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

“Recently, I’ve been working on writing scripts.”

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.

“I’ve always wanted to make films. I want to use my experience as an actor to express myself more freely. Right now, I’m working on a film script, aiming for release on streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime. The distribution isn’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’t sleep. Still, this process is exciting—shaping the stories and emotions inside me into something real.”

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.

“Honestly, that was rock bottom for me. But no matter how tough things get, I can’t just stand still. Finding ways to overcome adversity—that’s what makes life interesting for me. People love to gossip, saying things like, ‘He failed and had to move out of a luxury condo,’ 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’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.”

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, “I’m happier now.” When asked why, he answered quietly:

“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.”

Having hit rock bottom and survived a crisis of retirement, Junichi Ishida is now soaring freely, more than ever before.