Riho Yoshioka has wide, captivatingly beautiful eyes. Yet in her latest film, "Mienai Mokugekisha" (The Witness), which is currently showing in theaters, she plays a former police officer who has lost her eyesight.
"As a disabled person, she would normally be considered a weak member of society, but she is tougher than anybody and has a strong sense of justice," Yoshioka said.
In her first experience acting in an authentic suspense thriller, the actress faced the role squarely and took up the challenge to create the character.
While taking on various difficult tasks -- playing a visually impaired character, performing with a guide dog, doing action scenes -- she superbly portrayed a former police officer who tackles a bizarre murder case with a strong mind and keen insight.
"I am happy that I was given ample time to do many things, such as research, walking practice with the guide dog and test filming to check my eye expressions," she said.
Preparations took two months, and filming took another two. It must have been a grueling schedule for a sought-after actress who is busy appearing in TV shows and commercials, yet she willingly crammed her schedule even more.
Directed by Junichi Mori, the film is based on the 2011 South Korean film "Blind."
Natsume Hamanaka, the character she plays, loses her eyesight in a traffic accident for which she was responsible shortly after graduating from the police academy.
In doing research on visually impaired people, Yoshioka met both people born blind and people who went blind, and listened to their stories.
"A person who became blind told me, 'It's not that I can't see anything like many of you think.' The remarks made a strong impression on me," Yoshioka said.
People who have lost their eyesight after becoming old enough to retain visual memories of things compensate for their eyesight with their memories of landscapes and shapes of things. Three years after the accident in the film, Natsume happens to be near the scene of the kidnapping of a high school student and hears the girl's cry from a car. Through her phenomenal ability to grasp the situation, Natsume finds a clue to the case.
"I think there are many areas where visually impaired people have a keener sense than those of us who can see. I had the opportunity to interview a visually impaired person who runs a theater company and also composes music. I was really impressed with their wonderful music and rich imagination," Yoshioka said.
Yoshioka feels a connection with the mental strength shown by Natsume who, driven by her single-minded wish to rescue the girl, continues the investigation by herself even after the police abandon the investigation.
"Despite knowing she cannot do it, she takes on the challenge. As I read the script, I really understood her feelings," she said.
Always ready for a challenge
Born in 1993, Yoshioka is from Kyoto Prefecture and first drew attention when she appeared in "Asa ga Kita" (Morning has Come), an NHK serial morning drama that aired from 2015 to 2016.
Yoshioka's outstanding acting skills became instantly recognized in the 2017 TV drama "Quartet," in which she played a femme fatale with a presence on par with Takako Matsu and other actors with long experience.
A note in the script said that Yoshioka should act "without smiling eyes." "I still get nervous whenever I'm told to do something with my eyes, such as looking up, eyes sparkling. I always wonder whether I can do it," she said.
The difficulties Yoshioka had in the latest film were not only about controlling her eyes. She had to face someone directly even though she was not supposed to be able to see the person, and had to show her emotions while also making movements to show that her character was reading the situation through her hearing.
"There was a lot of trial and error. At one point, I argued that maybe I shouldn't be constantly pursuing realism," she said.
It was also difficult to create a serious atmosphere with the dog in the role of the guide dog, which turned out to be too friendly.
The result of her efforts can be seen onscreen. After some gruesome scenes and persistently thrilling moments, there comes the climactic scene that is overwhelmingly cathartic.
"The last scene is my favorite. All the plot threads get resolved. It's an absolute straight ball, but so gripping in the end -- I hope the audience will feel like that," she said.
From this month, Yoshioka is appearing in TV Asahi's serial drama "Jiko Keisatsu Hajimemashita" (Time Limit Investigator 2019), a sequel of "Jiko Keisatsu," a popular drama from 12 years ago. The show is a comedy with tricky and colorful characters led by Kiriyama (played by Joe Odagiri), whose hobby is investigating cases past the statute of limitations.
"I feel so tense," Yoshioka said ahead of the broadcast. "It's an established show with many fans, and I have to get into it. I am thrilled to be part of the show. If there's an interesting work, I want to play a role in it, even if only as a passerby," she added.
The drama's director, Satoshi Miki, also directed the film "Onryo o Agero Tako! Nani Utattennoka Zenzen Wakanneendayo!!" (LOUDER! Can't Hear What You're Singin', Wimp!) released last autumn with Yoshioka playing the female lead.
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