This January, as he turned 71, Junichi Ishida embarked on a new challenge: film production. Despite building a brilliant career as an actor, he once faced the risk of retirement.
Through his distinctive way of speaking, one could sense the depth of a life that has weathered ups and downs, as well as his passion for the next chapter ahead.
<figure id="attachment_412283" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 3901px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-412283"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="a1188a79"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/02/31d2b37feb2127378568623eaaf46c3b.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-412283" class="wp-caption-text">While demonstrating his skills as a manager of a yakiniku restaurant, he spoke candidly about his recent situation and stories of the past.</figcaption></figure>
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<h2>The Masterpiece That Changed His Mind About Retiring as an Actor</h2>
&#8220;I was actually planning to quit acting.&#8221;
Junichi Ishida began speaking with surprising words.
&#8220;My agency asked me, &#8216;Would you consider quitting acting and becoming a manager instead?&#8217; At the time, I was in my late 30s, and to be honest, I wasn’t feeling much success anymore. I had partially come to terms with the idea that maybe it was time to move on.
Then, out of the blue, a production producer called me and asked, &#8216;Are you available in June? Can you clear your schedule for June, July, and August?&#8217; It was for a new drama on Fuji TV’s Thursday 10 PM slot, starring Atsuko Asano (63) and Yuko Asano (64). Hearing that, I thought, ‘Yes! This is my chance!’ Back then, the &#8216;Thursday 10 PM&#8217; and &#8216;Monday 9 PM&#8217; slots were the ultimate dream for actors. So, I decided to take one last shot. That was Dakishimetai!” (aired in 1988 on Fuji TV).
Dakishimetai! became a signature trendy drama of its time. The co-starring duo of the &#8220;W Asano&#8221; actresses created a buzz, and the show turned Ishida&#8217;s career around.
&#8220;I told myself, &#8216;If this doesn&#8217;t work out, it&#8217;s over.&#8217; So, I went all in, breaking free from the script and giving everything I had. Until then, I had always worried about not upsetting the director or sticking to the script exactly. But since I thought it was my last chance, I let go and gave it my all.&#8221;
As he recalled that time, Ishida spoke with a hint of nostalgia.
&#8220;In the farewell scene where Atsuko Asano walks away, her back looked so cute that I couldn&#8217;t help but ad-lib. I did what’s called the &#8216;Cooper Pose,&#8217; raising my fingers to my head. Then the producer rushed over and said, &#8216;Please don&#8217;t do that!'&#8221;
&#8220;But then, director Shunsaku Kawake (72) stepped in and said, &#8216;No, it&#8217;s fine.&#8217; At that moment, I felt, &#8216;I can create something with this person.&#8217; In the end, the &#8216;Cooper Pose&#8217; became kind of my signature move. (laughs)&#8221;
Dakishimetai! became a social phenomenon, exceeding a 21% viewership rating and turning into a massive hit. Although Ishida decided to continue acting, he humbly reflected on the drama&#8217;s success, saying, &#8220;I was just lucky.&#8221;
&#8220;A turning point came at the very last moment. You never know if a drama will be successful or not. If it hadn’t been for that, I would have quit. So, I really think I was lucky.&#8221;
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="New Challenges in His 70s"></div>
<h2>&#8220;Recently, I&#8217;ve been working on writing scripts.&#8221;</h2>
Ishida is currently focusing on film production, with screenwriting at its core. He is shaping the many expressions he has experienced as an actor into words of his own.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve always wanted to make films. I want to use my experience as an actor to express myself more freely. Right now, I&#8217;m working on a film script, aiming for release on streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime. The distribution isn&#8217;t set yet, but once the lead actor is decided, things will start moving.
But meeting deadlines is really tough (laughs). The night before a deadline, I often can&#8217;t sleep. Still, this process is exciting—shaping the stories and emotions inside me into something real.&#8221;
At the same time, Ishida has learned a lot from past hardships. Despite what appeared to be a smooth acting career, he has faced many difficulties. One of the most notable was the harsh criticism he received for non-essential outings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
&#8220;Honestly, that was rock bottom for me. But no matter how tough things get, I can&#8217;t just stand still. Finding ways to overcome adversity—that&#8217;s what makes life interesting for me. People love to gossip, saying things like, &#8216;He failed and had to move out of a luxury condo,&#8217; but I don’t care. If I make a film so good that no one can complain, then there’s nothing left to say, right? That&#8217;s why I want to take another big shot.
Just like how a baseball player settles the score at Koshien, I want to make a comeback in the entertainment industry. That’s why I’m writing scripts and focusing on what I really want to do. That’s my goal right now.&#8221;
Using his past experiences as fuel, Ishida is stepping into a new challenge. Through screenwriting, he is carving out a new path for himself.
At the end of the interview, he smiled and said, &#8220;I&#8217;m happier now.&#8221; When asked why, he answered quietly:
&#8220;When I was younger, I was afraid of failure. But now, I can take on anything. Even at 70, I still find so many exciting things to do. I’ll keep challenging myself.&#8221;
Having hit rock bottom and survived a crisis of retirement, Junichi Ishida is now soaring freely, more than ever before.
<figure id="attachment_373301" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1728px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-373301"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e609796d"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/05/ae88cc3dbe944581359708e90f884183.jpeg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-373301" class="wp-caption-text">Junichi Ishida poses with his son, Issei Ishida.</figcaption></figure>

 Shu Nishihara

 Actor Junichi Ishida, who made his debut in 1979 and celebrated his 45th anniversary last year, has been sidelined from television since his COVID-19 crisis outing came under fire. He spoke candidly about the film that marked a turning point in his career and the challenges he is currently focusing on.

Junichi Ishida Opens Up About Facing Retirement and Embracing a New Challenge

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