A Conversation with Shiori Itô (BLACK BOX DIARIES)

For a moment, think back to the worst experience in your entire life thus far. Perhaps, for far too many, that experience was an assault. Further, imagine writing a book about that devastating occurrence and its aftermath. Then, after the unprecedented success of the book and the foundering of attempts to hold the perpetrator responsible, suppose that you made a documentary about your initial experience and the ensuing civil suit. Thereafter, consider the possibilities of premiering your documentary at one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world and subsequently screening the film in assorted cities throughout the world with indefatigable Q&As, revisiting and discussing the repercussions of this assault, night after night.

In essence, Black Box Diaries is all of these things. In the mid-2010s, journalist Shiori Ito met with Noriyuki Yamaguchi, the Washington bureau chief for the Tokyo Broadcasting System. As the meeting progressed, Ito became ill and, despite her protests, was escorted back to a nearby hotel by Yamaguchi. It was there, later that evening while Ito was unconscious, that she was assaulted. The essential details were never in dispute although Yamaguchi claimed it was “consensual” (without an explanation for how consent is given by an unconscious person).

When attempts to hold Yamaguchi accountable for his actions failed (due, in part, to the ambivalence of authorities at the time and his friendships with influential individuals, including then prime minister Shinzo Abe), Ito published a memoir—Black Box—in 2017 (translated into an English edition in 2021) that is largely considered the beginning of the #MeToo movement in Japan. A subsequent documentary—Black Box Diaries—premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and receives its much-anticipated theatrical release ten months later at the legendary Film Forum and other venues throughout the U.S. over the weeks thereafter.

Film-impresario and occasional journalist Jonathan Marlow spoke to Shiori Ito in the midst of her U.S. festival tour.

Hammer to Nail: You have taken an experience that most people would prefer to suppress or forget and you’ve revisited it in both your memoir and Black Box Diaries. There is undoubtedly something here that is going to be beneficial to readers and viewers—and, nonetheless, still of value for yourself—but having to revisit this horrible experience repeatedly is a considerable sacrifice. At what point did you decide that it was necessary to reach more people through the book? Given the process of dealing with the media in Japan up to that point, was the only way that you could break free of the suppression or manipulation of these details to tell your story from your own perspective?

Shiori Itô: It was my [Japanese] editor of the book who reached-out to me. I said, “I think I need ten more years of being with myself and embracing what is going on. Then, maybe, I can write.” But she said, “You just kicked open the door. You’re talking to many journalists who, if they believe, they will tell your story. But they’re not ready for that. You’ve got to use your own voice.” That was entirely true. I didn’t know if—mentally or physically—I was ready. “But I will try,” I told her. At the same time, a producer for this film-project [Japan’s Secret Shame, a BBC television documentary on the assault which aired in 2019] contacted me from London suspecting that it was harder for me to live in Japan at the time because of persistent threats. She had a Japanese friend and she’d heard all about it. She said, “Why don’t you move to London?” “Let me think about it.”

That kind of physical distance from this tornado of backlash—physically distancing myself from that—was really helpful for me to write. At the same time, like you said, it was still difficult for the Japanese media to cover this matter. As a journalist, I had all of this evidence, recordings and everything, already. It only happened because one of my best friends helped me to transcribe everything. I tried it myself first but knew that I couldn’t continue listening to it. She transcribed everything… but not for the book, actually. We did it to ask to reopen the case. We wanted to gather all of the evidence and we had transcriptions of all the secret recordings. Then it wasn’t necessary to write everything from scratch. We could chronologically analyze and gather all of the information. That is how the writing started. At the time, it was assembled with a purely investigative journalistic mind. I felt as if I shouldn’t put much emotion in it. I shouldn’t put my opinions in the writing as much as possible. It was quite a different process than this film.

[Additionally, Ito has written another book, Swim Naked, published in Japan in 2023.]

HtN: Before you left Japan, were you surprised at the initial reaction to your story? Did you feel that when people heard about what had happened, that their anger would be directed at the person who assaulted you? Yet the immediate public reaction was the opposite (or, at least, the most vocal reaction). I am certain that you had supporters and you see some of that in the documentary. People on the street who are talking about your case, for instance. It is disheartening when the public attempts to blame you for your assault. The book, of course, allows you an opportunity to reveal precisely what happened. Then the film—and the brilliance in the way that it is edited—hits the viewer with the immensity of that experience. You’ve put the viewer directly in your place, which is something that no other first-person documentary on this subject has ever done.

SI: That is exactly what we wanted to do. Let other people—other survivors—be aware. I am happy that you mentioned that. To your question, I’d written for Al Jazeera. It was considered “top news” there even though it was not considered news in Japan. The reaction when the Japanese people saw the story was that they thought, “How dare you to put shame on Japan?” People didn’t want to hear about sexual violence in general in Japan. I knew that the reaction wouldn’t be supportive. I was ready for that but I’d never experienced it myself. I guess it was beyond my imagination how scary it would be. At some point, my friends just took my cellphone, saying, “You know, don’t answer anything.” I could guess what could happen but I didn’t know how to prepare myself. It is still continuing. I’m out of this storm but I have this amazing assistant who goes through my emails. I still have a hard time opening those emails. But I also had to learn that I don’t have to do everything by myself.

HtN: How did you and your producers arrive at the decision to premiere the film at Sundance rather than in Japan? Did you have expectations for the extent of the appreciation for the film in Park City?

SI: I have made many television documentaries and short-form docs but this was my first feature-length film. I had never attended any film festivals so the decision of Sundance was truly from my producer. Of course, I knew about Sundance. Robert Redford! I was told that this was our goal because Sundance cares about social issue documentaries and they care about independent filmmakers. It was determined to be the one. Though it had been in my mind, I didn’t know if it would happen. We all knew that it would be difficult to distribute and screen in Japan. We needed to do it from outside and import the documentary into Japan. After the world premiere at Sundance, I’ve been traveling around the world. Hopefully we can bring back to Japan but we still don’t know yet if we can do that. This is some part of a social-impact campaign / hoping-to-bring-the-film-back-to-Japan effort.

HtN: Naturally, there is interest. People have approached you about wanting the film to play there.

SI: Private or independent screenings. When it comes to a regular screening, it is a different story.

HtN: What are their concerns?

SI: You know, they’re Japanese. They never say what it is. As we screen it here or elsewhere, maybe they should feel that it is ready for Japan. That is what we are hoping.

HtN: How were you able to get the surveillance footage from the hotel?

SI: It was a long process. A week after what happened, I went to the hotel and asked for the footage with the police. Of course, they didn’t let me obtain it. I was worried that they might erase the tape. They might record over it after a week. The hotel didn’t give me the footage because they said that the offender was their guest (and there were also images of other people staying at the hotel at the time). They said that unless it was an order from the court, they couldn’t give me the footage. Ultimately, they approved it as evidence for the court case but it was still difficult to obtain it. We found a way.

HtN: The film opens with the footage of you being forced out of the taxi. The surveillance material is followed by an interview with the driver. Cutting those two pieces together sets in-motion your incapacity, your inability and your desire to not get out of the car. Your request to be taken somewhere else is contrasted with being forcibly removed from the taxi. It is very difficult footage to watch. In an ideal world, this film wouldn’t have to exist. The assault should’ve never occurred. Once it happened, there should be many on your side insisting on justice. Near the end of the film, with the press conference of your assailant, it is clear that you very sensibly limited his appearance in the film to a minimum. You didn’t ask for this to become a dominant part of your life. I am sorry that you had to make the film but the response that the documentary has received is reassuring.

SI: It has hit me—stepping out of these Q&As and seeing audience faces makes it clear—that this pain already exists for them. It doesn’t require the details of what happened. That is not the point. It is not about me telling what happened. It’s telling how we can survive afterward. How it is okay to be depressed or not depressed or have fun. It can be comedic and sometimes it can be suicidal. It’s all life.

HtN: It is a perceptive choice because the imagination of the audience can fill-in the missing details. The police made you recreate your assault for their criminal case but there is no reason that has to be repeated here. You’ve created a foundation for the audience to know what has happened without having to visualise it. Its absence is much more powerful.

SI: I think that is the beauty of the film. In a documentary, to have a place to reflect… I see the power in that now, after meeting with audiences. Making television documentaries, I never got to see the viewers. It is especially important to be in a theater to share an emotional film. Even though you may not speak to each other, you need to be in the same space to share that moment and understand how important it is. I truly appreciate that now.

HtN: With each of the post-screening Q&As, inevitably members of the audience will mention their own experiences. The confessional aspect of festival-ing isn’t an avenue where many filmmakers feel prepared.

SI: I felt that once we did a premiere at Sundance, the journey would be complete. I’d made the film. I’d met an amazing audience. I believed that I was ready for the next project. The reality is different. I hadn’t thought about the necessity of touring with the film. I just came from Brazil before this and it was wonderful because I’d wanted to do more in Latin America, Asia and Africa. At the same time, like you said, it has been hard emotionally realising the amount of suffering in the world. I am hearing painful stories from amazing people. I’m not a therapist. At the same time, I’m a journalist. It is my job to listen to people. I want to be vulnerable and reachable as a survivor. To be honest, how do I keep a balance of that? I think that I’m losing balance sometimes. From here, I go to Toronto but then I’m going to Vipassana Meditation. Ten days of not speaking.

HtN: That is your antidote for the ongoing tour?
SI: I have to. I can’t be on the road without a break. I feel like I need to listen to my own voice, too.

HtN: Has your family had an opportunity to see the film?

SI: My family hasn’t seen it yet. They know that I made a film but I just didn’t want to send a link and have them deal with it alone. I wanted them to see it together in a theater. To watch it with other people. That time will come. I have to make that happen.
HtN: That will be very emotional for you.

SI: I try not to think about it!

HtN: You have ideas for your next project? Where do you go from here? Outside of the retreat, of course.

SI: I think that this year is going to be full of that. This project took me eight years although I’ve been working on other projects, of course, to balance myself. It is good to tell the stories of others. I’m ready to do that again. I love this combination of writing and making films in a journalistic way. For filmmaking, I can go to new place and cover a story there. Maybe it could be a story or maybe it could be a documentary film. I get to have an opportunity to do pre-production but then it is still journalistic work. I am ready to do that. I’m particularly attracted to the Burmese and Thai border or the Amazon area in Brazil. I don’t know what is going to happen but these two places are especially where I’d want to go and make a film. We’ll see. I have to go there to find the person whose story I would want to tell. Maybe as part of a festival-hopping trip.

HtN: These are the intentions behind your next documentary.

SI: I’ve seen many inspiring films at festivals. One of those two places is hopefully the location for my next film or maybe my next, next film.

HtN: Where are you living now? Are you still in London?

SI: I am based now between Berlin and Tokyo. Last year, I moved to Berlin. Just in case this film goes crazy in Japan, I have a safe house.

HtN: You’ve been on the road consistently since January. You’d mentioned that from here you are off to Canada but where is your retreat?

SI: Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, and then we were going to go to Poland. After that, the retreat is in Vietnam. Then, I will spend some time with my family and friends in Japan for a week or two before going back on the festival circuit again.

HtN: Were you always a diarist? Were you always keeping track of your thoughts daily? Or was this something of an outlier?

SI: No, not really. I do a lot of writing but not generally about myself!

HtN: Was the writing of the book challenging whatsoever?

SI: Not at all. Black Box Diaries, though, was hard. It all happened many years ago and, when I think back to it, we had to publish the memoir in only three months.

HtN: You had a very short timeline.

SI: It was difficult. Sometimes I didn’t want to think about it. Although it was only three months, there were weeks of not writing when I couldn’t face it. Aligning with the filmmaking process, it was much more enjoyable to reflect on myself. Writing is very isolating work but filming is when you get a team to talk with and fight with. I love it!

[With gratitude to the remarkable Karen Larsen of Larsen Associates for facilitating this discussion during the SFFILM Festival mid-April.]

BLACK BOX DIARIES
dir. Shiori Itô  [99min.]   MTV Documentary Films

– Jonathan Marlow (@aliasMarlow)