FILMS by Itsushi Kawase

Japanese society is home to people with roots in many different parts of the world and cultures. Among them, the lives and activities of immigrants from Africa are not widely known. Nearly 200 Ethiopian immigrants live in the Katsushika and Sumida wards of Tokyo. They are connected through meetings of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church and interact with local residents through music and food. This film shows Ethiopian neighbours who have put down roots in Japanese society while maintaining their own culture, rather than being 'foreign human resources' to be exploited to solve problems such as a declining birth rate, an ageing population and labour shortages. The aim of this film is to provide an opportunity to think about Japan as a nation that embraces cultural diversity.