Toru Kubota

Toru Kubota (久保田 徹) is a Tokyo-based documentary filmmaker.

His primary focus is immigrants and refugee issues. He has worked with media companies such as BBC, NHK World and Al Jazeera.

In July 2022, he was arrested by the State Administration Council while filming in Yangon, and released after 111 days of detention.

Career
Toru Kubota was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 1996.

He started his creative activities in 2014 when studying at the Department of Political Science at Keio University.

He studied documentary at a graduate school in London from 2019, but dropped out the following year. In March 2020, he returned to Japan due to the influence of the new coronavirus.

He made the documentary TV film Tokyo Little Nero (東京リトルネロ (Tōkyō Ritorunero)) for NHK BS1, in 2020, and the documentary I Want to Know the Truth in 2022.

Arrest in Myanmar
On July 30, 2022, Kubota was arrested by security authorities while covering and filming a Myanmar coup protest demonstration in Yangon. He was charged with sedition and violating immigration laws. The Japanese government requested Kubota's early release, but a military court sentenced him to seven years in prison on October 5, 2022. On November 17, he was released under a military amnesty and returned to Japan the next day.

Docu Athan
After returning to Japan, Kubota and journalist Yūki Kitazumi who also had experienced being detained by the Myanmar military, started the project "Docu Athan" to support journalists in Myanmar.

Awards and nominations

 * 2016: Light up Rohingya, United for Peace Film Festival (UFPFF)
 * 2020: Tokyo Little Nero, "Galaxy Honors" for programs recommended