This Japanese Oscar-nominated documentary faces ban in own country
What's the story
Japanese journalist and director Shiori Ito investigates her own sexual assault case in the Oscar-nominated documentary Black Box Diaries.
She became the face of Japan's #MeToo movement after accusing prominent journalist Noriyuki Yamaguchi of rape.
The film—which has not yet been screened in Japan—begins with Shiori stating, "I have a chance to talk about the truth...which has been ignored," as she takes viewers through her deeply personal journey.
Legal battle
Shiori's pursuit of justice against her assaulter
In 2015, Shiori, then a 25-year-old intern at Reuters, met Noriyuki for dinner to discuss a job opportunity.
Hours later, she woke up in a hotel room with Noriyuki assaulting her.
Despite the initial backlash and limited support when she went public about the assault in 2017, Shiori spent the next five years seeking justice and holding Noriyuki accountable.
In 2019, Shiori won a lawsuit against Noriyuki. In 2022, he was ordered to pay over $30,000 in damages.
Investigation insights
Shiori's investigative process and challenges faced
Shiori encountered major roadblocks in her investigation, from being dismissed by police at first to being humiliated while reporting. This prompted her to collect as much evidence as she could of Noriyuki's actions.
Her investigation culminated in an award-winning memoir, Black Box, and subsequently the documentary on the assault.
"When you deal with trauma, you forget so many things, so always record what's happening around you," Shiori advised other survivors during an interview with GIJN.
Documentary details
'Black Box Diaries' explores Shiori's journey to justice
The documentary, which was released last year, is a compilation of video diaries and phone recordings.
Shiori included CCTV footage showing an intoxicated person being dragged from a taxi into a hotel. This was part of over 400 hours of footage she meticulously edited.
"In this story, I was a journalist and a survivor. And because of that, I questioned myself many times whether it was okay to look into my own case," said Shiori in the film.
Challenges
CCTV footage sparked controversy
However, the inclusion of CCTV footage sparked controversy—drawing criticism from Shiori's former legal team, who had previously helped her win.
They accused her of using the footage without authorization.
Lawyer Nishihiro also alleged that the documentary featured unauthorized recordings, including audio of a police detective who later became a whistleblower and video footage of a taxi driver who had testified about the night of the alleged assault. The legal team argued that both individuals were identifiable and had not consented.
Clarification
Shiori promised to re-edit parts to ensure individuals weren't identifiable
Shiori had previously admitted she lacked permission from the hotel to use the CCTV footage but defended her decision, stating it was "the only visual evidence" of the night she was assaulted.
In a statement last week, she apologized and confirmed that the documentary would be re-edited to ensure individuals were not identifiable, with a redacted version set to be screened moving forward.
Statement
'This is my love letter to Japan...'
Shiori grappled with the tension of sticking to traditional journalism principles while being the film's main subject.
She admitted to the extreme vulnerability of exposing her trauma and not being a neutral party to the story.
"This is my love letter to Japan. I really wish one day I can screen my film, and my family can also watch it," she told BBC, further adding, "That's what I really hope for...more than winning an Oscar."