As Japanese journalist Shiori Itō begins reading a New York Times piece recounting her ordeal, her face freezes, her voice becomes uneasy, her eyes well up—and she can’t go on. A PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) episode is triggered just by seeing the balding forehead of Noriyuki Yamaguchi, the Tokyo Broadcasting System’s Washington D.C. bureau chief, who assaulted her in 2015. This powerful and disturbing moment is captured in ‘Black Box Diaries’ (2024), a Japanese documentary that follows Itō’s struggle to investigate the sexual violence she suffered, seek justice within a backward legal system, bring her story to light, and survive the trauma she endured in that dimly lit room at the Sheraton Hotel.
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2025, ‘Black Box Diaries’ is directed and narrated by Itō herself. It shines a light on a rarely discussed side of Japanese society: a system steeped in sexism and cruel to survivors of sexual violence, not to mention the country’s neglect of those suffering from mental illness.
Reportedly only 4% of rapes are reported to Japanese authorities, and even then they’re handled under laws that date back nearly a century. The conviction rate remains low. Law enforcement often stalls investigations due to outdated views on gender, and prosecutors abandon nearly 50% of the cases they receive. Professor David T. Johnson at the University of Hawaii notes, that the result is for every 1,000 rapes in Japan, only 10-20 result in a criminal conviction and fewer than half of convicted rapists are actually imprisoned.
Adding to the grim picture, Japanese society frequently silences, shames, and discourages survivors from pursuing justice. In ‘Black Box Diaries’, Itō shares the hateful voice and mail messages she receives regularly, while people close to her urge her to walk away or report the crime anonymously.
The documentary also shows the moral failings of Japan’s justice system. The one police officer willing to help Itō stays in the shadows, afraid to risk his career. His colleagues try to steer Itō away from pursuing the case, avoiding her, dismissing her concerns, and even cancelling the arrest warrant, leaving Yamaguchi free to enjoy life as if nothing had happened.
Yamaguchi was closely connected to the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, on whom he had written a biography. When the case was brought before Parliament, Abe dismissed its significance, thereby erasing Itō’s humanity. This moment illustrates how untouchable Japan’s elites can be, and how deeply the political, legal, and law enforcement systems are complicit in protecting the powerful at the expense of the vulnerable.
‘Black Box Diaries’ is a testament to the aftermath of sexual assault. Itō’s struggle with depression, anxiety, and PTSD underscores the urgent need for Japan’s healthcare system to improve its support for mental health, especially for survivors and their families.
Shiori Itō is a central figure in Japan and Asia’s #MeToo movement, which still deserves far more attention, especially as momentum wanes in other parts of the world. One powerful scene shows veteran women journalists standing by Itō, sharing their own stories of harassment in a male-dominated industry where promises of promotion often mask a cycle of exploitation.
Itō reflects on how the fall of a “famous Hollywood producer” helped spark global awareness of abuse. She’s referring, of course, to Harvey Weinstein—the silver-screen Caligula now imprisoned while more allegations continue to surface. His downfall illustrates how powerful men are often shielded by a network of enablers who remain silent in exchange for career advancement.
Itō’s first book, Black Box: The Memoir That Sparked Japan’s #MeToo Movement (2021), chronicled her journey. The documentary gives us a glimpse into the investigative work, interviews, writing, and editing that led to its publication. To share one’s trauma in a memoir or documentary is not an act of narcissism—it is an act of courage. It requires survivors to relive their worst memories and discuss them publicly, bringing much-needed awareness to how difficult it is to be a woman—or anyone vulnerable in this world.
Meanwhile, Japanese media barely mention ’Black Box Diaries’, and major cinema chains refuse to screen it. This is yet another act of silencing—a new chapter in the violence inflicted on Itō. And yet, ’Black Box Diaries’ remains an essential journalistic document and a remarkable entry in the storied history of Japanese cinema.
