The Secret Battlefield

The Secret Battlefield (2026)



開戦前夜

7.4 2026 138 min —

Director: Yuya Ishii

Cast: Sosuke Ikematsu, Taiga Nakano, Takanori Iwata, Aoi Nakamura, Takahiro Miura

Drama War
April 1941. The Pacific War is still months away, yet Japan’s most promising minds—future bureaucrats, military tacticians, and civilian strategists—are already gathering in the shadows. Behind closed doors at the Total War Research Institute, this handpicked circle of young elites is plunged into a high-stakes war game: a full-scale simulated clash with the United States. As they run the numbers, test the strategies, and face the brutal logic of logistics, every session peels back another layer of hope, leaving them staring into a stark, unforgiving truth.

More About This Film

The Secret Battlefield is a Japanese historical drama set in April 1941, when a group of young officials is assembled into a secret research organization tasked with simulating a possible war between Japan and the United States. Their work places them in a difficult position as they confront the implications of their own findings.

Yuya Ishii directs the film with a cast led by Sosuke Ikematsu, Taiga Nakano, Takanori Iwata, Aoi Nakamura, and Takahiro Miura. The story turns a little-known wartime research project into a tense chamber drama about information, responsibility, and national policy.

  • Original Japanese title: Kaisen Zenya.
  • Directed and written by Yuya Ishii.
  • Produced by Pony Canyon, NHK Enterprises, Tokyo Theatres, and Riki Project.
  • Runtime is approximately 138 minutes.
  • The film was released in Japan in July 2026.

Where to Watch

The Secret Battlefield has a Japanese theatrical and licensing-oriented release, with international streaming dependent on territorial rights.