Governor stirs fresh anger with kamikaze film plan

Ultranationalist Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara has stirred controversy again by announcing that he will write the screenplay for a film about kamikaze pilots in the dying days of the second world war.

Critics say the movie, I'm Heading Off to Die For You, risks glorifying the young suicide pilots' missions. Mr Ishihara, who will also act as the executive producer, was a well-known author before becoming involved in politics and is basing his script on conversations with Tome Torihama, the owner of a bar that was close to the most important kamikaze airfield, at Chiran in the southern Kyushu prefecture of Kagoshima.

Today, the Chiran Peace Museum stands close to the site of the airfield, and displays black-and-white photos of the 1,036 kamikaze pilots who never returned from missions, mostly against the Allied invasion fleets attacking Okinawa.

'I have tried to write my version of the beauty and sorrow of these young people,' Mr Ishihara said. 'The young people who went off to their deaths were saved spiritually by Ms Tome, who was like a bodhisattva to them.'

The film is due to be released by distributor Toei early next year and is being directed by Taku Shinjo. A spokesman for Toei was unable to comment on the film and was unable to give a budget or identify any of the actors who will appear.

The company is behind one of the biggest movie projects in Japan at present, the 600 million yen ($42.35 million) Yamato's Men.