The Unbroken (2009 Film)

The Unbroken, released in Japan as Shizumanu Taiyo (沈まぬ太陽), is a 2009 Japanese drama film directed by Setsuro Wakamatsu. The film is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Toyoko Yamasaki, which explores the internal politics of a major Japanese airline and the aftermath of the 1985 Japan Airlines Flight 123 disaster.

Plot

The narrative follows Hajime Onchi (played by Ken Watanabe), an employee at the fictional Goku Airlines. Onchi becomes a leader in the company's labor union, advocating for improved working conditions. His activism leads to conflict with corporate management, resulting in his effective exile to overseas branch offices in Iran, Kenya, and Pakistan for a decade. Despite pressure to abandon the union and apologize to management, Onchi maintains his stance.

While Onchi is stationed abroad, his colleague Shiro Gyoten (Tomokazu Miura) chooses to align with management, rising through the corporate ranks. The film contrasts their diverging paths as Onchi eventually returns to the head office in Japan. Upon his return, he is tasked with managing the aftermath of a catastrophic airline accident—a fictionalized depiction of the 1985 Japan Airlines Flight 123 crash—where he must console the families of the victims.

Production

The film was produced by Shigeo Minakami and Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, with a budget exceeding 2 billion yen (approximately $20 million USD). The production spanned multiple international locations, including filming in Iran, Kenya, New York, and Japan. The final cut of the film has a runtime of 202 minutes.

Cast

• Ken Watanabe as Hajime Onchi
• Tomokazu Miura as Shiro Gyoten
• Yasuko Matsuyuki as Miki Mitsui
• Kyoka Suzuki as Ritsuko Onchi
• Koji Ishizaka as Masayuki Kunimi
• Teruyuki Kagawa as Kazuo Yagi