Our Second Event of Our Series: The Institute of Global Concern Book Fair 2023 “Foreign Residents in Japan and Immigration Issues” Film “WATASHITACHIWA NINGENDA! [We are human!]” Screening & Talk
Our Second Event of Our Series: The Institute of Global Concern Book Fair 2023 “Foreign Residents in Japan and Immigration Issues” Film “WATASHITACHIWA NINGENDA! [We are human!]” Screening & Talk
The film explores the essence of discrimination against foreigners, including state-originated hate against foreign schools, and the realities of technical intern trainees, refugees, and immigration authorities.
[Guest] Ko Chanyu / Natsuki Yasuda
Discrimination against foreigners by Japan’s immigration system has continued repeatedly since the end of WWII. The death of Ms. Wishma at the Nagoya Immigration Bureau (March 2021) shocked Japanese society as it symbolically and clearly demonstrated the problem of immigration detention in Japan. However, such problems are not new and have their roots in the Japan’s history of colonial aggression, in which it dominated, discriminated against, and oppressed the people of Asia. This film depicts the holistic picture of discrimination against foreigners from diverse backgrounds, including Korean residents in Japan, technical interns, refugees, and immigration detainees, as a continuum with the postwar immigration system. The film reflects the reality of Japanese society today. What is required of us to change this reality? How should we perceive this reality? After the screening, we will explore with the guests how we can make this our own issue and to explore what we can do.
17:00 Doors open
17:20 Explanation of purpose
17:25 Film screening (114 min.) [English subtitles]
19:20 Intermission
19:30 Talk with Guests [simultaneous interpretation available]
20:10 Closing remarks
Ko Chanyu
Graduated from the Korea University in Tokyo, Japan. Ko has written poems and novels, and scripted and directed numerous plays. After working as the editor-in-chief of Mire (Future), a monthly magazine on the DPRK, he became a nonfiction writer. In 2015, Ko established Life Eizo Work and serves as president. He is a member of the board of directors of the Free Journalists Club. In 2019, he directed the documentary film "Ai's School" and was selected as Kinema Junpo Best Ten Cultural Films and received the Japan Film Revival Encouragement Award.
Natsuki Yasuda
Photojournalist for Dialogue for People (D4P), a certified non-profit organization. She is the vice president of D4P and has been covering issues on refugees, poverty, and disasters in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Japan. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, she has been documenting the disaster areas, focusing on Rikuzentakata City. A graduate of Sophia University, she currently appears as a commentator on TBS TV's “Sunday Morning.”
The film explores the essence of discrimination against foreigners, including state-originated hate against foreign schools, and the realities of technical intern trainees, refugees, and immigration authorities.
[Guest] Ko Chanyu / Natsuki Yasuda
Discrimination against foreigners by Japan’s immigration system has continued repeatedly since the end of WWII. The death of Ms. Wishma at the Nagoya Immigration Bureau (March 2021) shocked Japanese society as it symbolically and clearly demonstrated the problem of immigration detention in Japan. However, such problems are not new and have their roots in the Japan’s history of colonial aggression, in which it dominated, discriminated against, and oppressed the people of Asia. This film depicts the holistic picture of discrimination against foreigners from diverse backgrounds, including Korean residents in Japan, technical interns, refugees, and immigration detainees, as a continuum with the postwar immigration system. The film reflects the reality of Japanese society today. What is required of us to change this reality? How should we perceive this reality? After the screening, we will explore with the guests how we can make this our own issue and to explore what we can do.
17:00 Doors open
17:20 Explanation of purpose
17:25 Film screening (114 min.) [English subtitles]
19:20 Intermission
19:30 Talk with Guests [simultaneous interpretation available]
20:10 Closing remarks
Ko Chanyu
Graduated from the Korea University in Tokyo, Japan. Ko has written poems and novels, and scripted and directed numerous plays. After working as the editor-in-chief of Mire (Future), a monthly magazine on the DPRK, he became a nonfiction writer. In 2015, Ko established Life Eizo Work and serves as president. He is a member of the board of directors of the Free Journalists Club. In 2019, he directed the documentary film "Ai's School" and was selected as Kinema Junpo Best Ten Cultural Films and received the Japan Film Revival Encouragement Award.
Natsuki Yasuda
Photojournalist for Dialogue for People (D4P), a certified non-profit organization. She is the vice president of D4P and has been covering issues on refugees, poverty, and disasters in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Japan. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, she has been documenting the disaster areas, focusing on Rikuzentakata City. A graduate of Sophia University, she currently appears as a commentator on TBS TV's “Sunday Morning.”
