[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.75,0:00:32.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Japan, it's everything I imagined it to be.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.22,0:00:47.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Polite, quiet, overcrowded, a high-tech Mekka.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.74,0:00:57.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,[{\i1}Lots of Japanese brands{\i0}], all of them powered by nuclear energy.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.96,0:01:01.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some say, the ultimate expression of industrial civilization.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.22,0:01:24.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On March 11th 2011, a powerful earthquake damaged the cooling equipment at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:24.89,0:01:28.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Causing the reactors to overheat, and later melt down.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.89,0:01:32.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Releasing dangerous radioactive materials into the air and water,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.66,0:01:39.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these radioactive materials can have long-term damaging effects on millions of people, including cancer.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.07,0:01:43.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And make large geographical areas uninhabitable for decades.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.35,0:01:47.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a story about a country at a crossroads.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.75,0:01:53.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where technology and innovation are the proud achievements of a post-war nation.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.51,0:02:01.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A story about how government and industry work together to blind the population to the dangers of radiation.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.43,0:02:10.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But most importantly, this is a story of a rag-tag group of troublemakers
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.23,0:02:16.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who have kickstarted a massive anti-nuclear movement, in a country where dissent is frowned upon.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.48,0:02:22.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a story of resistance to stop the flows of radiation.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.51,0:02:39.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I am here to promote my film END:CIV,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.66,0:02:42.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which proposes that all of this technological prowess,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.100,0:02:50.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the things that Japanese society view as proof of their success, should be dismantled, to save what is left of nature on the planet.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.38,0:02:54.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nine months ago, many Japanese people would have thought that I was out of my mind,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.27,0:02:59.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but the reality of the Fukushima nuclear meltdown has made some Japanese people reconsider.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.76,0:03:13.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have to know that our civilization produced the nuclear power plants, it also produces plutonium.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.43,0:03:22.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The civilization us human beings created and it have like, you know such a disaster.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.84,0:03:28.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a very deep, you know, problem. We have to change how to live.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.54,0:03:39.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a very big answer, but you know this is also one of a important goal for many people.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.37,0:03:47.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But before I tell you the story of the unlikely band of heroes of the anti-nuke movement, here are some not so randam facts:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.95,0:04:00.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,1: In August of 1945 the US attacked the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with two nuclear bombs named Fat Man and Little Boy.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.16,0:04:03.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Killing more than 100,000 people.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.71,0:04:12.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,2: By 1950, about 200,000 people in Hiroshama and Nagasaki died of radiation related illnesses or side-effects.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.79,0:04:21.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,3: In 1954 the Japanese nuclear power program was started by war criminal Matsutarō Shōriki,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:21.20,0:04:25.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while working for the CIA and with the support of the US government.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.26,0:04:29.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Shōriki is also credited with bringing American baseball and commercial television to Japan.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.68,0:04:40.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,4: The menace of nuclear radiation is deeply ingrained in Japanese popular culture,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.07,0:04:45.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,most famously in the Godzilla franchise, and the anime film Akira.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.32,0:04:54.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,5: In Japan the police can arrest you and hold you without charge for up to 23 days.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.43,0:05:04.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,6: About 30,000 people commit suicide in Japan every year, one of the highest rates of suicide in the world.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.16,0:05:09.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This last factoid helped explain why Wataru Tsurimi, the man you see sitting next to me,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.14,0:05:12.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wrote the book entitled {\i1}The Complete Manual of Suicide{\i0}.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.88,0:05:16.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A detailed illustrated guide on how to end your life.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.79,0:05:19.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Apperently levels of depression in Japan are so high
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.56,0:05:25.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that even with the introduction of anti-depressants the rate of suicides does not seem to diminish.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.49,0:05:29.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Throughout my stay here the question that kept bugging me was this:
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.25,0:05:36.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With all it's wealth and technology, why are people in Japan so unhappy? Nah... scratch that.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:36.37,0:05:42.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The question was: if the achievements of industrialization are destroying the soul and health of the Japanese,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.31,0:05:46.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was it worth the risk to power the country with nuclear plants?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.89,0:05:52.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As I write this, the Japanese government made an announcement that the meltdown was finally contained.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.39,0:05:55.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's nearly nine months after the disaster.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.82,0:06:03.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nine months of radioactive contamination escaping into the world's atmosphere, that is, if you believe the government is telling the truth.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.40,0:06:05.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But just how bad is it?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.76,0:06:21.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Judging from life in Fukushima city, it can't be all that bad.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:21.86,0:06:25.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Walking around the city you get the sense that it's business as usual.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.52,0:06:34.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After all, Fukushima city is about 80km from the nuclear power plant, well beyond the 20km evacuation zone enforced by the government.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.73,0:06:37.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the problem with radiation is that it's odorless and invisible.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.96,0:06:43.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's easy for people to forget that their bodies are being attacked by radioactive particles.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:50.24,0:06:53.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Wataru Iwata is a proffessional musician.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.50,0:07:00.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After the disaster he left his home in Tokyo and travelled south to Kyoto, in fear of being exposed to radiation.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.28,0:07:08.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He had planned on leaving Japan permanently, but his conscience got the better of him and instead of escaping he moved to Fukushima city
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.14,0:07:11.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and helped found the Citizens' Radioactivity Measurement Station.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.80,0:07:15.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A group dedicated to measuring levels of radiation in food and humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.17,0:07:23.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After the accident, the government set an evacuation zone from 3km,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.38,0:07:30.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then it became 5, and then 10, and it stops at 20km.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.82,0:07:38.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then the government says: {\i1}It's ok, it's safe{\i0}.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:39.57,0:07:42.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When I first met Wataru he showed me some measurements
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.22,0:07:49.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on a plastic scintillator, and told me that background radiation that day was about 6 times higher than what is safe for humans.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.77,0:07:53.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The soil about 16 times higher, and the water almost 18 times higher.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.84,0:07:57.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yet kids continued to play on the dirt, mothers continued
Dialogue: 0,0:07:57.28,0:08:03.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to hang their clothes outdoors, and the government continues to play up the narrative that {\i1}everything is ok.{\i0}
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.22,0:08:07.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I want people to evacuate, if they can.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.22,0:08:12.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Especially people who have children, small children.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:21.47,0:08:27.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Today I am meeting with several anti-nuke activists in Chiyoda, a section of Tokyo that holds many government buildings
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.74,0:08:32.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and is also the home of Tepco, the owner of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:36.24,0:08:40.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We're here because a high profile member of the anti-nuke movement is being released from jail.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:40.39,0:08:44.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The activist did not want to release his name and simply identified him as {\i1}'A'{\i0}.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:52.75,0:08:57.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}A{\i0} was arrested at an anti-racist rally while carrying an anti-nuke banner.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.33,0:09:00.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He was being held without charge for twelve days,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:00.28,0:09:07.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the day he was released he was supposed to go to a hearing where the state wanted to argue that he be held for an additional eleven days.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.42,0:09:10.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So his comrades were surprised and elated at his release.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:10.82,0:09:15.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,An impromptu celebration was held a block away in front of the headquarters of Tepco,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.16,0:09:19.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where activists have had a protest encampment since March.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:26.62,0:09:33.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He told me that the reason why the state is trying to crush the anti-nuke movement is because it has connected and unified all the
Dialogue: 0,0:09:33.84,0:09:38.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,social struggles in Japan, creating one massive movement.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:38.07,0:09:43.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He also told me that he believes that the Japanese state will not meet the demands of the anti-nuke movement,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:43.15,0:09:46.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which includes the end of nuclear power in Japan.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:59.80,0:10:02.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Korangi, April 10th 2011.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:02.50,0:10:11.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Exactly one month since the nuclear disaster, more than 15,000 people take part in a sound demonstration to demand an end to nuclear power.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:11.45,0:10:14.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is why the government is so scared.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:14.28,0:10:20.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To put it in context, there hasn't been a large grassroots protest movement in Japans since the 70's.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:20.32,0:10:23.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With a brief spike in the run-up to the US war with Iraq.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:23.76,0:10:31.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Activism is not looked upon favorably by the Japanese society, so a protest of even a 1,000 people is a major event.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:31.74,0:10:37.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The same group who organized this music-driven demonstration has pulled up similar numbers every month since the first month.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:37.95,0:10:45.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The organizers of these sound demos are a variety of loose collectives.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:45.78,0:10:56.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The HRP, like people from a place called Korangi, which is the location for Shiroto no Ran.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:59.66,0:11:03.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And yeah it's basically... no NGO is involved.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:03.86,0:11:08.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The last group Kaori mentioned, Shiroto no Ran, translates to Amateur Riot.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.57,0:11:15.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Amateur Riot is not your garden variety activist group, but a collective of folks who opened twelve shops in the neighbourhood of Korangi.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:15.61,0:11:20.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The shops range from bars and restaurants to recycle shops, like the one this gentleman operates.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:22.19,0:11:26.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's Hajime Matsumoto, one of the founders of Amateur Riot.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.46,0:11:30.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He explains that public space has been rapidly disappearing in Tokyo.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:30.02,0:11:37.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So opening shops was a way for them to reclaim space and have multiple locations to socialize and plot their actions.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:38.01,0:11:44.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the spaces that has been instrumental to the success of the anti-nuke protests is Irregular Rhythm Asylum.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.71,0:11:52.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For the past nine years Narita Keisuke has been running the tiny anarchist infoshop that also serves as an impromptu restaurant,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.32,0:11:56.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,meeting room and web-design studio in the ward of Shinjuku.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:56.58,0:12:00.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Also the site of the largest grassroots anti-nuke demo to date.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:16.98,0:12:23.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some people want to forget radiation,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:23.49,0:12:27.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so they can go back to their daily life.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:28.28,0:12:38.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We did feel a big, big shake from the earthquake, but it was only that moment, that we felt like emergency or we felt danger.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:38.25,0:12:44.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And now everything's gone back to normal, everyone is like consuming, consuming, consuming...
Dialogue: 0,0:12:44.25,0:12:54.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And we just wanted to raise awareness that this isn't the normal state that it used to be, and that we're living in a nuclear polluted country.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:54.24,0:13:01.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a no compromise movement. We want to shut down all nuclear plants in Japan and never let them open again.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.05,0:13:08.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These sound demos have energized the youth, who are new to any sort of dissent, and had given the Japanese people a glimpse
Dialogue: 0,0:13:08.76,0:13:11.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of what they can achieve when they stick together.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:12.12,0:13:15.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even though Japan's grassroots anti-nuke movement is in it's infancy,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:15.80,0:13:19.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the people I spoke to truly believe they can stop nuclear power in their country.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:20.70,0:13:28.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For people who doubt that this is possible, one only needs to look to Germany's anti-nuke movement, who after massive protests
Dialogue: 0,0:13:28.04,0:13:33.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,following the Fukushima disaster, put enough pressure on the government to effectively shut down nuclear power for good.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:34.37,0:13:39.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Narita Keisuke sums up his comrades' can-do, yet irreverent attitude, with this phrase:
Dialogue: 0,0:13:43.72,0:13:46.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ladies and gentleman, you ain't seen nothing yet.