Japanese Actor wins Cannes Film Festival

Japanese actor Yakusho Koji has won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the movie "Perfect Days." Yakusho starred in the film, and he said experiencing the festival's enthusiasm made him feel the power of films and motivated him to work hard.

The film was directed by Germany's Wim Wenders. Asked what part of his performance may have appealed to the European film community, Yakusho said Hirayama, the character he played in "Perfect Days," went through hell. He said this may have made viewers want to encourage him to persevere to live a new life.

He noted that Asian film directors, including Japan's Koreeda Hirokazu, are highly evaluated. He believes that Asian films could be even more powerful if Asian people work together. Cannes is one of the world's three major film festivals, along with Venice and Berlin.