Toru Kubota

Toru Kubota
久保田徹
Born1996
Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Japan
Alma materKeio University
Occupations
  • Filmmaker
  • Videographer
  • Director
  • Cameraman

Toru Kubota (久保田 徹, Kubota Tōru; born 1996)[1] is a Japanese documentary filmmaker.

His works focuses on immigration and refugee issues, and he has collaborated with media outlets including BBC, NHK World and Al Jazeera.

In July 2022, he was arrested by the State Administration Council while filming in Yangon, and sentenced to 10 years, but released after 111 days of detention.[2]

Career

Toru Kubota was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 1996.[1]

In 2014, while studying political science at Keio University, he began interviewing Rohingya refugees in Japan and went on to make documentary films.[3] 　

He studied documentary at a graduate school in London from 2019, but dropped out the following year. In March 2020, he returned to Japan due to the influence of the new coronavirus.[4]

He made the documentary TV film Tokyo Ritornello (東京リトルネロ (Tōkyō Ritorunero)) for NHK BS1, in 2020,[5] and the documentary I Want to Know the Truth in 2022.[4]

He directed, filmed, and edited the documentary "Borderline Resisters"(境界の抵抗者たち (Kyōkai no Teikōshatachi)), which portrays the lives of Myanmar media workers operating along the Thai border. The film was broadcast as an NHK BS Special in July 2024. [6]

Arrest in Myanmar

On July 30, 2022, Kubota was arrested by security authorities while covering and filming a Myanmar coup protest demonstration in Yangon. The Japanese government requested Kubota's early release, but he was sentenced to three years on sedition charges and seven years for violating an electronic communications law. [2]

Rights groups such as PEN International and Reporters without Borders pushed for his freedom. [7][8]

On November 17, he was released under a military amnesty and returned to Japan the next day.[9] He was one of four foreign prisoners freed, including Australian economist Sean Turnell, former UK ambassador Vicky Bowman, and US citizen Kyaw Htay Oo. The military media said they were released for humanitarian and diplomatic reasons.[9]

Docu Athan

After returning to Japan, Kubota and journalist Yūki Kitazumi who also had experienced being detained by the Myanmar military, started the project "Docu Athan" to support journalists in Myanmar.[10] The organisation operates a community base in Mae Sot, on the Thai-Myanmar border, that offers free camera rentals to Myanmar refugees and providing technical training in filmmaking and journalism. [11]

Awards and nominations

  • 2016: Light up Rohingya, United for Peace Film Festival (UFPFF)[12]
  • 2020: Tokyo Ritornello, "Galaxy Honors" for programs recommended[13]
  • 2025: Resisters in Borderland (境界の抵抗者たち), the Best New Director Award from ATP (Association of All Japan TV production Companies)

References

  1. ^ a b "Toru Kubota". FilmFreeway. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  2. ^ a b "Japanese filmmaker sentenced to 10 years jail by Myanmar court". 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  3. ^ "久保田 徹 | 支援クリエイター | クマ財団 | クリエイター支援奨学金制度". クリエイターのためのクマ財団 (in Japanese). 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  4. ^ a b "活動支援生インタビュー Vol.8 久保田 徹 「ドキュメンタリーは、ひとが自由になるための"知性"」 | ニュース | クマ財団 | クリエイター支援奨学金制度". クリエイターのためのクマ財団 (in Japanese). 2022-03-07. Retrieved 2023-08-31.
  5. ^ "久保田徹さんが制作に参加したドキュメンタリーが「NHK BS1スペシャル」で放送予定 | ニュース | クマ財団 | クリエイター支援奨学金制度". クリエイターのためのクマ財団 (in Japanese). 2020-10-09. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  6. ^ "BSスペシャル 境界の抵抗者たち 〜ミャンマーを追われた映像作家の記録〜". NHK (in Japanese). Retrieved 2025-01-09.
  7. ^ "Joint Statement: Call for release of Japanese journalist, Toru Kubota, and all those detained for peaceful expression in Myanmar". PEN International | Promoting Literature & Defending Freedom of Expression Worldwide. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  8. ^ "Japanese filmmaker sentenced to ten years in prison in Myanmar | RSF". rsf.org. 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2025-08-10.
  9. ^ a b "Myanmar: Freed filmmaker Toru Kubota returns to Japan – DW – 11/18/2022". dw.com. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  10. ^ AUTHORS, CONTRIBUTING (2024-01-02). "Why I founded 'Docu Athan' to document voices and stories". DVB. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  11. ^ "Docu Athan Square". Docu Athan ドキュ・アッタン. Retrieved 2025-08-03.
  12. ^ 国際平和映像祭(UFPFF) 2016 開催報告 - 国際平和映像祭 (UFPFF) [2016 United for Peace Film Festival Report] (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  13. ^ ギャラクシー賞 奨励賞に4作品入賞! | ギャラクシー賞 奨励賞に4作品入賞! [Four nominees for Galaxy Honors]. Temjin (in Japanese). 2019-12-17. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
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