Nuchi no Miji: Okinawa’s Water of Life – Documentary Film Screening and Q&A Session
Date and Time
Mar 25, 2023 6:30 pm
Location
450K
Mar 25, 2023 6:30 pm
450K
Join us for a special screening of the environmental documentary film Nuchi no Miji with the co-directors, Jon Mitchell and Shimabukuro Natsuko. The film portrays Okinawans’ struggle for justice in one of the worst environmental catastrophes in modern Japanese history. Since 2016, the drinking water for 450,000 residents, roughly one-third of the population, has been contaminated with military PFAS “Forever Chemicalsâ€â€“ but the Japanese and US governments have refused to resolve the problem. Featuring interviews, archive footage, and documents obtained via the US Freedom of Information Act, Nuchi nu Miji uncovers the truth about what has been happening on Okinawa and reveals why so many residents feel abandoned by both Tokyo and Washington. Attendees can listen to the directors’ talk about the film and ask questions. Snacks will be provided.
Jon Mitchell is a correspondent with Okinawa Times and the author of four books about Okinawa’s environment, including Poisoning the Pacific (Rowman & Littlefield), a winner of the 2021 US Society of Environmental Journalists’ book award. He is a visiting researcher at Meiji Gakuin University’s International Peace Research Institute, Tokyo. Shimabukuro Natsuko is a director with Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting Corporation. Her documentaries about Okinawan history, politics, and environmental problems have won Japan’s top TV prizes, including the prestigious Galaxy Award. She is a member of Waseda University’s Institute for the Next Generation of Journalism and Media.
This event is proudly co-organized by the Okinawa Prefecture DC Office and World BEYOND War.
Contact: office@pref.Okinawa.dc-office.org