Yakusho Koji, one of Japan's most distinguished actors, has been awarded the Far East Film Festival's Golden Mulberry Award for lifetime achievement—a recognition presented by celebrated filmmaker Wim Wenders himself. The award, given in Udine, marks almost fifty years of commitment to Japanese cinema, during which the actor has crafted an extraordinarily diverse career encompassing television, film and theatre. Yakusho, who took his professional name at the suggestion of his teacher Nakadai Tatsuya to reflect his hoped-for range of roles, characterises the accolade as "a whip of love"—a final encouragement to maintain his craft. The recognition underscores a extraordinary transformation...