1946: TOKYO FILES

In 1946, while the world focused on Nuremberg, another historic trial was unfolding in Tokyo to prosecute leaders of Imperial Japan. Yet, this trial remains largely forgotten, despite the horrific Pacific War that claimed nearly twenty million lives. Why was this trial overshadowed?

This documentary uncovers how the Tokyo Trial, meant to establish international justice after the war, was manipulated by the United States to serve its interests against the USSR. By sparing Emperor Hirohito to secure Japan as a strategic ally, the Americans compromised the ideal of impartial justice. This flawed trial still leaves deep wounds today between Japan and its neighbors, particularly China and South Korea.

Drawing from never-before-seen archives of French judge Bernard, sent to Tokyo to represent France, this film takes viewers behind the scenes of a forgotten trial. Expert interviews, restored footage, and untold stories reveal a clash between justice and politics, challenging our ability to truly learn from history.