The Journalist (2022) s01e04 Episode Script

1 My So now you'll be going off to university, Ryo.
Not long ago, you were only this tall.
Cut it out.
That was ages ago.
You talk like an old man now, Uncle Kazuya.
- That's mean! - But it's true.
So you'll be living in Tokyo from April.
- You'll be lonely, won't you, Sanae? - Yes.
There are good schools here, but he insisted on going to Tokyo.
Quit complaining.
I've got a scholarship.
It won't cost you a dime.
Oh really? There's nothing wrong with Tokyo.
It was Ryo's decision, after all.
See? You know how they say to let your beloved children spread their wings.
But I really appreciate all you've done for me, Uncle Kazuya.
What's that all about? Well, you've always been like a father to me.
Ryo, you do your best.
I will.
Mayumi.
Thank you.
TOUTO NEWS Look at her.
She's the one.
She seems like a nice girl.
In line with Eishin scandal news, pop idol Ai used the hashtag - I'm back.
- Welcome back.
causing a stir.
These kinds of tweets by show business personalities about the Eishin scandal There's no reason to take it this far.
What is your opinion on this, Mr.
Toyoda? She knows nothing, so she shouldn't go speaking indiscreetly about politics.
And what's worse, she's just a pop idol.
When people who can influence society improperly criticize the government Who are you to say what's improper, you lowlife? Celebrities have their own thoughts.
Why can't they say what they like? - What a dumb show.
- Goodbye.
- Bye.
- Goodbye.
Let's change the channel.
The case closed without any charges being pressed? NO INDICTMENTS AGAINST 24, INCLUDING MOURI, IN EISHIN SCANDAL I wonder if it'll all just fade away into oblivion.
"Difficulty determining tampering"? You've got to be kidding me.
72% of people are unhappy with the result.
That is all for the daily press briefing.
- I have another question.
- We've finished.
Go ahead.
Matsuda of Touto News.
Regarding the Eishin Academy affair, none of the accused, including former Finance Bureau Director-General Mouri, were charged.
What are your thoughts on this? I believe the decision was made after a proper investigation.
That is all for today.
Even though the investigation is over, should the unanswered questions remain so? Since the prosecutor determined that no charges would be brought, that puts an end to it.
I'm sure the Nagoya prosecutor investigated aggressively, but some believe there was pressure from above to end the investigation.
You know that muckraking reporter? - Yes.
- What's going on? Such accusations are untrue.
Is she still going on about Eishin Academy? claims that it has ended earlier than normal.
Dang! She's really jumping down his throat again today.
I've got a final interview to go to.
See you later.
Please leave the room promptly.
Come in.
Excuse me.
Even though the investigation is over, should the unanswered questions remain so? Looks like everything is resolved.
Yes.
I've heard this reporter is a problematic one from Touto News.
Yes.
The reporter's name is Matsuda.
Is what's written on the file correct? Her elder brother, Kohei Matsuda, was a Cabinet Secretariat deputy director? Yes.
When I worked at the Ministry of Economy, he worked with me on the Olympics bid.
I see.
You worked on the Olympic bid, did you? Did you see him at all after that? No.
I didn't see him, but Is this about him ending up in a vegetative state? You knew about it? He picked a fight with the wrong person.
That was Kohei Matsuda's fault.
What do you mean by that? He was destroyed by Toyoda.
You mean Shinjiro Toyoda? Murakami, I think we might be able to use this.
We need to inform the public that this reporter isn't the least bit impartial.
Mrs.
Suzuki.
Excuse me.
I'm from Shukan Buncho.
May I ask some questions? I know this must be a difficult time.
I'd like to ask about your husband's document tampering.
Do you know anything about it? Was he acting strange at home? Didn't you receive the notice that I'm not doing any interviews? He must have told you something at the hospital before his suicide.
What do you think about your husband's involvement in the tampering? I'm terribly sorry for visiting without notice.
I see you lying in wait even here.
Mrs.
Suzuki.
Unless something is done, everything will be swept under the rug.
Kazuya Suzuki was the victim of pressure from within the system.
It is my belief that rectifying this is how we honor the deceased.
This is a problem that shouldn't be covered up.
Won't you please help with this? You're Ms.
Matsuda, right? Yes.
I don't think you understand.
You're no different than the rest of that lot.
At least that's the way it seems to me.
- Here.
- Thank you.
I was really surprised when I heard you were in CIRO, Murakami.
A lot has happened.
Way too much has happened.
I can totally relate.
It can't really be helped though.
It surprised even me.
How's your family? Doing well? I've caused them a lot of trouble, but they're hanging in there for me.
I see.
That's what's most important, you know.
Here are the documents you asked for.
- Don't you dare say you got them from me.
- Of course.
Thanks.
REQUEST TO RE-OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO CORPORATIONS RECEIVING SUBSIDIES It's really too bad, what happened to Mr.
Matsuda.
Say, Kimata what happened to him? Oh, right.
Since you got quickly promoted to be the assistant to the First Lady, - you don't know.
- Yes.
You know about Mr.
Toyoda's AI development program, right? The one he got ten billion yen in subsidies for.
There were rumors that it was practically fraud.
Yes.
Those papers went around the Ministry of Economy, and they were going to stop the subsidies, but Mr.
Toyoda was involved.
That stuff usually never gets overturned.
And that's when Kohei raised objections.
I don't know for certain, but he definitely faced pressure for getting involved.
I heard the way he was treated at the company after that was unbelievably brutal.
Then he suffered a heart attack at work and went right to the hospital.
It had to be stress from overwork.
Apparently, the company covered it up.
Later, the police investigated suspicions around the subsidies, but it was suddenly aborted from above just before they could arrest him.
How could that be? This is only a rumor.
That Mr.
Toyoda, he's writing a book about the PM, right? He apparently has a ton of dirt on the PM that would cause big trouble if it leaked.
- But that's no reason - I know.
I know what you mean.
Murakami.
Yes? - Recently, I've been thinking - What? Who exactly are we serving? Yes.
I think the same thing.
I'm home.
Welcome home.
You sure are late.
Yeah.
- Where are the kids? - They went to bed a while ago.
- Oh, of course.
- deleted the offending tweet and posted an apology.
Ai retweeted a post about charges being dropped against former Finance Bureau Chief Mouri, adding the hashtag "Don't drop charges against Mouri.
" Have you settled in yet? - Well, more or less.
- "I never thought she'd comment on politics.
What a disappointment.
" "I'll never buy her CDs again.
" This is one example of all the criticism.
What? Did something happen? Well, I get asked a lot of things at the preschool.
I mean, even celebrities are making comments like that.
I told you, ignore that kind of thing.
It's easy for you to say.
But what if something happened to Hayato or Natsuki? Then what do you want me to do? You want me to go explain to them that everything is perfectly fine? I've got a lot to deal with, too, you know.
I'm sorry.
No.
I'm sorry too.
REQUEST TO RE-OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO CORPORATIONS RECEIVING SUBSIDIES CABINET SECRETARIA SHINJIRO TOYODA STUDENT VOLUNTEER SPONSORS GROUP PROVIDING REBUILDING SUPPOR Yes.
When I'm done job hunting, I'll come home for a visit.
Yeah.
The job hunting? It's going great.
You'd better believe it.
I take after you, Grandma.
You take care of your health too.
Talk to you later.
UPDATE ON YOUR JOB APPLICATION UPDATE ON YOUR JOB APPLICATION HEAD OF RECRUITMENT, NAKAMACHI TRADING WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO OFFER YOU A POSITION I got a job offer! - Congratulations! - That's great! You know, these interviews make me so anxious.
That time at the airport was so frustrating.
I thought about quitting the police.
Did the orders come from above? Yes.
It started with a whistleblower complaint.
It was from a subordinate of Mr.
Toyoda at the same company on the same project.
The whistleblower complaint was filed by Kohei Matsuda, wasn't it? - You know him? - Yes.
He apparently had actual proof as well.
But ultimately, there was only the leak by Mr.
Matsuda.
We never got any more information after that.
After that, Mr.
Matsuda fell ill.
Now all of it's been covered up.
You won't be pursuing that case anymore? No matter what we do, I doubt anything can be done.
More than likely, there are forces behind the scenes at work.
The Eishin Academy scandal is a tragic affair that has driven one member of the Chubu Local Finance Bureau to take his own life! PRIME MINISTER, IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? And since those who are truly responsible are not being held the least bit responsible, this is an unforgivable scandal! - That's right! - Don't take us for fools! - Listen up! - This government TOUTO NEWS JOURNALIST'S DISHONEST COVERAGE STYLE - Pass these around.
- Yes, sir.
The brother of the Touto News reporter, Matsuda, worked as a cabinet deputy director during the bid for the Olympics.
He fell into a vegetative state from overwork.
This article states that Matsuda holds an unjustified grudge against the current administration for what happened to her brother.
It will hit the stands next Monday, so I want you to spread it on social media with the help of ruling party supporters online.
Mr.
Tada! I thought I was in charge of this case.
If you were, you'd never write an article like this.
But Kohei has nothing to do with this.
Keep your personal feelings out of it.
We demand that the investigation into the Eishin scandal be reopened! - Reopen the investigation! - Reopen the investigation! Don't try to fool the people! - Don't try to fool the people! - Don't try to fool the people! Sanae, I'm not feeling well.
I'm going to go home.
Are you all right? Don't stay if you don't want to.
- Take care.
- We demand an apology! - We demand an apology! - We demand an apology! Stop the lies! - Stop the lies! - Oh, excuse me! We demand an explanation from the First Lady! DON'T TRY TO FOOL PEOPLE! I'm Kijima.
Though it wasn't for long, I worked with Mr.
Suzuki.
We demand the investigation Actually, he Mr.
Suzuki protected me to the very end.
What? The Ministry of Finance will release their investigation results into the Eishin Academy affair soon.
I think that will explain what happened.
I am truly very sorry.
Goodbye.
- Stop the lies! - Stop the lies! We demand an explanation from the First Lady! We demand an explanation from the First Lady! RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION INTO TAMPERING OF APPROVAL DOCUMENTS RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION INTO TAMPERING OF EISHIN ACADEMY APPROVAL DOCUMENTS This is ridiculous.
TRUE REASON BEHIND MATSUDA'S OBSTINATE REPORTING TRUE REASON BEHIND MATSUDA'S OBSTINATE REPORTING "She holds a grudge against the government that made her brother a vegetable.
" This is so cruel.
It's getting spread all over on social media.
It's totally going viral.
SHE'S THE REASON WHY I DON'T TRUST THE PRESS.
TOO PUSHY! Mr.
Sato, did you know about Ms.
Matsuda's brother? No.
The chief never tells me anything.
Good morning.
Good morning.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
I've seen the article.
If they're taking things this far, they really must not want us digging into the Eishin Academy affair.
That may be so, but these kinds of personal attacks are cruel.
You can't let this kind of thing bother you.
Matsuda! Come with me for a minute.
Thanks to this article, the whole newspaper's journalistic style is being criticized.
Boss, from what I've heard, she doesn't use the extreme reporting methods in the article.
That's not the issue.
This kind of impression can harm the image of the company as a whole.
At any rate, that's enough about the Eishin affair.
Matsuda.
I think you have been a little too obsessed with this affair.
I'm sorry for causing trouble.
If articles like this keep coming out, it'll hurt the bereaved family.
I hope you understand that.
How's the job hunting going? That? Absolutely awful.
Is that right? Me too.
How come? What do you mean? That's what I'd like to know.
It's like no matter how hard I try, it feels as if our lives have already been mapped out for us depending on family and education.
That's not right.
I mean, you're incredible, Mayu.
Don't say that.
You don't really know me.
Don't get mad.
I'm sure you didn't read it, but did you see the Anna Matsuda article? Apparently, she's been attacking the government out of a personal grudge.
I feel betrayed by her.
Yes.
I read it, but it sounded like a one-sided attack by the tabloid.
But there were photos.
It makes me think the Eishin Academy scandal is just fodder to cause a change in administration.
Like you said before, I get the feeling everything is controlled from above.
Sorry.
I feel like I've been lecturing you.
I think you're wrong.
About what? My uncle, he didn't die as fodder for that kind of thing.
What? The employee at the Finance Bureau who killed himself he was my uncle.
Sorry.
I'm going to go deliver these.
RESULTS OF THE MINISTRY INVESTIGATION WERE BLACKED OUT.
#EISHINACADEMYSCANDAL SCUMBAG JOURNALISTS LIKE YOU KNOW DON'T KNOW THE TRUTH.
IT'S YOUR FAULT THAT HE DIED.
LEAVE OUT YOUR GRUDGE ON THE GOVERNMENT.
YOU SELF-SERVING JOURNALIST! YOU DROVE HIM TO SUICIDE! THIS IS WHY THE PRESS SUCKS.
MATSUDA THE ARTICLE ON MS.
MATSUDA'S JOURNALISM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EISHIN SCANDAL.
THEY SHOULD BE VIEWED SEPARATELY.
Excuse me.
Ms.
Matsuda.
I am Kazuya Suzuki's nephew.
We met once before.
Good morning.
- Here you are.
- Thank you.
So you're a university student, Mr.
Kinoshita.
Are you job hunting now? Yes.
In theory.
Is there a kind of job you want to do? Not particularly.
I've been rejected everywhere.
I couldn't get hired anywhere either.
Well, why did you decide to become a journalist, Ms.
Matsuda? A long time ago, an article was written about my brother in the paper.
That made me really happy.
After that, I had the vague idea that I'd like to be a journalist, and this place gave me a chance.
Weren't you interested in politics and that stuff at first? Not in the least.
Though it's probably hard to imagine now.
That's for sure.
Oh, anyway, you're probably wondering why I came here, aren't you? Sorry.
It's okay.
Is there something you want? Yes.
I read this.
Is this true? Which part? All of it.
A lot of it is inaccurate, but the part about my family is true.
That's just like my uncle.
I think a lot of it resembles this current scandal.
You spoke to my aunt, didn't you? Yes.
I feel absolutely terrible that an article like this came out.
Why do you go this far? I understand why you're critical of me.
No, that's not it.
I want to know how you can continue reporting even after all the hate you get.
That's because there are no crimes that should remain unexposed.
I believe it is the job of a journalist to give a voice to the voiceless.
A voice to the voiceless.
It doesn't usually go well, though, but that's what I'm always striving to do.
Ms.
Matsuda.
I know this is a sudden request.
Could you please speak to my aunt again? I want you to help her.
I've always thought that politics and everything in the world was decided by the people at the top.
I thought that stuff would never concern me.
At least until just recently.
But now I want to know what happened.
I'll go with you.
Please speak with her.
I'll go get us a taxi.
Thanks.
MAYU KAZUYA SUZUKI DIED AT AGE 45 TRUE REASON BEHIND MATSUDA'S OBSTINATE REPORTING How is your brother's condition now? Well, he can't talk.
He's basically unresponsive.
His heart is beating, but he's not the brother I used to know.
What happened to this case after that? The police did investigate, but no arrests were made, and the truth remains obscure.
Will the same thing happen to my husband's case? If things keep up this way, I'm afraid it will.
Mrs.
Suzuki.
I am certain that your husband didn't want the same thing to happen again.
I want the world to know your husband's wishes.
Aunt Mayumi I guess there really are people like you.
These past few months, I've been hurt a lot by journalists and people in the press.
I'm sorry about the awful things I said to you before.
No.
I should be the one to apologize.
Can I show you something? We were ordinary.
We laughed about how that was just fine with us.
That's the kind of couple we were.
And thanks to this boy being around, we were truly happy.
Ms.
Matsuda, there's something I want to give you.
This is my husband's suicide note.
He wrote about his feelings when he was forced to alter the documents.
There are also the names of the other employees who were involved.
Are you sure? Please find a way to make good use of it.
BELOVED MAYUMI, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING BY MY SIDE.
I'M SORRY I WAS A HOPELESS HUSBAND WHO CAUSED YOU TROUBLE.
THE TAMPERING OF DOCUMENTS WAS CONDUCTED BY ORDER OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL MOURI.
DEPUTY TERAI REWROTE THE DOCUMENTS AND WE REPLACED THE ORIGINALS WITH THEM Mrs.
Suzuki.
I'd like to ask you, as the bereaved family, what would you like to happen? I want to know what killed my husband.
I simply must know that.
All right.
THE TAMPERING OF DOCUMENTS WAS CONDUCTED BY ORDER OF DIRECTOR-GENERAL MOURI What is this? Kazuya Suzuki's suicide note.
It reveals that Mr.
Mouri and the Ministry of Finance were involved.
Did you speak with his family? I have her permission as well.
It is clearly worth making an article out of this.
No, we can't print this.
Wait.
Why not? Boss, this will be a scoop for sure.
Matsuda worked hard to get this.
- Please print it.
- No.
This was given to me by his family with the intention of exposing the government's crimes! That's just the one-sided story of a single employee who died.
Even so, there is value in letting the public know about this! Don't tell me you're being pressured by the administration, are you? Has the administration made some kind of demand? Tell me! Upstairs is under some kind of pressure, but I don't know any details.
You're okay with that? I don't have the power to do anything about it.
I will continue to fight, even if I have to do it alone.
Matsuda! KUROSAKI APPOINTED DIRECTOR You've done well, Kurosaki.
No.
It was nothing at all.
At any rate, you can tell everyone it's a promotion.
Move on and keep up the good work.
I will.
Don't look like that.
I know it may not feel good, but it's an unheard-of promotion.
I'm sure your family will be happy.
Yes, you're right.
Thank you.
SHINJIRO TOYODA KOHEI MATSUDA FILED A WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT.
HE CLAIMED TO HAVE EVIDENCE Wow.
It's bigger than I expected.
- How many people work here? - Around 200.
CIRO is incredible.
Mr.
Murakami.
It's been a while.
Yes, it has been a while.
Murakami, come with us to the meeting room.
Okay.
Mr.
Kurosaki.
I'm Anna Matsuda of Touto News.
What now? Hasn't the matter been closed? I have something I want to show you, Mr.
Kurosaki.
What? BELOVED MAYUMI, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS BEING BY MY SIDE.
Mrs.
Suzuki gave me her permission.
She wants you to read it.
So this is where you've been hiding.
I heard that you've been snooping around my affairs.
Why don't you tell us about it? This scandal should not remain hidden in obscurity.
The characters and events that appear in this work are fictitious and do not depict real life.
Subtitle translation by: Brian Athey