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Hiroshi Okamoto

Photographer, Video editor and Videographer
    
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Nationality: Japanese
Biography: Hiroshi Okamoto Visual Storyteller / Photographer / Film Director – based in Tokyo. Hiroshi Okamoto is born in Tokyo in 1990. He studied anthropology and social sciences at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific Univesity in Japan. After graduating, he used... MORE
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16th RPS Grantee Hiroshi Okamoto Solo Exhibition "We do not need you, here. / If I could only fly." in Tokyo.
hiroshi okamoto
Jul 23, 2018

16th RPS Grantee Hiroshi Okamoto Solo Exhibition "We do not need you, here. / If I could only fly." 1st July - 22nd July at Reminders Photography Stronghold in Tokyo

Hiroshi Okamoto’ proposal “We do not need you, here. / If I could only fly.” has been selected as the 16th grantee of Reminders Photography Stronghold Grant from 2017 June deadline submissions selected by our seven commissioned judges,Peggy Sue Amison, Marie Lelievre, Emmeline Yong, Enrico Bossan, Staton Winter, Giuseppe Oliverio and Dean Chapman.

"This project is the story about intolerance and ostracism in Japanese society based on my friend’s personal experience.

On April 2004, three Japanese citizens were kidnapped by terrorists at Fallujah in Iraq during Iraq war. One was a photojournalist and one was a NGO worker, another was an eighteen years old teenager volunteer. The eighteen years old boy, Noriaki Imai’s life and my life unexpectedly crossed when we attended same university in Japan in 2009, where we became friends. This is his story.

The terrorists demanded Japanese government to withdraw Japanese self-defense forces from Iraq. The prime minister strongly rejected this demand but somehow, those kidnapped people were peacefully released after eight days. As a result, the three citizens could come back to Japan safely.

However, when those three people returned to Japan, Japanese society completely criticized and harassed them. Mass of people loudly spoke against the kidnapped people and their family. The society claimed that they haven’t taken responsibility for their actions at all, and that they need to apologize to the Japanese government and people in Japan immediately for causing such enormous trouble to a country. Furthermore, people often shouted “Why did our tax money had to be spent on their rescue, when this kidnapping happened because of those foolish three people’s lack of self-responsibility!”

More than one hundred abusive letters were sent to my friend, Noriaki, after his return. However more than 95% of the letters were anonymous. Most of TV shows and newspapers were often furiously reporting about his personal life and his family. In addition, his private information was exposed to the public by mass medias and anonymous online critics. When he was walking in the city, everyone noticed his face and they would literally point fingers at him as “That’s that stupid, unpatriotic kid!” He even got beaten up by a stranger on the street.

Pointing a finger at someone’s back means “backbiting” in Japan. This behavior is deeply rooted into traditional Japanese society and it is one of the iconic mind sets Japanese people have. Traditionally, Japanese society has been based on various local communities for a long time. And people have lived in their own community side by side helping each other. On the other hand, once a member from the community makes mistakes or causes troubles, immediately, other members will eliminate the person from their community.

When we see a heretic individual, who disturbs the harmony of community, we point at their back.

Sometimes, it is for social justice.

Sometimes, it is for gassing out unfounded hatreds.

And sometimes, it is for something to entertain ourselves with in a mundane everyday life.

You could become the person who points at someone or whom to be pointed at, as long as you are a member of our society."


The 16th RPS Grant : 

http://reminders-project.org/rps/16thrpsgrantee_hiroshiokamoto/


The book of the project is available from the link below :  

http://reminders-project.org/rps/wedonotneedyouhereificouldonlyflysaleen/




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