[TV Osaka Corporation] An Up-close Look at a War Journalist: Investigating the Harsh Reality of Ukraine… Caught Between Mission and Conflict, He Discovers the “Reality of War” [The Documentary]
TV Osaka Corporation Press Release: September 26, 2025 Close-up on a war journalist: Investigating the harsh reality of Ukraine… Caught between mission and conflict, he discovers the “reality of war” [The Documentary] The Documentary “Chasing the Reality of War: A War Reporter 80 Years After the War” [TV Osaka] Broadcast: September 27th (Sat) 1:10 AM – 1:40 AM [TV Tokyo] Broadcast: September 28th (Sun) 3:00 AM – 3:30 AM
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-c492e91ce462009536284c4a8e9b4502-1920×1080.jpg
URL: https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-203cbd3a0839d798e845104d524569cc-1920×1080.png (C) Television Osaka Hiroshima marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. On August 6th, a day filled with people protesting against the war and calling for peace, there was one reporter there. Igarashi Tetsuro, a war journalist from Osaka, has an unusual background as a former news director for NHK. On this day, Igarashi visited the Peace Memorial Ceremony and the hypocenter of the atomic bomb.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-978a2cc6c23dc840ec78204803ed6547-1280×720.png (C) TV Osaka Igarashi has produced numerous award-winning NHK specials on the themes of war and peace. He was a talented director who also worked with Kensuke Okoshi, former News Watch 9 anchor and current News Station main anchor. He left NHK to cover Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. Leaving NHK and heading to the dangerous eastern front
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-67b3a8075927241a1dff3dba3f035c60-1280×720.png (C) Osaka Television Since it’s difficult to go to dangerous front lines as an office worker, Igarashi became a freelance reporter, but… The harsh reality on the battlefields of Ukraine was one that made people want to look away. Exploded buildings, piles of corpses, crying children. Igarashi himself was sometimes in danger of missile and drone strikes.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-e02d1d4ea446a560cca6bd7abfdbf42b-1280×720.png In the three years since he became a freelancer, Igarashi has covered the war in Ukraine four times. His footage and articles have been published by NHK, major networks, and magazines, and have received high praise. His main source of income is royalties, but he has to provide his own bulletproof vests and helmets, which are essential for reporting. It’s a dangerous job and not a well-paying one. Igarashi is also a father of two children. What does his wife think? The image of a family torn apart by war
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-e2d7ae3c84f5658cf37d0cc14b88263a-1280×720.png (C) Osaka Television Igarashi’s first reporting trip to Ukraine was in September 2022. It all began with a chance encounter on a bus crossing the border. A woman visiting her parents in her hometown told me, “Ukrainians never expected war to break out until the very end.” Together with a woman whose hometown was on the front lines of the fighting, I headed to the battlefield. There, I witnessed a family being torn apart…
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-4214d3abaf1f0622ea06eaade386dffa-1280×720.png (C) TV Osaka During the interview, the sound of explosions echoed constantly. A building visible to the naked eye was home to a Russian military base. Furthermore, information came in that there was a high possibility of a missile being fired at the hotel where they were staying, forcing them to evacuate quickly… Even so, Igarashi continued his reporting, saying, “I want to convey this through video and audio, and spread the word to as many people as possible.” Sounds and smells trigger flashbacks of the battlefield.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-c8fa52302403004d52d50fd91e504d26-1280×720.png (C) Osaka Television The more Igarashi reported on Ukraine, the more his emotional scars grew. He drank alcohol to forget the battlefield. Even after returning to Japan, he began to suffer from symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He was frightened by the sounds of motorcycles and air conditioner units, and even the slightest smell would bring back memories of the battlefield. Furthermore, as public interest in Ukraine wanes, we are losing the opportunity to publish our reporting. Many of my fellow journalists have run into the wall of indifference and have given up going to the battlefield. Amidst his conflict, an encounter with a soldier becomes a turning point…
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-22416820fad3ea50fb9460f3593db863-1280×720.png (C) Television Osaka The turning point came with an article published this year. It described the encounters and partings of a middle-aged soldier known as a “musician,” as well as the thoughts of his family. This article, which looked at the life of just one man among a war death toll estimated at 40,000 at the time, was unusual in the context of war journalism, which tends to simply report on fierce battles on the front lines and tragic scenes. It touched the hearts of many readers. The “reality of war” was something only Igarashi could convey… This article helped Igarashi overcome his conflict and feelings of helplessness. It also sparked a new movement. People began to support the deceased “musician”‘s students by donating instruments and audio equipment. Supporters urged Igarashi, “Please come back alive at all costs.” In August 2025, Igarashi decided to travel to Ukraine for the fifth time.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/20945/2313/20945-2313-8d78974cc81806b2d81e80f7660008f0-1280×720.png (C) TV Osaka “Well, I’m off to war. I’ll be back in about two weeks.” Igarashi is seen off by his children. He acts cheerful, but he’s heading to a battlefield where he could die. He’s overcome with dread, thinking, “I might never see my family again,” but he finds strength in his heart as he thinks of the people who support him. A documentary that looks at the mission and struggles of war journalists. Program information 【Program Title】 The Documentary “Chasing the Reality of War: A War Correspondent 80 Years After the War” 【Broadcast Date and Time】 TV Osaka: Broadcast on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 1:10 a.m. TV Tokyo: Broadcast at 3:00 am on Sunday, September 28, 2025 【HP】 https://www.tv-osaka.co.jp/sp/80year_real/ [Osaka NEWS (TV Osaka News) Official YouTube Channel]Documentary Playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXglZY9f1Kw0F6mdyjY9tptDmS1ZIWVYF&si=A5U4ogWvaD3rNKdF