Fragments of the Last Will (ラーゲリより愛を込めて)

Based on a true story

1945 Harbin, Manchuria

Congratulations.

Some for the bride?

Just a little.

Hey, congrats.

Okinawa has surrendered.

And that new bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, huh?

What's this world coming to?

Tough times are waiting for your little sis.

Katayama, this is Sakuma's father.

Oh, hello.

What a wonderful day to start a new life.

What a wonderful wedding.

Sir, how many grandchildren are you hoping for?

When you return to Shinkyo tomorrow...

you must pack everything up.

And...

Go back to Japan.

They may not allow you to leave.

But you must head for the port.

Hurry south.

I can't.

I know you can.

No.

I'm begging you.

So this is it?

I knew it.

Japan is...

- The US troops? - No.

There's no air-raid alarms.

They must've come from the north.

It must be the Soviets.

Run!

Head for the station, hurry.

Get on the train!

Where's Kenichi?

Kenichi! Over here!

Run! Don't stop!

- Dear... - Are you okay?

- Where's Kenichi? - Kenichi!

Kenichi...?

Kenichi!

Kenichi!

Kenichi!

Kenichi!

Kenichi!

Kenichi!

Come on.

Father...

I'm coming.

Are you okay?

Don't move, you hear me?

You're okay now.

Dear!

- There you go. - Kenichi, come.

No!

Go...

No!

Go back to Japan!

The train's leaving!

Father!

Kenichi.

Take care of your mother and your siblings for me.

I won't be gone long.

I'll see you back in Japan.

Come, let's go!

Run!

Careful.

August 9, 1945.

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union breached the Soviet - Japanese Neutrality Pact

Manchuria

and suddenly invaded Manchuria.

Japan lost.

1946 - Eight months after the war

The Japanese soldiers in Manchuria were held captive by the Soviet.

The freight train was headed deep into the Soviet forests.

Oh my darling, oh my darling

Oh my darling, Clementine

You are lost and gone forever

- Dreadful sorry, Clementine - Shut up.

In a cavern, in a canyon

Excavating for a mine

Hey!

It was in that freight train that I first met Mr. Yamamoto.

"This man has gone crazy."

That's what I thought.

You are lost and gone forever

Dreadful sorry, Clementine

Soviet Union

We were taken to a concentration camp

in Sverdlovsk,

at the ends of Siberia.

Get in!

You damn Japanese invaders.

You are war criminals.

The head of this concentration camp

will take command over you.

Runaways will be shot dead.

Mr. Yamamoto served as the interpreter.

Hurry it up!

We were put to forced labor for the Siberian development.

Are you okay, Mr. Yamamoto?

It's so heavy.

The work was commanded by Japanese military officers.

Maintaining existing army order

made it easier to control the men.

Put your back into it!

Get the quota done if you want your next meal.

You too!

Come on!

Hurry it up.

Do it!

It's ready!

- That's mine. - Hey!

Shut up over there.

Shut up and eat.

You'll be hungry by nightfall if you eat it all now.

Mr. Matsuda, you got the crust.

Lucky you.

Our rations for the day were 350 grams of rye bread in the morning

with kasha, or Russian porridge.

We had to make it last until night.

It was said that the crusts were more fulfilling, making it desirable.

Private.

Trade your bread with mine.

The war was over, but I was still a private.

How did you learn Russian?

I've loved Russian literature ever since I was a student.

Dostoevsky, Gogol, Chekhov.

I've read them countless times.

I dreamt about their land.

So...

I consider this as my chance to see it with my own eyes.

This Soviet Union.

"Drooping boobs"?

No, that means "mother."

"Though my mother may oppose,

you and I shall stay together."

This poem...

It's about a man trying to win over a woman

no matter what his mother says.

Are you listening?

Minoru!

Yamamoto.

Sergeant Aizawa wishes to see you.

Answer me, Private.

How much longer must we stay here?

Haven't you asked the Soviets yet?

I have, countless times.

But to no avail.

You're a communist, aren't you?

You're using your ability to speak Russian to plot with them.

Answer, Private!

It's "Yamamoto."

Not "Private."

That is not my name.

I have a name, and it's "Yamamoto."

How dare you.

"Yamamoto."

A private like you, talking back to a sergeant.

It's "Yamamoto."

Yamamo...

In the winter, it gets below minus 20 degrees for days on end.

Unless it reaches minus 40, work is carried out as usual.

Hey, get up man.

Leave him. Let's go.

You okay?

Let's go.

Slowly now.

Mr. Yamamoto.

Is there any hope?

Yes. The day of "domoy" will come.

"Domoy" -to go home

I heard the lookout guard talking about it.

Can I trust you?

The war is over.

Holding soldiers captive is against international law.

We're all just here in a bit of unluck

amidst the postwar chaos.

The Soviet isn't stupid.

Someday...

Hopefully soon, they'll realize that.

So Mr. Matsuda.

It will come.

The day of "domoy."

It will.

I want to go home...

I'm going home.

I must go home.

Minoru!

Stop!

Minoru!

Minoru!

Minoru...

"Minoru Goto"

Enough!

Do you realize what they'll do if they find out about this?

He...