NHK WORLD PRIME

The "To-Kon Painters" add color to the lives of people who are short on cash. They're volunteers who will travel anywhere for a good cause, painting buildings and playground equipment free of charge. Most are former social dropouts who once belonged to biker gangs or quit school. We follow them to Lithuania, where they repaint a memorial honoring Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat who helped 6,000 Jews flee the Holocaust during World War II. The painters must overcome cultural and linguistic challenges to get the job done.

American journalist John Hersey (1914-1993) opened the eyes of much of the world to the aftermath of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. In this program, Cannon Hersey retraces his grandfather's footsteps and considers the domestic climate in the United States since the start of the Trump presidency. In 1967, amidst racial strife, John Hersey wrote that every white person bore some degree of responsibility for violence against African-Americans. Half a century later, racial and religious prejudices are again spawning attacks. The program explores the seeds of hate and what they might grow into.

Japanese artist Manabu Ikeda makes ultra-detailed drawings with the fine tip of a single pen. As a resident artist at a museum in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, he toiled for 3 years on one large drawing, painstakingly completing a small area measuring only several centimeters square each day. NHK documented his slow, daily progress in the final weeks leading up to the drawing's completion. Ikeda was spurred to make his drawing by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Starting in a state of psychic pain, he drew nothing but debris at first, but eventually went on to depict a great tree with branches in full bloom. The finished work has elicited a deep emotional response in large numbers of viewers.

In search of wanted criminals, the Japanese police have a secret weapon they use when all other investigative methods fail: miatari finders. In this day and age, when forensic science has become the norm, miatari finders comb the streets relying only on their memory and intuition. Hitoshi Morimoto of the Osaka Prefectural Police is known as the "god of miatari". He has arrested the most number of wanted criminals in Japan. Morimoto uses a unique technique of drawing the suspects into his mind. He talks to photos of the suspects and burns the images into his memory. This program follows Morimoto on his last days before his retirement.

In ancient times, Japan was once covered with trees. Traces of this primordial forest still remain in the deep, untouched woods of Yakushima Island, Japan's first World Heritage Site. A prime example is the Jomon Sugi, a large Japanese cedar that is more than 2,000 years old. However, according to legend, an undiscovered "giant cedar tree" exists on the island. Using cutting-edge technology, NHK began the search for this legendary tree. See what they discover on their quest to find and understand these spectacular cedars.

Fiona is a senior account manager for a company in Shanghai that promotes overseas luxury brands. Her days are occupied with international client meetings. She entertains herself by spending her money on nail decorations, expensive clothes, fancy dining and overseas vacations; however, these never brought her satisfaction. Sneaking away from her busy schedule, she trains herself in a boxing gym until her physical limit. Parents didn't expect much of her, as men are more valued under the one-child policy. She also failed exams to get in university under excessive academic pressure. We depict her struggle to survive through Chinese competitive society.

Photographer Yoshikazu Shirakawa traveled the untouched corners of the world as part of a lifelong quest to rediscover the planet. At 82 his final global trip has the theme of Creation. He hopes the vast, untouched landscapes seen by the first humans will restore our humanity and teach us humility at a time when we are bloated with greed. He begins in the Colorado plains, shooting in extreme conditions. Photographer Yoshikazu Shirakawa puts his life on the line in pursuit of Creation.

Fusako Kunita is a 102-year-old Japanese woman who has lived on the Korean Peninsula for more than 70 years. Like many other Japanese women who followed their Korean-born husbands back to their homeland after the World War II, Fusako had no idea what awaited her. She faced discrimination, cultural differences, and sudden changes in diplomatic policy between Japan and South Korea. Fusako also dealt with sorrow and loneliness. But she endured, and worked to create a support group for other Japanese women. As she looks back on her remarkable and inspiring life, we'll learn more about the lives of the women obscured in the shadows of history.

The United States dominates the world in airpower. Behind the birth of the US Air Force is a little-known story about the deadly firebombing campaign against Japan at the end of World War II. NHK combed through audiotaped interviews with 246 senior Air Force officials, including the leader of the air assault on Japan, Gen.Curtis LeMay. The interviews reveal how an "ideal" strategy designed to cause minimal civilian casualties ultimately went awry, and gave way to attacks with incendiary bombs that claimed some 400,000 Japanese lives.

During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, an overwhelming number of people were slaughtered in ethnic conflicts between the Tutsi and Hutu. Rwanda has abolished the death penalty and scores of offenders who have completed their sentences are now being released from prison. Can they coexist with society? Many of the offenders live close to their victims' families, often in the same village. This program follows one offender's return home. Valens Habakurama was charged with the killings of two Tutsi brothers. After completing his sentence, he returns home to his wife and children. We documented his first seven days out of prison—from his apology to the victims' family to acceptance and reconciliation.

72 years after the end of World War II, a group of about a dozen people visited Japan. They were born and raised in Vietnam yet consider Japan their homeland in some sense. Their fathers were Japanese soldiers who remained in Vietnam after the war, to fight for the country's independence from France. About 70 of these soldiers had families in Vietnam but suddenly went back to Japan without saying a word. The group from Vietnam arrived in Japan in October of 2017, chasing their fathers' shadows.

On March 11, 2011, a huge tsunami generated by the Great East Japan Earthquake struck Japan's northeastern coast, including Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture. All life vanished from the sea. In despair, an oyster farmer named Shigeatsu Hatakeyama decided to rebuild his life. Though a fisherman, he also spent decades reforesting the surrounding hills and was sure the sea would recover. This program starts following Hatakeyama just after the disaster, showing how the sea and the forest are cleansed through mutual interaction. Featuring his moving monologue, it celebrates the miracle of resurrected life in a seaside village.

80-year-old Dr. Kobori is as old as many of the people he cares for. Every day, he visits his elderly patients at their homes, offering advice and support as well as medical treatment. But sometimes the families who care for these patients require support as well. We follow this dedicated physician as he attends to people at the end of life, ensuring that their final hours are filled with comfort and dignity.

The Trans Japan Alps Race is an intense run through the massive mountain ranges that cut across Japan's main island. This 415km ultramarathon, which starts at the Sea of Japan and ends at the Pacific Ocean, is known as the most grueling race in Japan. Competitors must traverse trails across 3 ranges with peaks exceeding 3,000 meters in height, all while carrying packs stuffed with food, clothes, and tents on their backs. In August, 30 runners who passed the stringent selection process competed in a fierce 8-day battle for the goal. Along the way they were plagued by severe weather, extreme fatigue, and even hallucinations. And they receive no awards or prize money for finishing. So what keeps them going? We followed these superhuman athletes who test their mental and physical limits as they competed for glory with the majestic Japan Alps beneath their feet.

In 2016, a series of destructive earthquakes struck Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan. When seen from afar, badly damaged Kumamoto Castle is gradually recovering the stately appearance it's famous for. But many parts, such as the main tower, remain off-limits, making it hard to get a full picture of the castle's actual condition. This program takes an in-depth look at a major, 20-year project to restore it to its former glory. The team includes veteran masons tasked with re-laying an estimated 100,000 stones in the castle walls. Skilled carpenters are also working to restore historic structures. And experts are interweaving traditional and cutting-edge technologies to reinforce the castle against future disasters.

China's education system is undergoing enormous change. Many are unhappy with a decades-long focus on rote learning designed to help students pass university entrance exams. New approaches emphasize self-expression, classical literature, or even martial arts. What will China's educators learn from this transformation? And how will it affect the future of today's students?

To American photojournalist Regina Boone, her paternal grandfather was an enigma. He was a hard-working Japanese immigrant but was arrested on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack never to return home. Regina's father rarely spoke about him throughout his life. It was only 5 years ago on his deathbed that he asked Regina to find out the circumstances surrounding her grandfather's disappearance. Our camera follows her quest to uncover the trail of her missing Japanese grandfather.

In 1855, a schooner departed from the Izu Peninsula, and set sail towards Russia. Newly-discovered documents tell an untold story of friendship between Russia and Japan. The events occurred when Russia's Admiral Putyatin travelled to Japan to negotiate a peace treaty. While he was approaching to the peninsula, disaster struck. An earthquake and tsunami sunk Putyatin's ship, putting his delegation of 500 in grave danger. However, local residents not only saved their lives, but helped them build a brand-new ship. Japan had spent over 200 years in isolation, and for a settlement of 3,000 people, the arrival of 500 foreigners was unprecedented. Local shipwrights worked closely with the Russians, via trial and error. The techniques they learned became the cornerstone of modern Japanese shipbuilding. The schooner was named Heda, after the village where it was built. It symbolizes a tale of international exchange in the closing days of Japan's shogunate age.

Castle design evolved in 17th century Japan with stone walls as a key feature. Sakamoto in Shiga Prefecture became famous for its mason's expert techniques for dry-stacking. They traveled across Japan to complete their commissions. But when feudalism ended 150 years ago, many castles were destroyed. While most of the masons lost their jobs, one family in Sakamoto survived by refurbishing old ruins. But the 15th-generation master Suminori Awata is worried about the future. One day he receives an unexpected request to build a castle-style wall in Texas. Awata's journey begins.

In Japan and South Korea, fact-finding research has begun to reveal the human costs and political backdrop of the North Korean repatriation program, which began in 1959. The program saw more than 90,000 Korean residents of Japan resettle in the North. Repatriates have previously described the difficult circumstances they faced there, but we now know that their lives were at the mercy of shifting policies and the flux of international affairs—the Cold War contention between the US and the Soviet Union, as well as the changing configuration of Japan's relationship to the 2 Koreas. This documentary features former repatriates who fled North Korea at the risk of their lives. The untold of 60 years of hardship is depicted through new testimony.

Miyako Yoshida's precise and delicate performances earned critical acclaim at the Royal Ballet of England. She remained true to her Japanese sensibilities in becoming the company's first Asian female principal dancer. A year before her retirement, however, she faced injury, emergency hospitalization and separation from a loved one. The program follows Yoshida for 300 days, culminating in her memorable final appearance.

Doctors at Osaka University performed the world's first transplant of heart muscle cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells). It is a promising treatment for many patients with heart disease. NHK worked closely with Kyoto University which generates iPS cells and Osaka University where the transplant surgery was conducted on a long-term project to record on an 8K Ultra HD camera mounted onto a microscope. For the first time in the world, the images will reveal the entire transformation process of iPS cells which can turn into any type of cell in the body.

An American famous photographer, Richard Misrach, and a Mexican contemporary composer, Guillermo Galindo, have worked together to create pieces with the artifacts that have been sporadically left during the migration on the 2,000-mile border between the U.S. and Mexico. The border is also known as the edge of life and death where hundreds of human remains are discovered every year. Be ready to experience a unique collaboration, "Border Cantos," which expresses the harsh reality unknown.

Since the end of the Cold War, the threat of apocalyptic, all-out nuclear war may have receded from most people's minds, but with close to 14,000 nuclear warheads still spread across the globe today, the catastrophic possibility is never too far away. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, a diplomatic crisis between the US and the USSR veered terrifyingly close to triggering nuclear disaster. We explore the political miscalculations and very human mistakes made by the leaders of both superpowers.

Using footage shot at the center of the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, we bring you a story of horror and heroism during one of history's worst catastrophes. Vast areas along Japan's Pacific coast were devastated. Entire communities were washed away and residents were forced to evacuate. An accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant created a radioactive no-man's-land. But in the days that followed, amid the chaos and confusion, countless people sprang into action to assist victims and search for survivors.

After the mega-tsunami hit Japan in 2011, survivors who'd lost everything struggled to recover. Many people lost not only their homes, but loved ones and livelihoods as well. Beloved traditions were in danger of disappearing. Rumors of radioactive crops devastated farms and fisheries. And many residents feared that those who'd been forced to evacuate would never return. Follow their year-long effort to rebuild their communities with exclusive footage filmed at the center of the disaster.

In a year when countless sporting events were canceled, an unprecedented long-distance race was born: "UTMB for the planet." Online participants ran a set distance at places around the world. Top pros from Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and world-class runners from Japan were among those involved in the intense challenge. Watch passionate runners bring the world together, at a time when the pandemic has kept people apart.

Dr. Oichiro Kobori (82) cares for dying patients at their homes. Many live with middle-aged and older children who are cut off from society. One man in his 50s, whose father has terminal cancer, hasn't worked since he was young and has psychological problems. Under Dr. Kobori's guidance, the son learns to care for his father and slowly becomes more engaged with the world around him. Follow the two-year journey as Dr. Kobori and his team help patients and families find comfort at the end of life.

On March 11, 2011, Japan was rocked by the Great East Japan Earthquake that tragically claimed the lives of more than 15,000 people. Since then, Actor Ken Watanabe has repeatedly visited the area, met more than 20,000 people, and heard their stories. Watanabe eventually opened a café in Kesennuma, a port city in Miyagi Prefecture, and has been working to help people connect and network throughout the disaster areas. NHK documentary crews have continuously followed Watanabe on his visits to the region and have produced TV specials to mark the first, second and fifth anniversaries of the disaster. For the 10th anniversary, he returns again, and visits with a variety of people and finds out they have had surprising changes in their lives. Discover the stories that Ken Watanabe reveals through his compassionate view over the past 10 years, and learn where people now stand on their way to recovery from the catastrophic disaster.

The global commons - our forests, oceans, climate and biodiversity - belong to all who dwell on Earth. And they are facing a crisis. Without major changes over the next decade, their destruction will be irreversible, leading to more abnormal weather and deadlier pandemics. What must be done to ensure our planet remains livable? The Tokyo Forum 2020 brings together the world's foremost thinkers to explore green investment, new business opportunities, and the movement for change in Africa.

In 2020, the Communist Party of China celebrated its centenary, hailing its own legacy as a so-called "red gene." What does that "red gene" actually mean for ruling a country of 1.4 billion people under a one-party state? We spent 3 months embedded with Party branches in 2 rural communities to chronicle the disparities in development, prosperity and ideological indoctrination. As the Party gears up to mark its 100th year, the supreme leader of China, Xi Jinping, pushes a "back to the roots" strategy of indoctrination called "passing on the red gene." How is the Party's history being presented to the people of China today? How are local cadres dealing with social disparities driven by big-money capital flows? See the real face of today's China as we spend 3 months in frontline rural Party branches.

Eighty years have passed since the attack on Pearl Harbor, which led to the start of the Pacific War. It has recently come to light that, soon after Japan's defeat, Emperor Showa spoke at great length about the path to war. This discussion was recorded in the Haietsuki (Records of Imperial Audiences) by Tajima Michiji, the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency. The emperor spoke repeatedly about his regrets over the failure to rein in the insubordination of the Imperial Army that began with the Zhang Zuolin Incident in 1928. In addition, the journals of the emperor's grand chamberlain Hyakutake Saburo were made public in September 2021. These newly available historical documents, coupled with dramatic recreations, are used to examine the decision-making of the emperor and his close aides in the period leading to the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937. (Excerpt)

Soon after Japan's defeat, Emperor Showa spoke at great length about the path to the Pacific War. This discussion was recorded in the Haietsuki (Records of Imperial Audiences). The emperor spoke of his remorse over the inability to restrain the Japanese military during a time of international upheaval. In addition, the journals of the emperor's grand chamberlain Hyakutake Saburo were made public in September 2021. In 1941, the emperor had high expectations for negotiations with the US. Japan's advance into southern French Indochina (now Vietnam) brought unforseen American economic sanctions. In the end, the emperor ordered Tojo Hideki to form a Cabinet, and went on to sanction the beginning of the war. The journals record his anguish in great detail. These newly available historical documents, coupled with dramatic recreations, are used to examine the decision-making of the emperor and his close aides in the period leading to the outbreak of the Pacific War. (Excerpt)

This is the bizarre story of a worldwide hunt to find a mysterious Japanese man named Satoshi. It started as a puzzle in an "Alternate Reality Game" where players were provided with a single photo of the man with the words, "Find Me." The search grew into a global obsession with thousands of people looking for him online. He was not in hiding yet he was nowhere to be found ... even after 14 years! Who is Satoshi? Why did a simple game last so long? All will be revealed in this special documentary.

Unable to properly bid farewell to deceased loved ones, especially during the COVID pandemic, many have sought solace at Mt. Osorezan, a Buddhist temple long viewed as a portal to the underworld. Minami Jikisai has been a monk there for 16 years. Fujita Ai cared for patients at their homes when hospitals were filled to capacity. Their deaths left her traumatized and searching for relief. How can we learn to accept death? This program will take you to a place where people go in search of answers.

A powerful tool for curbing climate change is right beneath our feet ... soil! Carbon farming, also called regenerative agriculture, is a revolutionary method that traps carbon from the air into the ground to produce nutritious food. Instead of tilling and using agrochemicals, farmers let the natural ecosystem do the work. We visit pioneers of this method, including Gabe Brown in the US and Yoshida Toshimichi in Japan.

The midterms are said to predict the next presidential election. Support for President Biden and the Democratic Party is starting to waver, and former President Trump's influence is strong within the Republican Party. We hear from senior citizens struggling with the rising cost of living in Oregon, members of Generation Z in Arizona, a famous swing state, and a family in Florida, shaken by the introduction of a law prohibiting LGBTQ+ education in schools. How will they vote?

The Communist Party of China rules the country's 1.4 billion people. At its 20th National Congress, held in October 2022, Xi Jinping was re-elected as General Secretary for an unprecedented third term. Why did so many Party members offer their support? We visit a regional Communist Party school to discover how training and guidance are used to reinforce loyalty to Xi and the Party.

Okinawa Prefecture is home to US military bases, and cases in which American servicemen abandon local women and leave them to raise their children alone are not uncommon. For 28 years, American attorney Annette Callagain fought for those mothers to obtain child support. Though Annette left Okinawa, she came back to help a woman who was separated from her Japanese mother soon after birth. We follow Annette in her efforts to give the women a voice and shed light on this social issue.

Volodymyr Demchenko has been deeply involved in the defense of his Ukrainian homeland in the years since the street protests of the 2014 Maidan Revolution. He has recorded a great deal of his part in this effort to defend Ukraine and sent dispatches around the world. His video diary of more than 500 hours offers a raw, up-close account of a kind not seen elsewhere and provides a glimpse of a nation's harrowing experience of conflict.

Bunpuku is a dog like no other who lives in a nursing home for the elderly in Kanagawa Prefecture. Whenever an elderly resident is in their last days of life, he licks their face and leans up against them. Owing to this behavior, Bunpuku is known as the mitori-inu, which literally translates to "dog who is present at one's deathbed." However, Bunpuku is not the only pooch at the home, as residents are allowed to bring their beloved dogs with them when they move in. The hounds provide company for people in the autumn of their lives. The relationship between the dogs and the elderly here is based on mutual affection, as we can see in this selection of footage filmed over a period of six months.

Fukashima is a small island in the southwest of Japan that had a prosperous fishing industry until the early 20th century. But the population declined from 200 to just 13, far outnumbered by their beloved cats. Most remaining islanders were very old, and it seemed that Fukashima had no future until one young family decided to reverse the trend. With the first children to be born here in many years, Abe Tatsuya and Azumi are raising a fresh generation to inherit the island's culture, history and rich nature.

As snow blankets their remote mountain community with its traditional Japanese houses, Karl and Tina Bengs gather with neighbors to celebrate the season, and look forward to the arrival of spring.

Mayuyama Koji is an art restorer tasked by antique dealers and museums with returning broken works to their former glory. His previously unrevealed techniques earned him the nickname "God Hand."

Returning home after five years, a Ukrainian journalist living in Japan confronted the harsh realities of war. She created an intimate documentary, showing how life has been upended.

Sam Bankman-Fried was a young billionaire before his cryptocurrency exchange collapsed and he was convicted of fraud. Was he a visionary or scammer? We explore the wild and disruptive world of crypto.

In Fukushima, an "Abukuma Romantic Road" photo contest was held in 2010, the year before the nuclear accident. We seek out the people behind the photos and discover how life has changed for them.

An increasing number of Nepali youths are traveling to Japan to study, hoping to repay their migration debts and make lives for themselves, but they face the harsh realities of Japanese society.