Veteran Reporter Reveals Shima Iwashita’s Confession About Director Masahiro Shinoda’s Proposal

“I have been proposed to by Director Shinoda.”

Director Masahiro Shinoda passed away on March 25 from pneumonia at the age of 94.

Shinoda, along with directors Keiji Yoshida and Nagisa Oshima, was part of the “Shochiku Nouvelle Vague” era. As someone who worked in publicity for Shochiku, I was always in awe of these directors, who had an aura that made it hard to approach them.

Yoshida’s wife was Mariko Okada (92), Oshima’s wife was Akiko Koyama (90), and Shinoda’s wife was Shima Iwashita (84). Director Oshima passed away in 2013 (at age 80), and Director Yoshida passed away in 2022 (at age 89), leaving Director Shinoda as the last of the trio.

These three directors supported the golden age of cinema. I had the fortunate opportunity to handle the publicity for Shima Iwashita, and I was happy to hear that she would tell those around her, 

“I have a younger publicist now!”

It was around that time when I heard Shima-san say,

“Director Shinoda has proposed to me.”

At that time, there were rumors among the staff at Shochiku’s Ofuna studio that 

“Director Shinoda is in a relationship with actress [X] (not Shima-san), and even during breaks at lunchtime, Director Shinoda and [X] would stay in the set.”

Though I didn’t see it myself, the rumor about Director Shinoda’s lover spread widely among the Shochiku staff.

When I was asked about Director Shinoda, out of concern for Shima-san, I ended up passing along that rumor, which was something I had only heard about and hadn’t witnessed myself. That was a mistake.

About a year later, Shima-san married Director Shinoda. Despite the rumors, Shima-san’s feelings for him didn’t change, and they were regarded as a loving couple for the rest of their lives.

Obsessed with the Demon of Film

During that time, I wonder if the words I told Shima-san, that there were rumors at the Ofuna studio that the director had a girlfriend, ever reached the director at some point. After their marriage, when I played mahjong with Shima-san, myself, and sports newspaper reporters at the Shinoda family home, something changed.

“Switch, I’ll take your place,”

Normally, the director would often say that while joining the table, but after their marriage, he no longer said that to Shima-san. It felt like the director began avoiding me.

Although I continued to stay in touch with Shima-san, the last time I truly saw Director Shinoda in person was at the 1977 production announcement for the movie Hanare Goze Orin, in which Shima-san starred.

After becoming a reporter, I never had the chance to meet the director again, even in interviews or at parties. That means I hadn’t met him for about 50 years. This incident made me realize how words can be harmful and that one should never speak unnecessarily.

By the way, Hanare Goze Orin was a work produced by the film production company “Hyogensha,” which the couple had established. It was based on a novel by Suzuo Mizukami. This movie was also memorable as it earned Shima-san the Best Actress Award at the 1st Japan Academy Awards.

Shima-san shared her thoughts in a heartfelt message:

“We’ve spent 58 years together, and my heart is now filled with sadness and a sense of loss (omitted). Thanks to meeting Shinoda, I was able to play various roles in many works. I truly believe who I am now is thanks to Shinoda.”

She also expressed:

“Shinoda once said, ‘We were both possessed by the monster of cinema and fought off the monster together.’ I now feel nothing but gratitude for Shinoda.”

When the couple’s first daughter was born, I rushed to the hospital in Iidabashi, Tokyo. Later, Shima-san told me,

“Even Shinoda didn’t come, but you were the first one there.”

I worked as both a reporter and a reporter, but I learned from Director Shinoda that words can hurt people. Ah, rest in peace.