Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2011

Actress Maki Horikita, 22, will play a doctor an NHK drama to air next year. The drama, which starts next April 2, is titled Ume-chan sensei, and is based on a screenplay by Masaya Ozaki. Horikita plays the title character, Dr Ume, who becomes a doctor in Kamata, Tokyo after World War II. Horikita said the theme is one of recovery, and added that it is also relevant to Japan today, which is trying to recover from the devastation of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.