Original subtitles

Just here, please.

The Unitia Airlines passengers will be arriving soon.

Okay!

-Good morning. -Good morning.

Hayami.

Here.

What's this?

Draft manuals from the airport director.

They say our booth has too many issues. We need to standardize the procedures.

-They've totally got their eyes on us. -Now, now.

If you have any feedback, Hayami, you're an expert with these documents.

Right, after all, you were on the career track at the Ministry of Justice.

True.

Thanks, then!

Thank you.

Um, Hayami,

you said before, right,

that you came to Gate 24

because you can't create rules without knowing the field.

Yes.

Honestly, when I get absorbed in something,

I sometimes forget the rules.

Yes, I kind of noticed that.

But Hayami, you were on the side that makes those rules.

That's really amazing. I respect you.

Just because a system is right

doesn't mean the people who make it are right.

-Passengers are here. -Ah, okay!

Announcement for all passengers.

Flight 7H801 from Unitia will be arriving soon.

Please wait in the arrivals lounge.

-Endo, check it, please. -Okay!

NOZOMI ENDO - QUARANTINE OFFICER

Excuse me.

JUNKO TAMAI - CUSTOMS OFFICER

MACHI MORI - CUSTOMS, MINISTRY OF FINANCE

Um, Hayami, this person…

Wait. This might be a quarantine issue.

Who touches him changes who's responsible.

This too.

But…

-I'm concerned. -Wait…

Wait!

What?

Please, everyone!

-Huh? What? -Huh?

Oh my…

"Oh my" doesn't cut it!

That was a Murcia rabbit.

-A Murcia rabbit? -Yes.

Distinct short round ears, grayish-brown coat.

I saw it with my own eyes.

Don't just see it, catch it!

We closed the entrance.

RAN FUKASAWA - CHIEF HEARING OFFICER

We can't let an uninspected animal escape.

Let's guide the passengers to the main terminal.

Yes, sir!

What is this…

Hey, you.

-Go ahead, I'll guide you. -No.

The inspection booth is right there.

-Let us through. -It's currently closed.

-Please head toward the main terminal-- -It's far away.

Yes, it is. We apologize for the inconvenience…

Wait, wait, wait…

-Wait a second! -What?

-You haven't cleared immigration yet. -Then make it fast.

Like I said, um…

-We're in a rush. -Okay.

Hayami, what should we do about that?

You're always like that.

When something happens, it's "not your call".

Isn't that irresponsible?

Making arbitrary decisions would be far more irresponsible.

Go ahead and inspect them.

We'll sanitize this area, so use the secondary room.

-So? Did you find it? -We can't find it anywhere!

Check every gap!

-Use gloves when you touch it. -Okay!

May I see your passports?

-May I check your luggage as well? -Go ahead.

Thank you.

-Is this your child's luggage? -Yes.

He packed it himself,

so I don't know what's in there.

Fumika Shinomiya

-and Luis Anglard, right? -Yes.

Pardon me for asking, but does that mean you're not his mother?

I'm his aunt. His mother's younger sister.

Where are his parents?

That's…

-Excuse us. Come in. -Hello. Pardon us.

This is…

This is Kijima from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs--

Oh, Hayami!

Long time no see.

We haven't met since college.

-Kijima… -We'll talk later.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HIDETO KIJIMA

-You are Luis Anglard, correct? -Yes, so?

I'm Kijima from the Consular Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Just now, we received a call from Luis' father.

He said, "My son has been kidnapped."

Kidnapped?

What are you talking about?

Luis, you're safe now.

-Don't come near him! -Oh, no, no.

-Uh, we're just securing him. -Please calm down.

Now, Luis.

Let's go back to your father.

Oh my.

-Found it? -No.

-Let's go that way. -Okay!

-Let's split up. -Okay.

-This way! -Oh, there!

Where did it go?

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

Thank you, then.

We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience caused.

COUNSELOR OF BORDER CONTROL REFORM MIDORI SUGIHARA

Well, well, Counselor Sugihara.

Airport Director.

Are you here for that matter too?

TAKAHIRO IKEURA DIRECTOR OF KANTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Our staff is in chaos right now,

all because of a single rabbit.

I am so sorry for the trouble.

If I recall, Gate 24 was a team that crossed agency boundaries.

Yet, for a quarantine matter,

you bowed down to the Ministry of Agriculture

and placed a burden on us and the Ministry of Transport.

What a splendid cross-agency team.

As the person in charge of that team,

for now, I just want to resolve the problem.

You can give us your feedback later.

That reminds me.

It seems the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also involved with Gate 24 now.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs?

Mommy, play with me.

M-my name is not Mommy.

It's Machi. Machi Mori.

Mommy, play with me.

His father is Julian Anglard.

A high-ranking government official of the United Federation.

His mother is Japanese, Saeko Shinomiya.

Apparently a picture book author.

They divorced about two weeks ago.

Julian got custody.

Saeko returned to Japan after that.

And that's Saeko's younger sister.

I told you, I just brought him because my sister asked me to.

How is taking a child to his mother kidnapping?

-You know-- -Don't touch me!

Ah, I'm sorry.

INTERNATIONAL CRIMES DETECTIVE IUCHI TAKAYA

But you didn't get the father's consent, right?

In fact, the father reported it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

as a missing person case.

Missing person.

-That absolute piece of garbage! -No, calm down… Ah, sorry!

Where is Luis' mother?

Read me a picture book, Mommy.

A picture book?

Where is Daddy?

Daddy is…

Matsuyama.

I heard about the case. Leave the kid to me.

What?

I thought I was the type kids liked.

Maybe Luis doesn't get along with adult men.

But he hugged Hayami, right, and called him "Daddy".

-I just happened to be where he ran. -Thank you.

There's no point in looking for meaning in everything a child says.

Maybe he doesn't understand the situation yet.

I think so too.

I mean, the mother is waiting in the arrival lobby right now, right?

Why not just let them meet?

-No, that's-- -Of course, we can't do that.

Do you know the Hague Convention?

The Hague Convention… That's, uh…

Children taken unlawfully across international borders

are, in principle, returned to their original country.

That's the international agreement.

If we let him meet the mother here,

it could be seen as Japan aiding in a child abduction.

-It'll become an international issue. -I know,

but a mother and child not being able to meet--

This isn't a matter to judge based on emotion.

I'm relieved, Hayami.

Even after coming to a place like this,

-you're still you. -A place like this?

What do you mean by that?

A video message,

from Luis' father.

Bring Luis to me, now!

I'm very sorry.

Hey there!

-Please calm down. -What?

I'm with the police.

You are Saeko Shinomiya, correct?

Do you have a moment?

-Ah, wait! -Ma'am!

Out of my way!

-You can't enter from here. -Luis!

-Ms. Shinomiya, please calm down! -Let go of me!

-Luis! -Please step back!

Don't touch me!

Okay. Understood.

-I'll go check on them. -Thank you.

Luis!

-Sorry, sorry! -Luis!

-Wait! -Luis!

Move!

-Luis! -Wait!

Luis! Luis?

Where are you? Luis!

You bastard… Hey!

You cowardly piece of trash!

How dare you lie about a kidnapping!

Stop messing with us!

Stop!

-Let go of me! -Ms. Shinomiya, calm down.

If you make any more of a fuss,

we will treat this as a diplomatic matter.

If that happens,

your older sister will be in an even worse situation.

Kijima…

-Take her away. -Okay.

Make sure she never gets near Luis again.

Let go of me! Luis!

Luis!

Isn't that going a bit too far?

It sounded like you were threatening her.

I know the Hague Convention exists,

but the final decision on returning a child

isn't made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but by the court.

The Ministry can only mediate with the father,

it cannot take legal action.

Custody of Luis belongs to the father.

What's wrong with aligning with the father's wishes?

We are dealing with a high-ranking official of the United Federation.

If this turns into an international issue,

can you take responsibility?

Know your place, Hayami.

Know your place.

Mori, how's Luis doing?

Luis is…

Huh?

What?

Where is Luis?

Huh?

Don't "huh" me!

Yes, hello?

Did you find the rabbit?

What? A child?

-Found him? -Not yet.

Um…

This is a piece of a keychain.

-A keychain? -Yes.

It was on Luis' tablet.

I saw it, for sure.

Hello.

Are you playing hide-and-seek?

So you're saying you lost track

of both a quarantined animal and a child

who is involved in an international case at the same time.

-Yes. -Yes.

I'm sorry.

This will add another item to the manual.

Nothing but manuals…

At any rate, I'm glad the boy is safe.

As for the search for the rabbit, let's reorganize our approach.

-Yes, sir. -Yes, sir.

About Luis,

it was decided that our department will look after him until the next flight.

Make sure not to take your eyes off him this time.

-Yes, ma'am. -Yes.

Everyone, got a minute?

Then Hayami and Mori, do your best to watch the kid.

-What? -I mean, you're Daddy and Mommy, right?

Um…

Hayami, look.

A straw hat, a bug net…

A ring float…

According to what was said earlier, Luis packed this himself.

It looks like luggage for going on a picnic…

Maybe he intended to play together with his mother.

That's just speculation.

Yes, it's speculation.

But

the items are saying so.

Did he try to run away earlier because he wanted to see his mom?

Read me a picture book.

-A picture book? -He mentioned it earlier too,

so I prepared a few books.

It's picture book data.

So that's what it was about.

Saeko Shinomiya.

Did his mother make these books?

What is this?

-to you. -Reading aloud for her child…

Saeko probably recorded this video thinking she might get

separated from Luis.

Luis looks happy to see his mother too.

Can this

really be called a kidnapping?

From the luggage, it certainly looks like he came to see his mother.

Yes.

That video is also full of a mother's love.

Love, is it?

But a mother's love

and whether abduction is legal are two different matters.

Well, yes.

I'm also concerned about the father.

The father?

He never once uttered

his son's name, nor did he try to see him.

I have a child too,

but if I found out they were safe,

the first thing I'd want is to see their face.

I was bothered by that too.

Plus, Julian used the phrasing of "controlling" his own child.

Control?

Mommy, please read me a picture book.

M-me?

Super Daddy.

Excuse me.

-Hello. -Hey, there.

Hello, Counselor.

How is the interrogation going?

We're struggling.

However, I feel like we can't definitively say it's just a kidnapping.

What do you mean?

When we restrained the mother earlier, I saw it.

Bruises on her arm and neck.

Bruises?

They're most likely…

That's right.

Julian has always used violence against my older sister.

Why didn't you say so at first?

If I said it, would you have believed it?

When talk of divorce came up,

my sister formally reported it.

To her lawyer, to the consulate.

She even had people testify for her.

And yet,

before we knew it, everything was erased.

Julian crushed it all.

So now,

this is the only way for my sister to see Luis.

I feel bad for the mom.

As for me, I always end up thinking that a child

should be allowed to stay with their mother.

That's true.

Even so, there's the Hague Convention.

It feels frustrating when mother and child are right over there.

Huh? Wait a second.

This is…

Seika!

Look.

WARNING: FLAMMABLE

It's a rabbit bite mark.

It's still fresh.

Does that mean it's nearby?!

ALCOHOL HAND SANITIZER

Kijima.

Did you know?

Julian was using violence against his ex-wife.

It's just the ex-wife's claim, right?

-There's no evidence. -It's possible Julian erased the evidence.

Are you intending to treat a United Federation

high official as a domestic abuser based on mere possibility?

If such groundless rumors were to spread, it would affect Julian's honor.

Furthermore, it affects the credibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

So that's why you rushed things so much.

This is for the country.

You of all people should understand what's important

for the organization.

No.

It's because you didn't understand that

that you were transferred to a place like this, right?

I'm sorry.

Luis said he needed to go to the bathroom.

Hayami, huh?

I'm bothered by the fact that Hayami isn't saying anything.

He has had it rough.

When Hayami was at the Ministry of Justice,

he was burning with a sense of duty.

He wanted to renovate the system,

to save from unjust suffering.

He especially focused on one case.

At a certain company,

a young female employee suffered

from long working hours and pressure from her superior

and took her own life.

The company covered up the records entirely.

-Calm down, Hayami. -We should investigate thoroughly.

This company

has many of our alumni working in it.

A person involved with the law was overlooking illegal activity.

It's ironic.

And so, what did Hayami do?

Good morning.

After agonizing, it seems he tried to blow the whistle.

However…

NOTICE OF TRANSFER

I told you, Hayami.

Know your place.

-I… -Hayami…

I made a mistake.

I made a mistake at a crucial moment.

As a result, I'm here.

Daddy, please read me a picture book.

I told you, I'm not your daddy.

Um, you're mistaken, Hayami.

I figured it out.

Look at this picture book.

Super Daddy.

It's a story about an ordinary father who becomes

a superhero to protect his child.

Doesn't this Super Daddy look like you, Hayami?

Me?

He looks just like you.

Actually…

this "mommy" here looks like you.

-Me? -Somewhat.

I see.

So that's why you called us…

Daddy and Mommy.

To Luis, Hayami, you are a superhero.

This story seems to be Luis' absolute favorite.

But this is the only one with no video of his mother reading it.

True.

That's why he wanted us to read it instead.

The mystery is solved.

Hayami,

will you read it for him?

-Me? -You're his hero. Yes.

Mori, you read it.

I don't deserve to be called a hero.

There's nothing I can do. I'll leave you to it.

All right.

Rabbits have a habit of hiding in narrow, dark places.

Ready.

We will play audio of a mother rabbit to draw it out.

All ready here.

I hope it goes well.

I want to catch the rabbit too.

You too, Luis?

I want to let the rabbit go home.

-Hayami, then should we also-- -Of course not.

More importantly, it's almost time for the flight.

We have to prepare.

-I told you no. -Um…

This sound… It's not me.

Hayami.

It's okay, Daddy will catch it for us.

I told you, I'm not Daddy.

All right…

Hayami…

KANTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TERMINAL 2

We finished sanitizing everything, so it's fine now.

Thank you very much.

It seems that the rabbit was stolen

from a protection and breeding facility in Unitia.

After inspection, it will be returned to the original facility.

Thank goodness.

I don't want to go home.

Papa was being mean to Mama.

I don't want to see Papa. I want to see Mama.

Hayami.

Can't we do something?

I don't think Luis could say this to anyone.

But he thinks you could help him.

To Luis, you're a--

Making these decisions isn't part of my job.

Sorry to keep you waiting, Luis.

Hayami, thanks for taking care of him.

Looks like we'll make the flight in time.

U-um…

Could you wait just a little longer?

Luis seems to want to stay here…

Daddy, please read me a picture book.

There's no time for that.

Um…

That's right, Hayami.

That's good.

I told you, Hayami. Know your place.

Can't be helped.

Wait, Kijima.

I told you.

The final authority on whether to return a child

is the court, not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Judgments aside,

a contact came from the father

with custody treating it as a missing person report.

There's also the Hague Convention.

And besides,

this has nothing to do with Immigration.

This is my workplace, and that boy is a child I was in charge of.

I can't just say it has nothing to do with me.

This is my problem.

Hayami…

Hayami, you…

Is this going to be okay?

-He will be held accountable. -No, not at all.

Is this really going to become an international issue?

-Wait, Mori! -Um, Hayami!

Hayami, Hayami, Hayami.

Look at this. It was in the trash can,

the video of Super Daddy.

Hayami!

You apologize too. You say careless things without any proof.

If it's proof you want, we have it.

What?

This is a video of Saeko reading a picture book to Luis.

What is this?

Ba ba bam!

So Julian withdrew the missing person report, right?

Yes. Not only that, but he's also handing over Luis' custody to Saeko.

In the end, his own status was more important than his child.

But thank goodness.

Being in a place where Luis can feel safe is what matters most.

That's very like you, Fukasawa.

I'm a parent, after all.

-Luis! Luis! -Mama!

That's overwhelming.

Yes.

Um, Hayami.

You said earlier, right,

that you came here because you made a mistake.

Is that really true?

Hayami.

Here.

This plan has come up from the Cabinet Secretariat.

It's a plan made by a counselor burning with ideals.

Eliminating agency walls to unite the field as one.

Nobody takes it seriously. It's a pipe dream.

THE PLAN FOR GATE 24

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

I wonder.

What's wrong?

No, nothing.

Everyone, thank you so much for everything.

It's great, isn't it?

This time, it was thanks to Hayami.

Me?

Because he's a hero.

I'm not a hero at all.

-You're not? -No.

I'm just an immigration officer.

Oh my…

Hayami. Hayami.

Come on!

-The high five tour. -What!?

A Korean idol group.

They're world famous.

I can't allow you to enter the country without a passport.

Where did you work before this?

Machi Mori?

-It's Yuki. -Ms. Yuki…

Subtitle translation by: Maslin Friedman