A lot of country making films in English, but in Japan we are very shy to speak English.

This is a good thing, mixing culture to make something new, something no one has ever seen. This is kind of a new history.

I was very comfortable on the set of Lost. I was so nervous when I went on to the set because I had just watched all the Lost episodes. I was, like, a fan. A big fan.

Action is just one of my skills.

I think it's very hard to direct foreign language actors, but Carl Rinsch found a great way. A special super visional way.

It's a Samurai story [47 ronin], so if we change too much Japanese audiences will have strong against feelings to the film. It's not good.

Carl Rinsch has a good balance between the visual and the drama and action, so I thought if he's going to direct, we can make a new, epic film. My fear was gone when I met him.

I believe, the Japanese film industry must be open.

None of us knows how long he shall live or when his time will come. But soon, all that will be left of our brief lives is the pride our children feel when they speak our names.

I've done Last Samurai in Japan, in LA, in New Zealand. Even in Japan it is very hard to shoot, because there's been so many changes. Only around a temple can we shoot.

This is almost the most famous story The last samurai - Samurai story - in Japan.

When I was eight or nine years old, I saw the TV version of 47 Ronin, played by Toshiro Mifune. He played Oishi. That was my first experience. I watched every week with my brother. Who plays Oishi tonight? Who will play Kira tonight? And we fought every week.

47 Ronin is a very special movie for me. Not only a Samurai thing. Not only a Hollywood fantasy. It has a very special mixture between Japanese traditional culture and Western culture for the costume, set, story. Everything. I believe it will be a very special film that no one has ever seen.

It's very difficult to introduce the world to our culture.

The difference between working on Asian and American films is in the producer and director everyone has their own style. But, Hollywood has a lot more money they can spend a lot on films, and time. In Europe, there's a small budget and thinking about commercial. Only budget and taste is different between there and Hollywood.