Based on a true story, this compelling drama relates the difficulties of a young woman married to a Japanese diplomat during World War II, victim of suspicion and animosity from her husband's government.
In 1935, nineteen year old Gwen Harold of Johnson City, Tennessee, is visiting her Aunt Peg and her casual beau Fred Tyson, a low level bureaucrat, in Washington DC. Fred is able to get them an invitation to the Japanese Embassy's annual reception. At that gathering, they meet among others Hidenari Terasaki - called Terry for ease by Americans - the Under Secretary to the Japanese Ambassador. Terry and Gwen start to date, fall in love and decide that they want to get married. The entire process leading to this point has not been easy for either as she has largely hidden their relationship from her family due to the racial divide, and as his diplomatic post makes marrying anyone not Japanese difficult in what are increasingly tense geopolitical times globally. They are able to get married, which only increases the difficulties in their life, especially as Gwen is ill-prepared to accept the patriarchal customs of Japanese society, Terry who is expecting her to be a typical Japanese wife, most specifically while they are in Japan. Their problems are increased exponentially with the events of December 7, 1941. Terry, a Japanese national, is not allowed to stay in the US under the circumstances. Gwen has to decide to follow Terry back to Tokyo, he who she still loves despite their problems, or stay in the relative safety of the US. They now have a young daughter Mako Terasaki to consider, Mako who will face prejudices on both sides. Beyond Terry being sent back to Japan, he has to decide to stay true to his professional obligations and work for the Japanese war effort or stay true to his love for Gwen in not only protecting her and Mako but not work toward killing Americans.—Huggo
Young woman (Carroll Baker) meets Japanese mid level diplomat (James Shigeta) prior to outbreak of World War II in Washington, DC. They fall in love and get married despite misgivings of ambassador. When he is transferred home, she goes with him. With bumps and starts, she begins to learn Japanese culture. Once again he is sent to DC and she goes along in 1941. There is intrigue throughout the embassy between the war mongers and those, like her husband, who want to keep the peace. December 7, the Day of Infamy, arrives. While the embassy is in talks with the US govt pursuing peace, bombs are dropping in Hawaii. An exchange of embassy staff between Japan and US is arranged. She and her husband are returned to Japan. They try to settle into "normal" life while she is the American amongst all the Japanese. Heer husband is still among the diplomatic core while he is part of a secret group trying to get to the Emperor to tell him he is being misled by the military into a disastrous war that can't be won. As the war starts to go badly for the Japanese, the husband sends his American wife to a small village to stay out of sight of the warmongers in Tokyo. Starvation is getting bad and she rarely see him as he works in Tokyo. He is being watched due to his alleged ties with the secret peace-seeking group. As U.S. fire bombing campaign gets worse, suspicions are running rampant everywhere. Then the atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Her husband finally gets to see the emperor who is persuaded to record a speech of surrender. As the military are closing in on the peace group, the record is played on the Tokyo radio, surrendering to the Allies. It's over. The people finally hear the emperor's voice for the first time. The war has ended with millions of lives saved on either side due to the husband and his group.
Gwen Harold (Carroll Baker), an American woman from Tennessee, meets Hidenari Terasaki (James Shigeta) (called Terry by his friends and family), the secretary to the Japanese ambassador, while attending a reception at the Japanese embassy in Washington, D.C. They share a moment while Terry is showing her the antique Japanese artworks on display in the embassy, and after some reluctance, she agrees to allow him to call on her.
They begin dating and they quickly fall in love, even though Terry occasionally has fits of anti-Western sentiment. When Terry asks her to marry him, she agrees, but the Japanese ambassador calls on Gwen and attempts to dissuade her from accepting, claiming that it would hurt Terry's career by giving him an American bias.They eventually marry despite the obstacles and, when Terry is recalled, travel to Japan by ship.
Arriving in Tokyo, Terry begins to treat Gwen much differently, expecting her to behave according to beliefs of contemporary Japan, such as being silent among men, entering doors after the men and virtually bending to every whim of Terry and her male relatives. After having a fight one night when a general says that Terry should be proud that he may have a son to die for the emperor, they make up and she reveals that she is pregnant. The baby daughter is named Mako.
By November 1941, Terry has been reassigned to the embassy in America. World War II embroils the world around them and the U.S. is one of the few powers of the world still at peace. Sensing that it may be the last chance for peace between the U.S. and the Empire of Japan, Terry attempts to go over the heads of his superiors and have a cable sent directly to President Roosevelt, alerting him to cable the Japanese emperor to seek to preserve the peace. Terry's effort is in vain, as December 7th comes.
Gwen decides to accompany Terry back to Japan, as he is due to be deported in an ambassador exchange. In Japan, a nationalist anti-American hatred is present among the citizens. Terry is less enthusiastic about the war, and attempts to be a mediator for peace, which is dangerous because of the prevailing sentiment and the secret police.
Terry reveals that he is under suspicion for being disloyal because he has an American wife, does not belong to any patriotic clubs, and speaks out against the war. Soldiers enter and search the house, and while they don't arrest him, it is clear that he and his family are going to have a rough time as long as they stay in Tokyo. They agree to stay at a friend's empty house outside of the city.
They arrive at their new home and meet the young girl w9ho lives there. Terry reveals that he is going back to Tokyo, and that he did not tell her earlier because she would not have gone to stay without him. He offers to arrange her passage back to the U.S., but she refuses, wanting to be close to her husband.
As the war continues, food shortages and widespread damage make it clear that things are going against Japan. As the years go on, Terry visits less and less, and Mako (Emi Florence Hirsch) grows up not knowing any other existence other than one of perpetual war. Later on, the surrender of Nazi Germany, Japan's main ally, is also announced, and it is clear that the invasion of Japan is coming soon.
One day, the entire village arrives at their house, as it is the only one with a radio, for the emperor's radio address. The emperor has never spoken in public before, so they realize he must have major news, possibly of a surrender. As the village listens to the emperor's (Hirohito) voice for the first time, the speech starts:"We are fully aware of the innermost feelings of all of you, however, have resolved to pave the way for peace for all generations to come. By enduring the unendurable, and suffering what is insufferable, let the entire nation unite as one family, from generation to generation, and cultivate the ways of rectitude and nobility of spirit."
With the war over, Terry asks Gwen to return to her home of Johnson City, Tennessee to put Mako in an American school while she is young and can lose her prejudices against America. Gwen vehemently refuses to leave him. Later on, she finds Terry, who has been overworked, malnourished and ill for many months, standing over his parents' graves. She recalls a speech that he once gave her about visiting the graves of ancestors at times of marriage, birth, and death.
Days later, after Gwen agrees to Terry's final wish for her and Mako to depart for America, he sees her and their daughter off at the dock. They kiss and embrace for the last time, and Gwen reassures Terry that they will be expecting him soon, knowing that she will never see him again. The film ends with Gwen and Terry lovingly meeting each other's gaze for the final time. Gwen holds her composure until he is out of sight, and then breaks down and begins crying.
