However, Imai, who had been a leading member of the Toho dispute, was barred from the 5 film studios (the so-called red purge), and worked for a short time as a scrap broker to earn a living.
しかし、東宝争議で中心的人物として動いた今井を映画会社5社から締め出し（いわゆるレッド・パージ）、生計を立てる為に一時期、屑物の仕切り屋を開業していた。