On September 18, “Twenty Two”, a documentary that features the lives of Chinese survivors of Japanese wartime sex slavery, made its debut in Japan. The film, first released in China six years ago, once set a box office record and has been screened in theaters across different countries and regions including the United States, Australia, Germany, and the Republic of Korea. The film introduces numerous audiences to those survivors and more importantly, to history. When the film premiered in China in 2017, eight of the 22 women filmed were still alive; by the time it debuted in Japan, that number dropped to just one.

The importance of bringing the film to Japanese people is self-evident, said director Guo Ke who appeared at the premiere in Japan. Even six years after it was released in China, many people still remember the movie and are trying to make it known to more people. In fact, the Japanese debut was made possible because of two Chinese students studying in Kyoto University.

Director Guo Ke and two Chinese students studying in Japan, including Qi Huiyuan (first from right). Photo courtesy of Guo Ke

Qi Huiyuan, a Chinese student in Japan, was a volunteer at the 14th Kansai Queer Film Festival in Osaka. The film festival focused on vulnerable groups. Qi watched “Twenty Two” on an official channel and recommended the documentary to the film festival’s organizers. “It seems that many Japanese people didn’t know the movie. I found a legitimate version of the film and played it before the festival. Everyone thought it was good. I also contacted director Guo and the company that produced the film,” she said. Qi mentioned that many Japanese people didn’t realize September 18 is a very important day that should be remembered. At the premiere, the response from audiences was better than she had expected. She noticed many Japanese people in fact pay attention to the “sex slaves” issue and want to do something. “The film festival offers a place where gender equality is valued. There, the public can be educated about the ‘sex slaves’ issue, including by watching photos.”

In the upper photo, Wei Shaolan, a victim of the Japanese Army’s “Sex Slaves” System, denounces the crimes committed by Japanese invaders in Osaka, Japan in 2000; in the lower photo, director Guo Ke shows up for the premiere of the documentary Twenty Two in the same venue in Osaka, Japan on September 18, 2023. Photo courtesy of Guo Ke