Educational Media Reviews Online

In 2017 as the #MeToo movement gained momentum, Shiori Itō, a Japanese journalist, held a press conference related to a sexual assault she endured two years earlier while a 25-year-old intern. The accused rapist, Noriyuki Yamaguchi, a renowned Japanese news correspondent, had avoided prosecution. Yamaguchi’s connections (he served as the Washington bureau chief of the Tokyo Broadcasting System and wrote a biography of the Japanese Prime Minister) probably helped him escape justice. In response to this leniency Itō bravely went public with her rape that occurred after Yamaguchi lured her to dinner under the pretense of offering her a job. In a society where sexual assaults remain underreported, Itō endured backlash and criticism for coming forward. She struggled to find work or even exit her apartment. Itō used her journalistic abilities to write a book about the circumstances related to her rape and subsequent censure by Japanese society. This film shares its title with the book. It connotes that sex crimes in Japan remain hidden in a dark box where no one sees or understands what really happens during these assaults. Through her words and video diaries Itō tries to open this black box to expose its contents.

Black Box Diaries exposes the dysfunctional justice system that exists in Japan vis à vis sex crimes. Itō highlights this dysfunction by integrating audio footage of conversations/interviews secretly recorded with investigators who appeared unsympathetic and skeptical that an actual rape occurred. One learns that Itō had to recreate the assault for police using a life-size doll. The film includes security videos recorded the night of the rape with images of an almost unconscious (and probably drugged) Itō being dragged unwillingly by Yamaguchi into a hotel. Despite these disturbing video recordings all charges against Yamaguchi were dropped. The original investigator was removed from the case after someone in the higher echelons of the Tokyo police department cancelled Yamaguchi’s impending arrest. Despite threats against her and her family Itō published her book to shatter the silence and hopelessness that traditionally marked sexual assault investigations in Japan. The documentary reveals moments where hostile individuals confront Itō or attack her online for her outspokenness. It also offers segments where Itō meets with various women’s groups who support her and her book.

Although Itō’s assailant never faced prosecution, she sued him in civil court. Black Box Diaries depicts how Itō and her attorneys prepared for the civil case. Viewers hear graphic testimony of the actual assault incorporated from this case into the film which might be triggering for some individuals. Itō includes scenes where she endures extreme sadness and/or panic attacks as a result of reliving this attack. These moments in the film are raw and sometimes heartbreaking to watch but they also reveal Itō’s courageousness. Her perseverance and willingness to share her story made her the symbol of Japan's #MeToo movement. Itō’s efforts contributed to a shift in judicial and societal attitudes towards sex crime prosecution in Japan.

This documentary illustrates the difficulties Japanese women encountered when addressing sexual violence and trying to seek justice. It was filmed on a variety of devices including Itō’s smartphone which contributed to the legitimacy of the challenging situations she faced when trying to speak her truth. Scenes occasionally include striking timelapse photography whose imagery hints at the sluggishness of the Japanese criminal justice system when investigating or prosecuting sexual assaults. With dialogue in both English and Japanese, Black Box Diaries is recommended for college courses in such disciplines as Asian Studies, Communication/Media Studies, Criminal Justice, Legal Studies, and Women’s Studies. It is available in a variety of formats that include public performance rights.

For decades Japanese rape victims were often impeded from discussing their assaults and they rarely witnessed perpetrators being brought to justice. This film shines an intense light on this problem and provides a voice to these silenced victims.

Awards:
2025 Academy Award Nominee, Best Documentary Feature Film; IDA Emerging Filmmaker Award; SIFF Lena Sharpe Award for Persistence of Vision; Human: Rights Award CPH: DOX 2024; Audience Award, Zurich Film Festival; It's all true Festival, Honorable Mention, Best International Feature Length Film Award

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