Do you support or oppose...
...the abolition of the death penalty?
According to a public opinion poll conducted in June 1942...
...71% opposed the abolition...
...16% supported it...
...and 13% were undecided.
But you 71% who oppose the abolition...
have you ever seen an execution chamber?
Have you ever seen an execution?
Have you ever seen an execution chamber?
Have you ever seen an execution?
The execution chamber is a tiny corner of the prison
In order to screen it from the rest of the prison...
...a flimsy wooden wall has been erected
One enters through what is commonly called "the gate of hell"
It is quite a small plot of land. There is a garden
and sometimes we see flowering cherries and azaleas according to the season
The ground slopes away from the central building
It is the execution chamber. It looks like someone's house
The size of an average bungalow, it is painted light cream.
The metal roof glints in the sun. It looks like an ordinary house.
The interior is quite bright. The walls are painted salmon pink.
There are five ordinary windows.
Everything is ordinary, right down to the basic concrete.
On the left is a sitting room...
...with table, sofa and chairs.
This is where the various functionaries wait.
Beyond this, there is a toilet, but it is only for men.
Beyond that is the cell.
The condemned man is supposed to wait here, but it is never used.
There is only a urinal in the corner.
Then there is a narrow corridor and a door leading to the cell.
On the other side of the curtain, there is a small chapel.
The curtains are dark yellow. This is where the last rites are performed.
On the left stand the prison officials and the Public Prosecutor,
the Prosecutor's secretary and the prison staff.
The prison chaplain has accompanied the prisoner on his last walk.
Inside the chapel,
there is a simple Buddhist shrine.
If the condemned is a Christian, the doors of the shrine remain closed.
The condemned is given the chance to pray for the last time.
He is asked, if he has made a will, and how he wishes to be buried, etc.
He can make a will and leave any messages he wishes.
Then he is given cakes and fruit for his last meal.
Then comes the last cup of tea,
the final cigarette.
All that remains is to execute him.
The members of the staff blindfold and handcuff him.
Then the curtain hiding the execution chamber itself...
...is drawn for the first time.
Everything is ready, and three hangmen are waiting.
All this is hidden from the blindfolded man.
In the middle of the execution chamber there is a trapdoor
It is about three feet square. Above it hangs the noose.
The rope passes over a pulley set in the ceiling.
The condemned is led to the trapdoor.
His last contact with the world...
...is the brown carpet laid throughout chapel and execution chamber.
Meanwhile the witnesses have gone to a gallery...
...and there they take their places overlooking the execution chamber.
From the gallery there are steps down to the basement.
The witnesses can thus see the condemned all the time.
When he is alive and immediately after he has been executed
Next the knees of the condemned are pinioned.
The rope is adjusted round his neck
The knot must be correctly placed
It must fit snugly.
To open the trapdoor...
...there is a lever, but it is usually button-operated.
The hangman pushes the button
The trapdoor is opened and the condemned is hanged.
The basement, where the man will fall, is nine feet deep.
The length of rope leaves his feet one foot from the ground.
The two officials waiting in the basement...
...steady the body and face it to the witnesses.
The doctor in charge times the death.
The blindfold and handcuffs are removed
The doctor takes the pulse.
It stops after about 18 minutes, and death is pronounced.
Then the execution is considered completed.
THE BODY OF THE CONDEMNED MAN R...
...REFUSES EXECUTION
Doctor, hasn't it stopped yet?
No, it is quite normal
Anything wrong with the noose?
No, nothing!
Nothing wrong here, either
I'm not responsible!
What's happened?
The heart usually stops after 15 minutes at most
It has been 21 minutes already
His pulse... He's only dead if it stops
It's all over then and we take him down, but...
This is not our responsibility!
Doctor?
It's not getting any weaker
How long shall we let the Public Prosecutor wait?
Shall we hang him again?
We haven't even done it once
That's right, sir!
Is it in order, Public Prosecutor?
I've come to witness, execution is your responsibility
I understand
So he's not dead yet?
According to regulations, the rope mustn't come off until five minutes after death
But the execution isn't accomplished yet
Should we pray again?
God would forbid that. The last rites are over
His poor soul has departed
But his body lives
I'm sure that in Section 479 of Regulations...
...it is laid down that one who has been unsuccessfully hanged...
...shall be judged demented and execution shall be stopped
I suppose it means you can't execute an unconscious person, either
If we do it again we might be breaking the law
Why can't you execute a demented person, anyway?
He must realize his guilt is being justly punished
That's the true, moral, ethical purpose: It's not just a matter of killing him
Although I'm no authority
Doctor, is this true dementia?
Yes, as you can see
This kind of work has its failures, too. Let's call it a day
Just stop, you mean?
Doctor, could you bring him around?
Good idea! Bring him round, and once he's himself again...
...and fully realizes his guilt once more...
You're a very clever man!
Please!
Under these circumstances?
It has to be
But I only came to certify death. I didn't bring anything
Use artificial respiration, like on drowned people
But he wasn't drowned, he was executed
Stop it!
- Stop it at once! - Harder! Harder!
Stop it, please!
We're trying to save his life!
But only so that he can be killed afterwards!
You take responsibility for all this, you know!
Is this legal? Are you sure about it?
Don't get so excited
Come on, doctor, get on with your job
Bring him back to life
After he comes round we can think about the execution
I remember a cage-like room...
...full of sleeping people, some of them condemned to death
That was during the war, in the colonies we used to have
We wondered if we ought to wake the condemned
If they were awakened, it was only to suffer
Maybe it's better to die without being aware of it
But all of these people were awakened to die
Tell me about it
In fact, death only has meaning if we know it is coming
And yet, sometimes there are people who aren't aware of it
They are the ones who keep hoping to the last
But this is all speculation on my part
R DOES NOT ACCEPT BEING R
Alive again!
He was alive all the time. He wasn't dead
The executed man is alive
R can you see me?
Do you know, who it is? It's me!
He doesn't seem to understand
Now let's get it over quickly
Shall we start with a prayer?
His soul is no longer here
You can't pray for a body without a soul!
Don't move him!
Why not? His eyes are open. He's alive
The eyes are the mirror of the soul
We've kept well within the law so far. Let's keep it that way
Bring some tea and a cake
You can't do that yet!
Why don't you just start praying?
When I first began this work...
...I thought that a man could only be executed once
I thought that if something went wrong he'd be saved
But it's not so simple
Merely a personal opinion, of course
Tell me, Education Officer...
...this condemned man was unusually co-operative, wasn't he?
But he might not be, if we try it again
No, but he might be, if he realizes how guilty he is
What if he doesn't? His body has already refused, hasn't it?
Yes... but body and soul are one
If his soul refuses, what then?
Look, he let himself be blindfolded. His soul has already accepted
Yes, but that R is not this R
R's soul is no longer here
The man here may be R...
...but not the R that committed crime and admitted sin
So you mean the real R isn't here...
...and anything this R might admit won't really count
In fact, this isn't our R at all!
You didn't die!
R, I'm the Education Officer, remember? We had lots of talks!
Education Officer
You recognize me!
How are you?
Where am I?
It's your duty. Tell him
It's all very well to say tell him...
I get it! If he knows, who he is, then...
It's simple!
What's your name?
You are R. Your name is R!
Where am I?
Is it all right for him to stand up?
Yes, it won't hurt him
R, you know him. He's in charge here
I haven't seen you for a long time.
Why did he say that? Make him remember who he is
He doesn't even know his name
Let me do it
You were executed here
Security Officer!
Yes?
Oh, nothing
I'd like to make him remember everything from the beginning
There must be a better way
He ought to be made to remember important things, like this!
Doctor, is there a medical term for this condition?
He has amnesia
Do you think it will stay?
I don't know. This isn't an ordinary case
I've never heard of amnesia after execution
No books about it?
Must we wait until he's himself again, then?
We have to decide, what to do about him
Well, I'll do my best to restore his memory
Restore?
It's sacrilege to bring back a soul once it's departed
Possibly, but I'm doing this for humanitarian reasons
It's more your province
Enlighten R's soul, tell him, what's happened
How can I enlighten a soul, that's already enlightened?
It's like adding water to a fountain
But you probably can't understand that
It's like giving gonorrhea to a syphilitic
R, do you remember this morning?
You got up at six-twenty and had breakfast, didn't you?
You had bean-curd, didn't you?
You thanked God, and ate it all up
Then you read, and then they came for you
It was nine o'clock, when they came to get you, remember?
What are you doing these days?
Get the court verdict
Of course! I've never thought of that! Where is it? Where is it?
Ah, there it is!
"Verdict: In-re R, worker..."
"...for the forcible rape and premeditated murder of..."
Understand? This is about you
"This court pronounces the following verdict...
"The condemned is sentenced to death"
He has died!
"The court orders the confiscation of one knife..."
Where am I?
Look, you have to understand!
We can't do it like this
Doctor, isn't there any other way?
No, I don't think so
How do you know there isn't?
Well, we might try to communicate through his senses
Through his body?
You mean, by squeezing his neck again?
Take it easy!
Still, maybe we can communicate something that way
Do something with his body
Do something... but what?
Listen! If you can make him admit his guilt somehow, that'll do
I'll try
R, remember, you strangled her like this
Try it
Not too hard!
You see, it felt soft like that, though it was a girl
Do you remember now?
Education Officer, I haven't seen you for ages. Are you keeping all right?
You saw me, just before you were executed!
If you want to help him...
...you must be patient. Go about it gently
Explain everything to him
What do you mean? You're enjoying this!
You are evil! You are all demons!
But you've made up your minds to do it, and you will!
Why not hang yourself to find out how it feels?
I'm not going to help you!
You're on the river bank at sunset. Very beautiful!
You're on the way back from the baths. It's spring
You feel great! The spring breeze is wonderful!
That's your bicycle bell. You ring it, because you feel great!
You're 18
It's a warm spring night now
Then you see this girl on a bike
I'll follow her
You pedal harder. Her hair is blowing in the breeze
You get nearer and nearer
You ride side by side. You can smell her hair
That exciting smell!
I wonder, if she'll sleep with me? I'm only guessing, you thought that
At any rate, you decided to stop her
She's very near now
It's dark, no one can see you
You grab her by the neck
You're the girl! Can't you do it better?
I haven't read the evidence. I don't know what he did
After all my effort!
You knock her down and hold her on the ground!
She struggles. You feel her skin
You feel her breathing, even smell her breath
Something soft... her breast! A young girl's soft breast!
He can't do it all by himself. You be the girl
Strangle me again
Now you have to drag me around. R, watch this!
Now comes the rape
Then the rape is over
I begin to recover and say: "I won't tell anyone."
(And me a family man)
He wouldn't stand up like that. Look for your towel, etc.
R look carefully! That man in white is you!
The other one is a young girl, although she's near retiring age
You have to catch me and get on top of me again
Help! Help!
You have to want to rape
I quit. I just can't feel like a rape all of a sudden
Someone has to do it! Anyone want to try?
Would you oblige?
What a job this is!
Chaplain, what are you doing, sitting there like that?
What a staff I'm stuck with!
I shouldn't have to do this
Come, come on!
Now you feel like rape, don't you?
I don't know exactly what to do
First he straddled her...
...then he caused her to lose consciousness by strangulation...
...then he committed an act of rape...
...in the course of which she died through pressure on the carotid artery
- Then what? - That's the first crime
R you killed someone just like this
Like I did it
Doesn't look like that did persuade him
He's not understood a thing
We prison officers should be trained to deal with loss of memory
Shall we go on to the second crime?
Why not. Let's try it.
Yes, the second one's the only chance left.
Suppose he doesn't remember the second one either?
We've only got two crimes. I hope R will remember.
This is really too much for ordinary men like us
His father brought him up as a catholic, you know
R was a very religious lad before he died
Son, are you R?
You see, he's not R! He doesn't have R's soul
If he doesn't have R's soul, he's not R
Therefore, you can't execute him. Crime is the work of the soul
The body is merely punished for the soul
If there is no soul, punishment is impossible
It wouldn't even be punishment
Therefore, R...
You understand!
You are just pretending to be R, and you know it
You're cheating. You're just pretending. He is not R!
He looks like R. His relatives would recognize him
Are you pretending? Are you trying to fool us?
How are you today?
Can he really be so stupid?
Well, if he's really just putting on an act...
We'll never execute him if he acts like this
War criminals used this trick!
Let's put his head in the noose, that'll be a good test
God has taken his soul
Therefore, this is not R
But on the other hand, if his soul were still there...
Then what about God?
God...
...doesn't exist!
Oh, God, I have doubted You!
Even God himself can make mistakes, you know
Shut up! You don't understand! Like me, R believed
R, do you believe in God?
He really isn't R!
R or not, act or not, I'm tired of all this!
Get on with the execution!
Killers! It will be nothing less than plain murder!
You're the one who's blasphemous now
I can't work with someone like this!
Nor I with you!
Where are you going?
He's not R, yet you kill him! That's not right!
Right or not, you're needed here!
R. ACKNOWLEDGES THE EXISTENCE OF R...
...AS A STRANGER
"Second crime: 17 August, 8.00 p. M...
"...accused thought of going swimming...
"...then giving a new knife to his brother...
"...to replace the borrowed knife he lost
"Accused left the house...
...and went to the Komatsugawa High School Building
"He went up to the school's roof
"He saw the girl pupil B, then 16 years old
"She was sitting alone by a water tank, reading a book"
"While he spoke to her, he remembered he had the knife"
"No one else was there. He felt carnal desire"
"He thought of threatening B. With the knife, and raping her"
"He grasped her right hand, and she became frightened"
"He threatened her, and said: 'Come here! '"
"She said: 'What are you doing? '"
What are you doing?
"She tried to escape, but he dragged her under the clock tower"
"She screamed, struggled and said: 'Why don't you just kill me'"
"Afraid that people would hear..."
You should tell them that you aren't R You don't belong here!
What are you doing?
He says he is not R
So?
What? You really are R
That R over there is acting out your crime
Understand, R?
- What does R mean? - Education Officer!
R is your name. A Korean name: R
If you've got a Korean name, that means you're from Korea
Do you know how old you are?
Twenty-two
You committed these crimes when you were 18: You've been here ever since...
You used the Japanese name of Shimizu...
...but your real name is R, Korean
What is a Korean?
What is a Ko... What kind of a question is that?
Answer him!
If he was a negro, or someone with different skin, it would be easier
How can I explain it?
Tell him simply. It is a racial matter
R, this is Japan, see, and we're all Japanese, born in Japan.
You were born here, too, but of Korean parents, and therefore, you're Korean
Your explanation won't do. You'll have to explain to him about races and nations
You're a registered citizen of the new sovereign state of South Korea
...it's too complicated...
But for the Japanese, you still belong to the old inferior Korean race.
So, you're Korean, and I'm Japanese, and that's that.
This Korean raped and killed two girls
Why did he rape the girls?
He wanted to rape them, that's why!
What's rape?
Well you see, it's like...
It's like when you see a nice shapely girl and you want...
...you want to go and hug her, that's how rape begins
I've not felt that way for a long time
Will one of you younger fellows explain?
To rape a woman is...
You're pretending you don't know, you criminal!
You're condemned for murder, aren't you?
Say yes! You're R, aren't you?
You're not R
You're ruining everything!
Stop pretending! You are R!
You aren't!
You are!
- He's not! - He is!
Can you prove he is?
May I, Sir?
Look, R! This is you
"Fearing she would identify him..."
"...he killed her, and then decided to rape her"
Remember my blood pressure!
You can't kill like that
- You try it - All right
Chaplain, you're in on this, too, you know
"He gripped her neck with his left hand..."
"...pulled her down and began strangling her"
"When she was half-dead, he dragged her out of sight..."
"...and then recommenced the strangulation..."
"...this time using his bath towel as a ligature"
"After he had killed her, he raped her"
That's how you murdered and raped a girl
We're getting through to him. Let's carry on
Understand? Carnal desire made you do that!
What is carnal desire?
This instinct, not that it is bad, mind you, between husband and wife...
...and sometimes, it can be between lovers too, of course...
...but when it's not permitted between some men and women...
...then it's vicious instinct, carnal desire, criminal desire
Perhaps a person who gives in to it becomes a criminal
It seems you didn't have anyone to help you out in such matters
That was because of your environment
Your boyhood, surroundings, family - apart from being Korean
What is a family?
Father, mother, children, all living together
Suppose, I'm your father
Help me, will you?
Then this is my wife, your mother
You had a lot of brothers and sisters. How many?
Anyway, a lot
This here is a small, dirty room
Everyone huddled around father and mother
R, you're coming home now
Say: "I'm back"
Your father is drunk again
A very bad environment. Constant fighting
Husband, don't drink so much! I have to work so hard
No, his mother was deaf and mute
Father, drinking again?
I can't help it. There's nothing else to do
Can't you do it more... Korean-like?
No can help drinking
We haven't enough to eat
Kids no talk like that to father!
What have you been doing, anyway? Stealing again?
- What was he doing? - Evening classes
I was at evening university
School, not university!
I was at evening school
What do I do now?
Take out a book, you've stolen. Read it!
Probably Dostoyevsky or Goethe
Understand now? This was your family
Still, you were very bright for a Korean. Top of your class
Remember, telling me about winning the speech contest?
You got the first prize when you were only 13!
"Lincoln was born in a log cabin..."
"...but he became President of the United States!
That's enough of that!
So, you worked all day, and went to school at night
You wanted to read all the great books
You could have gone on to university
If you'd graduated, you might even have been a civil servant
Our Security Officer here had a life a bit like yours
What are you doing?
I've heard that shock is good for amnesia
Did you learn that at evening classes?
Well, shall we start to hang him?
We've tried everything else
Give me a little more time
What do you say?
It's up to you
You say, it's up to me...
...but I'm no good at that sort of thing!
Just a little more effort!
I think, you'll find that R will agree with us in the end
Please wait
R, you and me were like father and son, weren't we?
I understand a little bit
Hooray! You understand something! Thank you!
There was this poor Korean with this bad family
...therefore he killed a girl
Then he was condemned to death
Praise the Lord!
Human trust is a beautiful thing!
I knew, I just knew you would understand what I meant!
Did you hear, what I said?
Want your last meal now?
Why my "last meal"?
It's all right, if you don't want it, you know
How about some tea?
Shall we start?
Yes, let's try it again, Sir!
Chaplain?
No!
All right, I won't bother you then!
R, will a Buddhist service do?
You're Catholic, but we're are all alike really. Our gods are the same
You'll be satisfied, if I do the praying, won't you?
I oppose Buddhism! I oppose Buddhism!
R! I mean, non-R!
You're going to be killed! They are going to execute you again
The rope around your neck, the trapdoor sprung
You'll be hanged. Your neck will be broken. You'll die
Do you want to be killed? Do you want to die?
Say one word: Oui or non?
No!
Oh, God, non-R doesn't want to die!
But, you know everything, don't you?
You're the poor young Korean
You killed and raped two women. That's you! That's R!
I don't want to die
You are a coward, trying to escape like you did before!
You were proud of yourself, phoning the police and the press!
Then maintaining killing is a fine art! You've no conscience!
A cruel brutal animal - and you think, you're human?
So, you mean, that R is me?
Yes, I do!
If you really think so, then maybe it's true
But I don't think that I'm like him
I don't think so...
...but if I acted with you I might
R TRIES TO BE R.
Yes, there! There's a door, you open it
You're just back from work, hungry!
In the room are your parents, your younger brother, and three sisters
They have eaten all the food
Now... get angry
Get angry!
It's not working
Now, your elder brother comes home broke after being away for three days
What's goin' on? Nobody welcomes me.
Same as usual, always the same!
- Anything to eat? - Nothing to eat! - Damn shit!
R, get angry! Say: "Brother!"
Now, there's a little rice left
R, go and eat it!
Idiot! Stop it!
Are you crazy?
You've come home broke!
I'll show you!
You're Korean. Do it more like a Korean. Be more vulgar!
Now, R intervenes!
Will someone clean up the mess?
The mother ought to. Will you do it, please?
It'll fall off, if you do things like that!
Stop it!
Say it louder
Stop it!
Brother, just because you go to high school don't act so big!
I can't stay here!
Now carry on with your part
Fuck off!
Don't talk like that
Shut up!
You should bring money home
That's right, hit him back!
Now the father joins in!
This is a Confucian family: The elders are always right
Why do that?
He's your elder brother. Understand? It's very important
What's important is, whether we can go on living
What was that?
How can we go on living? What are we going to do now?
How can we rear the children? They're so young
That's right! You're R!
Answer me, father!
I'm over sixty. I'm worn out
I came to Japan in 1931, but jobs were rare
I was a miner for two years, then I arrived in Tokyo 40 years ago
The big earthquake... the big war...
Lots of things
My days are done!
I drink and do what I like until Christ calls me
You have no right to complain!
You drink. They have only you, and no food!
"In our northern mountain dyed red with blood"
"Red blood flows on the banks of the Yalu River"
"His glorious name for ever... Kim Il-Sung!"
Stop it! You're spoiling everything!
Go out! Out!
Mother intervenes! Go! Go!
Brother goes out!
Mother starts to cry!
Mother, you're deaf and dumb. And can you cry more like a Korean, please?
R, that's not a WC!
Son, what do you think you're doing?
It's a tapeworm
He ate the tapeworm!
Stop it! R wouldn't do that!
Let's go on with the play
Let's do a scene with your sisters now
Is that all of my part?
- Don't we continue the last scene? - Not again
Let's do the scene with R's sisters
- Sister? - May I...
Ask him for money
- Brother, may I have some money? - What for?
Well... for the school excursion
Do you want to go? Then I'll give you. Close your eyes
Now walk...
I've bought the tickets. Mind the steps
Arinanya
Damenoya
Isononya
Kobanga
Kibogata... Kairanda
Sadeishanoda
Hirai
Kameido
Kishjo... Joruke...
Asakusabashi
Kyaba
- Now where? - To the zoo.
Then we'll change for Ueno
Here's the zoo. Go, and see the animals
I can't look, my eyes are closed
Then let's go somewhere, that's nowhere
Nowhere?
That's right. You can open your eyes
Now we're in a big street. There's a bookshop...
...a fruiterers, a noodle shop...
- Is there a supermarket? - Everything
We haven't got any money
Never mind: Everything is free here
No shopkeepers?
That's right
That's one street. The next street is all houses
Such grand houses
With record players?
Yes, and everyone has TV and refrigerators
Our house is the third on the left
It has a veranda and two stories
You are standing on the veranda all dressed up
But I'm here
There's another you, and the other you lives there
Funny
Isn't this fun?
It's not fun at all! It's beside the point!
Anyway, we have to leave the house now. R, go on!