Composer Sakamoto promises to continue anti-nuke tune

BERLIN--World-renowned composer Ryuichi Sakamoto is vowing to use his considerable talents and the power of music to maintain the public's interest in the dangers of nuclear power.

Sakamoto wrote the final song for a movie related to the nuclear crisis in Fukushima Prefecture, which was screened as part of the Berlin International Film Festival.

“While watching this movie (‘Nuclear Nation’ by director Atsushi Funahashi), I felt deep sympathy for the people in the town of Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture (where the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is located), and repeatedly wept,” Sakamoto said in a question-and-answer session on Feb. 12 after the film was screened at the festival.

“As time passes, the Japanese interest in the dangers of the country's nuclear power policies is waning. While borrowing the power of my friends, I am going to change people’s ‘sense’ through music,” he told audience members, who were excited at the sudden appearance of the famed Japanese composer.

“I also put into the ending theme song, titled ‘For Futaba,’ my thoughts for Futaba residents who have left their hometown and are now living in other parts of the country as evacuees.”

He said he plans to compose a music album whose main theme is “Fukushima.”

Sakamoto, 60, is in Berlin to serve among 150 lecturers in the “Talent Campus” program, which has been held during the festival period for about a decade to nurture young people working in the movie industry.

This year, the program, which started on Feb. 11, has about 350 young people from 99 countries learning a variety of skills. The fields of learning range from jobs as movie directors or scenario writers to acting, costumes and music.

The lecturers include not only Sakamoto but also other notables such as French actress Juliette Binoche and Canadian actor Keanu Reeves.

Sakamoto, who is known for scoring movies such as “The Last Emperor,” is in charge of classes for composers who want to compose songs or to score films.

On Feb. 15, he will also speak at a session in which the public is invited to attend.