French​ | Japanese

Help bring BLACK BOX DIARIES, directed by Japanese #MeToo pioneer Shiori Itō, to audiences in Japan by signing this petition.

On March 12, 2025, Black Box Diaries, directed by journalist Shiori Itō, will be released in France. This film has already been screened in over 200 theaters and numerous film festivals, capturing the hearts of audiences even before its official release. This petition started in France.

Black Box Diaries is nominated for Best Documentary at the 2025 Academy Awards, marking the first time a Japanese director has been nominated in this category.

The film tells the powerful story of one woman’s fight against a system that protects the powerful and silences victims of sexual violence.

The film has been successfully distributed in 58 countries, but it remains without distribution in Japan, the director’s home country and its message is perhaps most urgently needed there.

A Personal Battle That Became Universal

Through her deeply personal journey, Shiori Itō exposes the mechanisms of a society she describes as a “land of black boxes” where institutions remain opaque, abuses are concealed, and silence prevails. To seek justice, she documented her investigation into her assault by a close associate of then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, using audio recordings and covert footage.

“I chose to screen the film internationally at festivals because we don’t have a distributor in Japan. If we can generate enough global attention, they won’t be able to ignore us anymore.”

Beyond her activism, Shiori Itō has a deeply personal reason for wanting the film to reach Japan: she hopes to show it to her family and friends, from whom she became estranged due to the intense media fallout. This would mark the culmination of a decade-long battle.

A Matter of Collective Courage

This film, like Shiori Itō’s own story, proves that one person can spark a movement. But now, she needs us.

Every signature brings us one step closer to opening Japan’s doors to this film. Every voice can help convince Japanese distributors and media to support this crucial project.

Why Japan Needs to See Black Box Diaries

• A groundbreaking documentary: Never before has a journalist so powerfully documented her own assault. This film exposes the failures of the justice system and gives voice to countless other silenced cases.

• A globally recognized film: Winner of the Human Rights Award at Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival and more than 20 other international prizes, Black Box Diaries was nominated for the 2025 Academy Award for Best Documentary.

• A catalyst for change in Japan: Thanks to Shiori Itō’s courage, legislative reforms, including revisions to Japan’s rape laws, have already been achieved. But taboos persist: only 4% of victims report their assaults to the police. This film can help push the conversation even further.

A Story That Belongs to All of Us

Shiori Itō stood up against a system designed to suppress voices like hers. With extraordinary resilience, she has challenged deeply entrenched structures alone. Now, she needs our help to take the final step: bringing her story home.

By signing this petition, you’re not only supporting one woman’s right to tell her truth you’re helping pave the way for thousands of others around the world to do the same.

Sign and share !

Thank you for your support

Hanabi and Metoomedia