20 Things You Didn’t Know About You Only Live Twice (1967)
11. "It's Hard Work!" "Hmm, Some Honeymoon!"
The Japanese market was important to the Bond films; the world premiere of Thunderball (1965) had even been held in Tokyo. Toho Studios therefore provided soundstages, personnel, and Japanese performers to assist with filming.
Actresses, Akiko Wakabayashi and Mie Hama came to the UK to learn English before filming but, whilst Wakabayashi adapted very well, Hama was not so proficient in the language. Unfortunately, as Hama had been cast in the larger, tragic role of Suki and things weren’t working out, she had to be replaced.
Lewis Gilbert had worked with Tetsurô Tanba before on The 7th Dawn (1964) and asked him to break the bad news to her. However, Tanba reported to Gilbert that Mie Hama was so shamed by the news that she had resolved to throw herself out of her hotel room window.
Horrified, the filmmakers switched the actress' roles so that Akiko Wakabayashi played Suki, who had more lines in the script, whilst Hama played the film’s final Bond Girl, Kissy Suzuki, who had less screen time. They also adopted Wakabayashi’s suggestion that Suki be renamed Aki - a shortened version of her own name.