I sense a crime here.

It's not inconceivable.

The tall one must've thrown the other two in the sea.

That way, everyone would think that they were victims of the Sounmaru.

That would mean that Inukai crossed the Strait on his own.

In that case,

there wasn't the three of them to lift the boat.

But could he have done it by himself?

Why not?

Inukai is strong. He must have extraordinary strength.

He could've lifted the boat.

He could have, by breaking it up first.

And then, where did he go?

On the Shimokita Peninsula, there were no witnesses.

That's not possible.

Somebody must have seen him.

But who?

The girl surely didn't lie to me.

You know, I never tell lies.

Lying gets you nowhere, doesn't it, Detective?

Ah, it's her!

Boss, I need you to let me go to Tokyo.

Tokyo? What for?

A girl from Ominato, Yae Sugito, is in Tokyo.

I have to question her about Inukai.

I'll tell you why she left for Tokyo.

You may say that my reasoning doesn't make sense.

By chance, she left for Tokyo...

...the very day after she met a man who resembles Inukai.

With Tonami, I investigated everywhere on the Shimokita Peninsula.

A big guy like Inukai couldn't go unnoticed.

Someone must've lied in order to help him.

And that person is Yae Sugito.

Yae Sugito...

I'll give you ten days. Will that be enough?

It'll be difficult, but I believe we're on the right track.

FIGHT THE KATAYAMA GOVERNMENT!

FIGHT THE CONSERVATIVES!

WE'RE ALL STARVING!

- Good morning. - Yes?

Sorry to disturb you.

I'm looking for the house of Tokiko Katsuragi from Aomori.

Ah, the girl from up north that lives alone? Over there.

Are you Tokiko Katsuragi?

Yes, why?

Have you seen Yae Sugito?

- Yae? From Ominato? - That's right.

- Is she in Tokyo? - She's not seen you yet?

No. If she does come, she'll pass by here.

She always dreamt of coming to Tokyo.

I see.

I'm a policeman.

Let me know when she shows up.

Please call me here.

Thanks.

Yae must've done something stupid.

Thanks for before.

- Did you find her? - Yes, thanks to you.

Not at all.

I'm from the police.

- Oh... from Hokkaido? - Yes.

I'd like to use your shop as an observation post.

- A few days, maximum. - Well, if it's necessary...

I appreciate your cooperation.

Come and see our pretty girls.

It's just there.

Won't you come and have a drink?

- Where? - Very close.

I'll come another time.

The police!

PROMOTE THE WITHDRAWAL OF OUR COMPATRIOTS IN CHINA!

What's up, pretty girl?

Boss!

I've had enough!

Kazu, the girl next door, has been arrested.

You'll get used to that on night duty.

Sit down and serve our customers.

Pour me a glass.

- Careful. - Sorry.

She's quite pretty, your new girl.

She's not someone that sleeps around.

She wants honest work. So treat her right.

Tonight, we have stew. Would you like some?

- I'm fine, I'm off soon. - Oh, really?

- You go ahead and wait for me. - Yeah?

- See you! - Thank you very much.

You have nice hands.

- Here. - Thank you very much.

- Keep the change. - Thanks.

Thanks as always, Mr. Ogawa!

Watch him, Yae. He flirts with all the new ones.

Don't be fooled by him.

Mr. Inukai...

Thanks to your money,

I reimbursed all the debts I had in Ominato...

...and I managed to help out my father and my brothers and sisters.

This is all I have left.

I won't touch any more of it.

Each month, I will add the money that I've earned honestly.

Mr. Inukai, thank you. I'll never forget your kindness.

Yae? Yae?

Yes?

Fill in for me at the bar!

Sure!

I'll be back.

Wait for me.

Hiya!

Welcome.

You alone, tonight?

The boss went to the bath house.

Give us a drink.

Listen, tonight, we don't have money.

Give us credit. Okay?

Well, it's the boss who makes that decision.

We're not waiting around for her!

You can trust my boss here.

He's handsome and rich.

I envy him.

Don't make such a big thing out of it.

Don't just stand there, serve us!

Another blackout!

- Unbelievable! - Sorry.

- Is it everywhere? - I'll light a candle.

We can't see a thing!

Nothing to eat, no electricity...

And all the girls wanna sleep with the Yankees. It's the end of the world!

- Shut up. - Good grief!

PAYING YOUR TAXES HELPS DEMOCRACY ADVANCE

- Here you go. - Many thanks.

- Thanks. - See you again soon!

Welcome.

- Bring any customers? - No, sorry.

Madam, give me the bill.

There's also the bill from the other day.

Is three hundred alright?

- Keep the change. - Thanks again, as always.

Here, a little present from my boss for the other day.

Wait!

You're not from round here, eh?

- Who's your boss? - Nobody.

I just came to pay my bill.

Listen. Don't show your face here again. And you can tell your boss that!

Madam, I'm scared. Give this back to him.

No way, I'm as scared as you.

I'm uncomfortable taking this.

Oh, Mr. Machida!

Hey.

It's not much.

Don't be scared, sweetheart! I'll take care of those guys.

Give me that flask.

Nobody saw or heard anything.

If they come back, I'll take care of them. Is that okay?

- Are you going out? - Yes...

Just going to see a friend.

- Does it have to be today? - I'll definitely be back tonight.

There's a lot of work. Come back early.

These young girls, they only think about themselves.

Excuse me... where's Tokiko Katsuragi's place?

- Tokiko? - Yes.

Oh, it's over there.

Stop! You'll break everything!

Bastards!

- I asked you to stop! - Shut up!

Are you the owner, madam? This is my beat.

- Do you have a waitress? - She's out.

We'll come back for her. You're coming with us.

I'm sorry, Inukai.

All I wanted was to live a normal life...

Is your name Yae?

It's a pretty name.

In this line of work, some clients can get rough.

You know what I mean?

Yes.

- Should we hire her? - She'll attract plenty of clients.

You have a ration book, right?

No? I don't need to see it right now, but bring it next time.

We'll buy rice on the black market.

But the ration book is just to reassure the police.

I don't have one.

You don't have one?

I left it in my hometown.

There's not enough to feed my brothers and sisters,

so I left my ration book at home for them to use.

That's going to be a problem.

Oh, well, I'll sort it out with the police.

It'll be fine. It's okay.

So... will you take me in, then?

Yeah. Bring your stuff whenever you want.

Alright!

I'll go home right now, and I'll be here first thing tomorrow morning.

Thank you so much.

Wait.

You've got money for your train ticket?

Yes... I have money.

Fine. We'll be expecting you, then.

Hey... what's wrong with you?

- I'm happy. - Why are you crying?

I'm so happy!

If you'd turned me away, I'd be on the street.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Don't push me!

Right, I understand.

A prostitute in the port of Ominato in Shimokita.

Her name is Yae Sugito.

You must be exhausted, investigating for ten days straight.

It'll be difficult to find her.

Tokyo nowadays is absolutely full of prostitutes.

And if she works under a different name,

it'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

It'll be tough, but I'll do my best.

I appreciate your help.

MOVEMENT TO REPATRIATE DEMOBILIZED SERVICEMEN!

Sir, how about a shoe polish?

It's an American shoe!

UENO TRAIN STATION

Good evening.

This doll has a strange face, madam.

Keep hold of her until next New Year.

You replace her each year.

And all the lies you told during the year will disappear.

Like in the song. All your lies...

But Yae is so funny, madam.

She never gets rid of them. She's got four years' worth of dolls!

Why?

Well, I have my reasons.

You're so secretive!

One more.

Mr. Inukai...

Thank you.

It's been five years, and I've worked hard and saved a lot of money.

You're my savior.

I owe you everything.

One day, I would like to be able to thank you.

However...

...I wonder if Takichi Inukai is your real name.

If it is fake, I'll never see you again.

My darling!

Where are you now?

You're probably sad and all alone.

If that's the case, I would like to thank you in my own way.

I shall wait.

Five years. Ten years, even.

Come on, girls! Mr. Motojima wants to talk to you.

What's it about?

- Oh, water melon! - There's water melon!

It looks delicious. It's a treat from the boss.

Hey, girls, listen.

It's important to stick together.

As you must already know, the law will soon forbid our profession.

We will no longer be able to work starting from April.

- So it's true, then? - Oh, yes.

So, you still have six months,

but I want you all to start thinking about your future.

We have to reap what we can.

I hope you're all making plans for the future.

The town hall offers some educational training.

So, let's see...

"A donation of 30 million yen to a reform program for ex-convicts.

"The supporter is Kyoichiro Tarumi, a businessman from Maizuru."

Kyoichiro Tarumi?

That's wrong!

It's Mr. Inukai.

It's Mr. Inukai, I'm sure of it.

Maybe Takichi Inukai was a fake name, then?

No, maybe I'm mistaken.

But... I'll find out, if I see him.

That's it...

I'll go see him!

KYOICHIRO TARUMI

What is this about?

Are you Mrs. Tarumi?

Actually, I saw the picture of your husband in the newspaper.

I came to thank him for his help.

It was ten years ago.

My husband helped you?

Yes.

If you could just let me see him for ten minutes.

I won't bother you.

Wait a moment, please.

Sorry to keep you waiting. He said he'll see you.

Please, come in.

Please, come in.

Take a seat, please.

Please.

Mr. Inukai...

What a pleasure to see you again!

My name is Tarumi.

Kyoichiro Tarumi.

- I understand you're from Ominato. - Yes.

Sit down, please.

I've been to Ominato.

But I don't recollect ever having met you.

We met each other.

You came to see me at Hanaya House, but your name was Inukai.

You were wearing a uniform like those released from military service.

And you had a beard.

You gave me 34,000 yen.

Don't you remember, I was known as Chizuru at the time?

No...

Please try to remember.

We first met on the train, right?

Mr. Inukai...

Well, I'm sorry.

Mr. Inukai!

Sorry...

...I keep calling you Mr. Inukai.

Mr. Tarumi...

I must have surprised you, turning up so suddenly like this.

The reason I came to see you is simply to thank you.

Thanks to your generosity,

my father's illness was cured.

My brothers and sisters were able to grow up,

and now they all have jobs.

I managed to pay off all my debts and to move to Tokyo.

All of this was thanks to you.

I wanted to see you again, see the great man you became.

And I wanted to thank you.

I'm happy that I was able to do that.

Mr. Inukai!

I don't know what to say to you.

I don't know this "Inukai" you're talking about.

Why would I lie?

Certainly, I went to Ominato.

But...

...I've been there only very recently.

You wanted to see this Inukai fellow so much

that you must've confused him with me.

Mr. Tarumi...

I understand how you might despise a woman like me.

I was just a prostitute.

But...

...in that job...

...my body remembers the men who it touched.

And a man that I madly embraced...

...I could never forget a man like him.

Mr. Tarumi...

I've lived my life dreaming of being able to thank you.

And you're completely ignoring me.

I've lost all meaning in my life.

Hey, is anybody here?

Where's Toshiko?

Oh, Madam has gone out shopping.

Bring us some tea.

So, your name's Yae?

You have a pure heart.

So much effort to thank a man that helped you ten years ago.

I'm touched by your honesty.

A strange quirk of fate brought you here.

Now, I don't consider you a stranger.

If you ever happen to be in these parts again,

do come and visit.

Mr. Tarumi...

Forgive me, I got a little overwhelmed.

- I'll be leaving. - Well, have some tea first.

Mr. Inukai!

I knew it was you!

I'm not Inukai!

- You're Mr. Inukai! - I'm Tarumi!

- Mr. Inukai, I remember you! - My name is Tarumi!

- Mr. Inukai! It's you! - No!

- Mr. Inukai! - I'm not Inukai!

- I'm Tarumi... - Mr. Inukai.

Mr. Inukai!

I am Kyoichiro Tarumi.

Yae!

Yae!

Takenaka...

Did you see?

No! No!

Hey! There are dead bodies!

Dead bodies!

- Morning! - Morning, sir.

- Where did you find them? - Over there.

- Morning. - So?

She has a broken neck.

A broken neck?

A normal person wouldn't possess such strength.

What's this?

The weight that was attached to her leg.

Boss!

This was on her person.

The woman must've known Tarumi.

Nothing else?

No, nothing.

Nothing apart from a newspaper cutting. That's a bit strange.

The man was also strangled. Neither of them drowned.

- Neither of them? - That's right.

A double suicide of a woman and her young lover. It happens.

Something's odd, though.

They couldn't have strangled each other.

That would've required extraordinary strength.

You think someone must've helped them?

That would surprise me.

- Long time no see. - Sorry to disturb you so early.

I was just thinking...

- Have you read today's paper? - Not yet. Why?

A strange thing happened.

They found a dead couple on the beach.

The man was about 23 years old. The woman, in her thirties.

The woman had on her a recent newspaper article that concerned you.

This is it.

The bodies haven't been identified yet, but you might have some idea.

Well, this is the article about me.

- She had this? - Yes.

Mr. Ajimura...

The man is definitely Takenaka, who worked at my house.

- At your house? - Yes.

He'd left the day before yesterday and hadn't returned.

I was worried about him.

Hey!

Did Takenaka speak to you about the woman who came to see him?

I don't know. Takenaka didn't mention her.

Oh, what a fool!

He committed suicide with his ex-girlfriend.

Unbelievable...

Are the bodies at the morgue, Ajimura?

- Yes. - Can I see them?

I'm sure it's Takenaka.

That would be a great help to us.

I'll get changed.

It's definitely Takenaka.

What a fool he was, eh, Ajimura?

I wonder why he did it.

And the other one.

I don't understand the youth of today.

Do you know this woman?

I don't know her.

Never seen her before.

Boss?

Excuse me a moment.

- The woman's been identified. - Oh?

The owner of the hotel where she was staying

recognized her from the paper.

According to the register, she's from Tokyo.

Her name is Yae Sugito.

So, we put a call into Tokyo, and...

...it turns out she was a prostitute.

A prostitute?

That got us nowhere.

Nobody saw the man and woman together.

It's like there's no trace of them at all.

Thanks anyway.

A prostitute coming from as far away as Tokyo

to visit a young worker in the countryside...

Something doesn't add up.

There's definitely something strange going on.

Yeah... understood!

Boss!

The girl's father is coming down from Shimokita.

Oh? When?

He's taking the night train, so he should arrive first thing tomorrow.

Right...

Excuse me, sir. Are you the father of Yae Sugito?

I'm Inspector Ajimura, East Maizuru Police.

Thanks for coming, Mr. Motojima. You must be tired. You can rest first.

No, I want to see my daughter immediately.

I want to see my daughter Yae!

You're sure it was Yae who cut this article out?

Yes, I'm certain.

This newspaper was in Yae's room.

At the beginning of the month,

I spoke to the girls about the fact that the brothel would be closing.

I advised them to start thinking about their future.

This girl then said that she wanted to see someone first,

and that she would decide after getting advice from that person.

Maybe the person she was talking about

was Mr. Tarumi from the newspaper article.

I see.

Inspector, I find this whole thing very strange.

She would never think of committing suicide!

After she died, we learned that she'd saved 130,000 yen.

She worked tirelessly, without ever spending anything.

No social life, no new clothes.

All her money was the result of damned hard work.

Why would she choose to die, leaving all that money in her room?

I think someone killed her...

...after bringing her to this town.

Boss...

I suspect Tarumi.

Explain why.

First of all, nobody in the town ever saw Takenaka and Yae together.

However, Tarumi says that Takenaka left with a girl.

And we believed his deposition.

But no witness confirmed that.

Secondly...

Secondly?

If she had come to see Takenaka,

it's strange that the article doesn't mention his name at all.

Mr. Motojima's right.

Yae came here to see Tarumi.

On the other hand, Tarumi says that he doesn't know Yae.

That may be so. But Yae knew him.

Let's go and see her father.

Sir, I have some questions for you.

Does the name Takenaka ring a bell?

No.

And the name Tarumi?

No.

Could you tell me where Yae was working before she went to Tokyo?

In Ominato.

At the Hanaya brothel.

After she finished elementary school,

she went up to Ominato together with other girls from the village.

I thought she'd find an honest job.

That's why her mother and I let her leave.

But soon enough, she became a prostitute.

Did she mention anything about Tokyo in her letters?

In her letter last month,

she said she was probably going to change jobs.

Is that all?

That's all.

Yae used to write very little and very rarely.

I've just remembered something.

It was more than ten years ago now...

...I met a policeman who was looking for Yae.

He passed by my house many times.

And then, nothing. It may be useful to you.

- Ten years ago? - Yes.

He was working at the police station in Hakodate.

I remember now... his name was Detective Yumisaka.

He asked if a tall man had come to our home to visit Yae.

When I told him that I didn't know anything,

he headed straight to Tokyo to search for Yae.

A tall man, you say?

He would've been around six feet tall, according to the detective.

This was the only time she'd ever been involved with the police.

This Detective Yumisaka, was he a policeman in Hakodate?

Yes, in Hakodate.

Now that I think about it, this story is ten years old.

It can't have anything to do with what happened.

Ajimura...

Sir, excuse us for a moment.

Ajimura...

What do you think?

It's got to be Tarumi, hasn't it?

So, Yae came from Tokyo to see him.

You were right.

Yae came to speak to him about something that happened ten years ago.

- I'm going to see Tarumi. - Wait.

First, I want you to go... to Hakodate.

Hakodate?

Seek out this fellow Yumisaka.

And ask him why he worked so hard to find this man in Tokyo.

Leave Tarumi alone for the time being.

- Understood? - Yes, sir.

HAKODATE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER

Good day.

- I'm Yumisaka. - Ajimura.

Please.

To get straight to the point, I wanted to know if you knew Yae Sugito.

- Yae Sugito? - Yes.

I know her. What's happened to her?

She died. In what appears to be a double suicide.

A double suicide? Yae?

However, it looks like a simulated suicide.

Do you know a certain Kyoichiro Tarumi, Mr. Yumisaka?

Tarumi...?

A big man, around six feet tall.

I heard you'd been looking for him.

Wasn't this man called Tarumi?

Who is this Tarumi character?

An important businessman in Maizuru, very involved in the city's social life.

The other day, he donated 30 million towards an ex-convict reform program.

- Let me have a look... - Please.

Yae had this piece of paper on her person.

- She had this on her? - That's right.

It's Inukai.

It's definitely Takichi Inukai.

Takichi Inukai?

Ten years ago, I was looking for a very tall man

who'd murdered two ex-convicts from Abashiri Prison.

His name was Takichi Inukai.

Inukai is this man. No doubt about it.

At the time of the Sounmaru disaster.

- The Sounmaru? - That's right.

A very strange incident.

It happened at the same time as the shipwreck.

SOUNMARU SHIPWRECK RECORDS SEPT. 20, 1947

TWO DROWNED BODIES REMAIN UNCLAIMED

TWO DEAD IDENTIFIED AS H. NUMATA & C. KIJIMA - OCT. 3

ARSON ATTACK IN IWANAI SEPT. 20

Ten years may have passed, but I still hate this Inukai.

For the past ten years, Mr. Yumisaka,

this Inukai has made a fool of us

under the assumed name of Kyoichiro Tarumi.

This donation of 30 million was just to ease his conscience!

I'm certain of it.

I want to meet this Tarumi fellow.

I want to rip off his mask!

I'll pay my own way...

...but please let me accompany you to Maizuru, Mr. Ajimura.

Mr. Yumisaka, if you come with me, you'll be of great assistance!

I am at your service.

The old man's talking nonsense! It happened ten years ago.

Don't talk like that. Just lend him the money.

- Your father worked diligently... - Have you forgotten, Mother?

This case drove Dad crazy!

He was running around all over the place.

And in the end, he never found anything.

He got fired, and you had to slave away just to feed us.

Let him go, if he wants! But we've no way of paying his expenses.

We're not throwing our money away for him!

- Dearest? - Yes?

Where's that handkerchief bundle of mine?

The one with the ashes inside should be in there.

It's there. I never touch your stuff.

Here... Here it is!

Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's get going.

- Sorry for the trouble. - Not at all.

He'll only be away for a few days.

Hey, son, where are my shoes? Oh, there they are.

Sorry, it's a bit of a mess.

Wait, take this.

- Please look after him. - I shall.

Please be careful!

- Was the old man excited? - Yes, totally.

What a fool he is!

Give him this.

Ichiro, it's fine.

Go on, give it to him!

Dad!

Dad!

EAST MAIZURU POLICE DEPARTMENT

Here he is!

- Is that him, Mr. Ajimura? - Yes.

Boss, he's here.

- Well... - Please.

- Please, sit down. - It's so humid.

Thank you for coming.

Have you asked me to come in to speak about Takenaka?

Our conclusion, Mr. Tarumi, is that the two victims were murdered.

We need your testimony.

- That's why I called you in. - Fine.

I already told Mr. Ajimura everything I know.

But if there are some details to confirm...

When did you employ Takenaka?

I don't remember the exact date.

About four years ago, I'd say.

- So, that was 1953. - That's it.

What work was he doing for you?

He generally looked after my affairs,

writing letters and taking notes, that sort of secretarial work.

Do you know anyone by the name of Yae Sugito, Mr. Tarumi?

Not at all. Takenaka never mentioned her.

I'm not talking about Takenaka.

I'm asking you if you ever met a woman called Yae Sugito.

Never.

I'd tell you, otherwise.

If that's the case,

tell us if you ever met a prostitute by the name of Yae,

either in Tokyo or in Ominato.

- Never. - Mr. Tarumi...

Where were you the day of the incident?

You asked me the same question the other day.

Yes, but it was in an informal question.

I just have to verify the alibi for those connected with the incident.

I was home.

- The evening as well? - Of course!

Where would I have gone in such a storm?

I was home.

Mr. Ajimura...

You seem to be questioning me a lot.

Do you think I have something to do with Takenaka's double suicide?

We just told you that we're not considering it a suicide.

I want to know something else.

Have you ever lived in Hokkaido?

Yes, why do you ask?

Where about in Hokkaido?

- Why so many questions? - It's for the investigation.

Do you know Hakodate?

Hakodate? What kind of a question is that?

Everyone has to pass through Hakodate in order to get to Hokkaido.

But I've never lived in Hakodate.

I was in Kutchan.

Kutchan?

- What were you doing there? - I was a farmer.

Life's very tough in Hokkaido.

What year was this?

Around 1940.

I was just 20 years old.

It was during the war in China.

Oh? And what was the name of the farm?

I don't know if it still exists.

It was called Samejima, a very small farm.

We grew cabbage and potatoes.

At that time, did you move directly from your hometown?

Why are you asking me that? You can go check that by yourself.

I'm telling you the truth.

Go and check my public records if you want, and we'll save time.

When did you leave Hokkaido?

In 1944.

1944?

- Do you know Iwanai? - I do. But I've never been there.

Do you remember the Sounmaru shipwreck disaster?

It was terrible. The storm claimed many victims.

I was on mainland Honshu at the time.

Where exactly on the mainland?

Do I have to answer that question as well?

I don't see any connection between my past and Takenaka's suicide.

I'd like you to answer.

I'll answer you truthfully because I respect the work you're doing.

But you're questioning me as if I was one of your suspects.

What would I be guilty of? Tell me straight!

Right, Inspector?

Why don't you say something?

I won't let you humiliate me in this manner!

Since you won't answer me, I'm going to take my leave.

Accusing people without any proof... it's unbelievable!

In the future, don't bother me again!

Wait.

Mr. Tarumi...

Do you know Chukichi Kijima and Hachiro Numata?

Not at all.

Are you sure? You're not lying, are you?

I told you, I don't know them!

Why would I be lying?

By the way, who are you?

Well, a long time ago, I was looking for a man

who killed two ex-convicts during the Sounmaru tragedy.

My name is Yumisaka, a former detective.

Yumisaka?

- Ex-convicts? - That's right.

- He murdered some ex-convicts. - Please enlighten me.

I certainly made a donation to the state in order to help reform ex-convicts.

But I don't see any connection. Eh, Inspector?

You called in a retired detective?

If you want to interrogate me, do it properly according to the law.

Next time, come to my house.

But I will not accept being treated as a criminal.

He's angry.

But he did reveal to us that he'd lived in Hokkaido.

But we can't let our guard down. He has a strong alibi.

He's very sure of himself.

Boss, unless we can prove that Tarumi is actually Inukai,

we can't move forward on the case.

Mr. Yumisaka...

Any insight from your investigation ten years ago will be of great help.

Will you cooperate with us?

- Yes. - Thank you.

Let's split into three groups.

The first group will investigate Tarumi's background.

The second group will go to his hometown.

The third group... you, Ajimura...

You'll go back to Shimokita and Hokkaido.

Listen carefully.

All humans make mistakes. And Tarumi's no different.

Find some material proof.

- Understood? - Yes, sir.

Right, then!

I just cannot remember...

...but I've come across that former detective from Hakodate

somewhere before, I just know it.

That's it...

He was at the beach that day.

I went to check out his factory in East Maizuru,

as well as the neighborhood where he lives.

You can find the details in my report.

There are two main points.

The first concerns Tarumi's wife Toshiko on the day of the crime.

She went into town on the 4:00 bus,

and, having finished shopping, she came back home around 6:00.

That means, Tarumi could've sent his wife shopping

in order to be alone to commit the crime.

The second point concerns a truck,

which was purchased for his factory the day before.

It was delivered to his house.

He could've used it to transport the bodies.

That's all.

Okay. Next.

I checked the public records concerning Tarumi's arrival in the town.

He came to Maizuru in March, 1949.

However, the town was full of wandering repatriates at the time.

He could easily have blended in with all the other vagabonds.

Therefore, it is possible that he arrived in Maizuru before 1949,

and that his declarations at the town hall are false.

He moved to the same place where his factory's now situated.

He started out in the flour-milling industry with only one machine.

Thanks to the importation of corn and wheat,

he was quickly able to expand.

In 1951, he built the current factory.

Then he married Toshiko, a repatriate from the Chinese continent.

According to her records, she had a stillborn child by a foreigner.

She doesn't have any relatives in Japan.

Something else.

I've investigated his fortune,

but I found nothing suspicious in the accounting books.

He neither drinks nor smokes, and his employees respect him a lot.

People say he's succeeded thanks to his integrity.

That's all.

Okay. Karaki, your turn.

Iwata and I both went to investigate Tarumi's hometown.

It's Okanbayashi, close to Kyoto.

It was a very poor village in the heart of the mountains.

All the inhabitants told us

that Kyoichiro Tarumi was a great man and an example of outstanding success.

When we walked around the village, we understood their admiration for the man.

All equipment and important facilities were financed by Tarumi.

For example, the children's baseball field,

the fire station and firefighting equipment.

He donated money to renovate the local temple,

and two years ago he set up a scholarship system.

The list of his donations is impressive.

I'll hand over to Iwata now.

Kyoichiro lost his father when he was seven years old.

His mother brought him up on her own.

He had deep affection for his mother.

After elementary school, he went to work in Osaka.

After that, he moved to a farm in Hokkaido,

and he regularly sent money to his mother every month.

The locals can still remember

all the money orders that the village post office received from Kyoichiro.

Then, five years ago, his mother died.

The truth is, during my investigation,

I haven't found anything that could be held against Tarumi.

Finally, when I visited his home...

...I asked myself what a man, born into such misery, would think.

He couldn't have had a normal sense of what was good and evil.

Then I started to think.

As a child, Kyoichi must've hated the misfortune of his circumstances.

He looked for a more meaningful human existence.

Driven by a ferocious will to escape that life,

he did not hesitate to fall into a life of crime.

These are my thoughts. That's all.

Ajimura?

I'll present the background information I found on Yae Sugito.

Mr. Yumisaka and myself commenced our investigation around Kameido,

the district of Tokyo where Yae was living.

However, her father had already cleared out her room,

so we headed for Shimokita to see her hometown.

Luckily, her father hadn't yet got rid of her belongings.

Amongst them, we found two clues.

This newspaper, dated ten years ago, announcing the Sounmaru disaster

and the fire that destroyed Iwanai.

The question is,

why did Yae keep this old newspaper cutting for ten years?

There are several theories.

Strangest of all, though, is this...

...a large nail clipping.

- Whose could it be? - I understand, Ajimura.

It's the nail of the killer.

You think the same thing? We do too, boss.

Right, Mr. Yumisaka?

Don't laugh at me, but the day this newspaper came out,

I was desperately looking for Inukai on the streets of Ominato.

At the time, he was enjoying a manicure from Yae.

Who'd have thought?

Boss...

If a woman keeps a man's nail as a souvenir for ten years,

it means that something important must've happened between them.

Even without testing it, I have no doubt it belongs to Tarumi.

Takichi Inukai, or Kyoichiro Tarumi,

left this nail in Yae's room.

This is incriminating evidence.

There's more, thanks to Mr. Yumisaka.

It's this...

The register from the hostel where Inukai stayed the day before.

It's unmistakable. It's his handwriting.

The evidence is mounting.

Tarumi committed arson, robbery and murder in Iwanai.

After that, he killed his accomplices in the Tsugaru Strait.

Then, in Ominato, he met Yae Sugito and gave her some money.

- Is that right? - Correct.

Good! Arrest Tarumi.

Mr. Tarumi...

Rather, Mr. Takichi Inukai...

Did you know that on September 20th, 1947,

a huge fire destroyed the town of Iwanai?

Since you're not answering me,

can I infer that means you know about it?

I read about it in the newspaper.

- What of it? - Of course you know about it.

- You were the arsonist who set the fire. - What proof do you have for saying that?

Proof?

Here...

Do you know what it is?

It's the hostel register in which you wrote a fake address.

Nothing to say?

That's because you're lying!

The graphology is clearer here.

Have a closer look.

Are you going to keep denying it?

It doesn't make any sense.

Even if this resembles my handwriting,

and even if I had actually written it,

what connection does this have with the fire in Iwanai?

There is a connection.

You needed money.

You killed the entire Sasada family to steal their money.

And you burnt down the whole village to erase all traces.

Later, in the middle of a typhoon,

together with Numata and Kijima, you went to Hakodate.

Everywhere was in chaos because of the Sounmaru shipwreck.

You took advantage of that, and stole a boat with Numata and Kijima.

Since everyone was panicking during the rescue,

you assumed that nobody would notice you.

Once out on the open sea, you committed your second crime.

You couldn't let your mates Numata and Kijima survive,

otherwise they could tell about the crimes you committed in Iwanai.

Numata and Kijima were weak.

For you, it was very easy to throw them overboard.

It was the perfect crime.

At least for ten years.

You fooled the public and the police.

But you revealed your true colors. You betrayed yourself!

Stop pussyfooting around the subject. Get straight to the point.

Right...

You remember this newspaper?

HOKKAIDO DEVASTATED BY TYPHOON

You must be deaf. I already told you that I have nothing to do with all of this.

I'm not talking about the incident itself.

All I'm saying is that you held this newspaper in your hands.

In Yae Sugito's room at Hanaya House in Ominato.

Enough of this nonsense! You have no proof!

I do have proof.

Who do you think this nail clipping belongs to, Mr. Tarumi?

It's the nail from your thumb!

Try to remain calm, and listen to me carefully.

I'm going to tell you where I found this nail clipping.

This nail was found in Yae Sugito's possession.

For ten years,

Yae kept it wrapped in the bottom of her box.

Together with this nail, she kept your secret safe!

Don't lie to me anymore. You did meet Yae, didn't you?

At Hanaya House.

You gave her some money wrapped in this paper!

Do you still deny it?

Mr. Tarumi, you have betrayed yourself.

You left traces of evidence.

Moreover, you murdered Yae who was your only ally.

You also murdered your employee Takenaka.

You utter fool.

Mr. Tarumi...

You can no longer deny it.

We want to hear the whole truth from you.

You want to hear the whole truth, right?

- We want to hear it. - You don't know anything, none of you.

Are you saying we don't know what really happened?

I didn't kill Numata or Kijima. Let alone the Sasada family.

Yes, I did spend the night before the fire at the Asahi Hot Springs.

It's also true that I was with Numata and Kijima.

I met the two of them in Sapporo.

We worked together in a mine.

The three of us went to Asahi Hot Springs with our wages.

It was only when we got there,

that I learned they'd just been released from Abashiri Prison.

They said they were skint, having spent all their money,

and that with their criminal records,

they had no hope of ever getting a job on the mainland.

Kijima met Sasada while they were bathing in the hot springs.

Sasada advised him to go to Hakodate.

There was a friend of his who could find him a job.

I didn't follow them when they went to Sasada's place the next day.

I stayed at the Iwanai train station,

and waited for them to head to Hakodate together.

Soon after, a fire had started to engulf the town.

It was only after the departure of the train

that I understood that these two men had killed the Sasadas and set the fire.

I didn't know what to do.

Ajimura was right about what happened after that.

But I never went into Sasada's Pawnbroker's.

And there is another point on which you're making a huge mistake.

- A mistake? - I didn't kill Numata or Kijima.

They were fighting among themselves.

Kijima won and then tried to kill me.

I had to defend myself, and I threw him in the sea.

Nice story. Do you have any proof?

Proof?

I have no proof, but it's the truth.

Please just listen to me.

When we arrived on the open sea, Kijima attacked Numata.

Hey, I'll swap with you.

Oh, thanks.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

Bastard!

Help me! Help!

Help me!

I was rowing with all my strength in the dark.

I was too scared even to think about the money.

You liar!

Dead people can't talk.

You're just turning the story around!

You asked me to tell the truth.

This is the truth.

Another question.

What happened to the stolen money?

Don't tell me it went down with Numata and Kijima.

- I took it. - There you go!

Listen to the rest of my story.

When I arrived in Shimokita, almost dead from exhaustion...

...it was almost dawn.

I hauled the boat up onto a slab of rock and I collapsed into it.

When I woke up, the sun was beaming from directly above.

I started to panic.

Because I didn't kill the Sasada family...

...neither did I burn down their house.

However... I had on me a huge amount of money.

People would've suspected me.

They would've charged me with all of the crimes.

- That's enough! - I'm telling the truth.

I thought about going to the police before they could accuse me of murder.

But instead, you ran away with the money!

That's right.

Because the police would never have believed me.

There was no evidence to support my innocence.

At the time, miserable as I was,

if I'd told my story,

they would've taken me for a liar trying to save face.

You're making this up!

You see, even you don't believe me.

It would have been the same ten years ago.

Whether I'd gone to the police or not,

they would have accused me, just like now.

I knew how they would've treated me.

This money changed my destiny in life.

Despite my efforts, my life had been one failure after another.

Then that money fell into my lap. A once-in-a-lifetime chance.

In my hometown, my old mother was waiting for some money from me.

With this fortune, I could send her 2,000 yen a month.

Enough to live happily for the rest of her life.

As for me, with this money I could start a new life.

It didn't matter that it was stolen.

To offer thanks for the money... I decided to give some to charity.

Even if the gods forbade it.

That's what I thought.

A poor man wouldn't think any differently.

Tell me...

...if you think I'm reasoning like a thief.

But I was poverty-stricken... I didn't have a choice!

Don't you agree?

In order to start a new life,

I needed to erase my past completely.

My lighter might still be at the bottom of the sea.

So, you're saying you're guilty only of taking the money?

That's right.

Mr. Ajimura, is my story not convincing?

Far too convincing!

Don't you believe me?

And you, Inspector, don't you think I'm speaking the truth?

You've heard my story, and how you judge me is...

Enough!

- Now tell us about the money... - Just one moment!

You didn't answer my question.

Crossing that strait, I died once. Leaving Hokkaido was a rebirth for me.

What do you believe so far? Is it a lie or the truth?

It's either one or the other.

Answer me, or I'll continue no further.

Inspector?

Please answer my question.

That affects how we continue this.

What game are you playing?

You're just redirecting, and refusing to confess!

Right, Ajimura, we'll take a break.

Everyone, let's give Mr. Tarumi some time by himself to think.

Hopefully, he'll calm himself down.

Stand up!

Kyoichiro Tarumi murdered Yae Sugito, that's for certain.

What do you all think about his declaration today?

Your thoughts, gentlemen?

Delicious. Thank you.

Please relax.

Please...

I don't believe his story.

His crimes are perfectly calculated.

Yes, I agree.

But nothing proves that he's actually lying.

So, you're saying that you believe him?

No. I'm just saying that we can't prove anything at the moment.

And he knows it.

That's why he ended his story with what happened in the Tsugaru Strait.

But we have to do something.

We can't let him lead us a merry dance!

It's pure tactics.

He thinks we're blind.

Very well...

...I'm going to make him talk.

Horiguchi, violence is not going to help us.

We mustn't let him fool us.

Mr. Yumisaka, what do you think?

It's difficult to say.

You might think it strange of me, as I always wanted to condemn him...

...but in my opinion, even without any material evidence,

he almost manages to prove his innocence with his feelings.

- With his feelings? - Exactly.

The money fell from the sky. Yae as well.

The money makes him a murderer, and she makes him a victim.

The desperate behavior of poor people when confronted with a lot of money...

Well, you have to really know misery to understand them.

That means...

Any news?

Well, his wife refuses to say anything.

She just cries all the time.

It seems that Tarumi means everything to her.

So, the wife won't talk...

Damn them! They're just messing us around!

- I can't take any more! - Horiguchi, sit down.

Here's my opinion.

Tarumi may be telling the truth.

Or he may be lying.

I can't tell at the moment.

The only thing that is clear

is that if he stops talking, we'll be stuck.

But acting as he did in Hokkaido, he's betrayed himself.

This shows that he doesn't have an alibi for what he did after on the mainland.

He just wants more time to come up with an alibi.

He's the one stalling the game.

And he's the one that will move it forward.

We'll let him talk and we'll listen to what he says.

The motive is one thing. The crime is something else.

Never put the cart before the horse.

There's no point in rushing it.

- Understood? - Yes, sir.

Right, our strategy is set.

Thank you, everyone.

Mr. Yumisaka, this investigation must have worn you out.

Well, I wish I could've been more useful to you.

Ajimura?

How about we all go to supper together tonight?

Good idea.

Mr. Yumisaka?

Thank you.

But before that, I'd like to see Tarumi one last time.

I see. Very well.

Your hunt for him has taken you ten years.

Go talk to him face to face.

You feel the strength of your convictions?

I don't know about that. I just want to return something to him.

Oh? What is it?

Ashes.

Ashes from Shimokita.

Do you want one?

I forgot. You don't smoke.

Go. You have nothing to do here.

Mr. Tarumi...

Do you know what this is?

They're ashes.

Ashes of the boat you burnt in Shimokita ten years ago.

Are you surprised?

You don't believe me?

You might think they're just ashes from some chimney around the corner.

But they really are the ashes from ten years ago.

I've kept them all this time, waiting to find you.

You're not answering, so I take it you don't believe me.

You don't believe me.

And I don't believe you when you say

that you didn't kill either those two men or Yae.

How terribly sad...

Two people that can't believe one another.

You didn't even believe Yae!

Even if you'd let her live, she would never have betrayed you.

Why kill her? Why so much cruelty?

I detest you!

I absolutely detest you!

Tarumi...

Trees and flowers never flourished on your path in life!

I'll return home to Hokkaido tonight.

I won't need these ashes any longer. I give them back to you.

Farewell.

Tarumi, what happened?

Tarumi!

You're going back to Hokkaido tonight?

I am.

On the night train.

Take me with you.

I can't possibly.

Yes, you can!

I'll pay my own expenses. Let's leave immediately.

I saw you in Hokkaido.

You saw me in Hokkaido?

I'll tell you about it later.

- On the beach. - The beach?

That's it. I'll tell you everything once we get to Hokkaido!

Take me with you.

Take me with you. Please!

Yumisaka!

Take me with you.

Hokkaido will reveal everything about me.

Looks like he'll finally talk.

What do you think about retracing his route from Hokkaido to Maizuru?

That's a good idea.

- Believe me! - I understand, Mr. Tarumi.

You'll know everything about me there!

Take me there! I'll pay the cost.

Please take me there! Yumisaka!

Take me there!

Please take me there!

Mr. Inukai...

You're a nice person.

I can sense it.

Mr. Tarumi...

Over there is Yae's hometown, in the mountains of Shimokita.

Over there is Mount Osore.

Only you and I have known Yae.

I'll offer flowers for her. You, too.

I offer the Heart Sutra in remembrance

The Bodhisattva of Compassion

When he meditated deeply

He saw the emptiness of the Five Skandhas

And sundered the bonds that caused him suffering

Here then, Form is no other than emptiness

Emptiness no other than form

Form is only emptiness, Emptiness is only form

Feeling, thought and choice, consciousness itself

All are the same as this...

THE END