The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
The Times Real Estate

.

In Paper City, Japanese survivors recount their experiences of the 1945 firebombing of Tokyo

  • Written by Christine Judith Nicholls, Honorary Senior Lecturer, Australian National University
In Paper City, Japanese survivors recount their experiences of the 1945 firebombing of Tokyo

Review: Paper City, directed by Adrian Francis

In his first feature-length documentary, Adelaide-born director Adrian Francis offers a rigorous understanding of the American firebombing of Tokyo[1] via survivors’ perspectives.

In a brutal attack nearing the end of the second world war, on March 9 and 10 1945, around 100,000 Japanese civilians were killed.

Many burned to death; others threw themselves into the nearby River Sumida, preferring death by drowning. Others took flight into bomb shelters where they were asphyxiated en masse.

The American Air Force’s chilling rubric for their unspeakable act was “Operation Meetinghouse.”

In Paper City’s account, the aftermath is principally conveyed by in-depth interviews with three Japanese survivors. At the time of the attack, Tsukiyama-san was 16, Kiyooka-san was 21 and Hoshino-san was just 14.

These testimonies are joined by one-off interviews with fellow octogenarians and nonagenarians who also experienced the firebombing.

Their memories collectively inform the bleak unfolding narrative, attesting to ruthless acts of terror.

Read more: Why do we pay so much attention to Hiroshima and Nagasaki?[2]

We must remember

Solidly researched and confronting, Paper City was seven years in the making.

The film opens with archival footage of US fighter jets Tokyo-bound, transporting incendiary bombs, underscored by Don Baker’s 1942 song There’ll be a Little Smokio in Tokio[3].

Baker’s jauntily vocalised racist lyrics underpin the brutal dehumanisation of Japanese civilians through horrific footage.

The wholesale civilian massacre of innocents acts as a meditation on the passage of time, on collective memory and probable permanent loss. American cruelty[4] is also at the forefront, not by demonising perpetrators but because there isn’t any other credible interpretation.

Paper City’s pressing proposition is the imperative humankind must remember so such events aren’t repeated.

A street festival
The film argues we must collectively remember so that such horrors do not recur. Melbourne Documentary Film Festival

The Japanese interviewees don’t apportion blame. Some acknowledge the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy had also acted contra to how they should have.

Paper City is interspersed with deliberate, measured Japanese calligraphy, punctuating viewers’ mounting tension. These interventions mark a change of pace. The focus turns to classical Japanese aesthetics, craftsmanship and skill, evoking longstanding Japanese values.

Calligraphic artistry relies on artists’ mastery of breath control, lest there be mishaps. Paper – an important leitmotif in Paper City – attests to the beauty of the classical Japanese written word, but equally to fragility and impermanence.

In wartime Japan and for eons earlier, interior paper walls were used in mostly wooden dwellings. These building materials contributed to Tokyo’s violent conflagration, triggering the massive death toll; mass suffocation ushered in permanent cessation of breath.

Read more: How Japanese avant-garde ceramicists have tested the limits of clay[5]

Honouring the dead

Tsukiyama-san, Kiyooka-san and Hoshino-san advocate for lasting peace. The firebombing wasn’t an act of war between military groups, but a strike on an unarmed, peaceful demographic.

In one sequence, Kiyooka-san returns to her childhood neighbourhood, giving a public talk focusing on the experience of herself and her family. The audience of parents and children pay close attention.

A woman on a bridge Mrs Kiyooka escaped into the river to protect herself from the flames and heat. Melbourne Documentary Film Festival

Kiyooka-san explains she entered the river, spending the night tipping water over her head to avoid her hair burning. In the morning light, thousands of charred bodies were revealed. Kiyooka-san came across her own mother, who’d regained consciousness and was barely clinging to life.

Hoshino-san also addresses a sizeable audience in his neighbourhood. Expressing fears that today’s Japanese memory of this harrowing attack is virtually non-existent, he’s driven by a sense of responsibility to honour those who died.

Hos hino-san observes there has never been any governmental effort to collect the names of the dead and honour the civilians who died as a result of this attack.

But under Tsukiyama-san’s leadership, his Morishita 5 District remains a miraculous exception. Tsukiyama-san’s vision and work ethic prompted resident citizens to create a near comprehensive list of those who perished in the firebombing.

An extensive scroll is now permanently displayed in the Morishita Neighbourhood Centre, commemorating local residents who were killed. Underpinned by citizen power, local memorial services have now been held.

Regrettably, despite these elderly activists heroically fighting the good fight for remembrance, this unspeakable attack remains unmemorialised by generations of Japanese governmental leaders.

Mr Tsukiyama at the 70th anniversary of the firebombing. Melbourne Documentary Film Festival

Regardless of the interviewees’ long term, uplifting dedication to Japanese national memory, Paper City is disturbing.

Then again, apropos of this, it is difficult to imagine a better film could have been made on this subject.

Paper City is available to stream through the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival until July 31.

Read more https://theconversation.com/in-paper-city-japanese-survivors-recount-their-experiences-of-the-1945-firebombing-of-tokyo-187353

The Times Features

The Best Adjustable Bed and Mattress Packages for Comfort

The appropriate bed and mattress are essential for establishing the perfect sleep environment. If you seek a way to upgrade your sleep experience, adjustable bed and mattress pac...

Designing a Modern Home: Features That Will Make Your Dream House Stand Out

Designing your dream home is an exciting journey, and for many, it’s an opportunity to create a space that reflects their personal style, functionality needs, and modern trends. ...

Client Dinners Done Right: Tips for Meaningful Engagement

Client dinners offer more than just a meal—they’re an opportunity to build lasting business relationships in a more personal and relaxed setting. Done well, these dinners can str...

From Classic to Contemporary: 5 Timeless Costumes for Any Party

When it comes to dressing up for a costume party, you want to choose something that is not only fun but also memorable. Whether you're attending a Halloween event, a themed gathe...

Action Figures as Art: The Growing Trend of Custom Figures and Modding

Action figures have long been regarded as collectible items, valued by enthusiasts and fans for their connection to popular culture. However, in recent years, a growing trend has...

The Ultimate Guide to Securing Grants for Your Small Business in Australia

Running a small business in Australia comes with both opportunities and challenges. While it can be rewarding, funding your business through the early stages or periods of growth...

Times Magazine

Top Benefits of Hiring Commercial Electricians for Your Business

When it comes to business success, there are no two ways about it: qualified professionals are critical. While many specialists are needed, commercial electricians are among the most important to have on hand. They are directly involved in upholdin...

The Essential Guide to Transforming Office Spaces for Maximum Efficiency

Why Office Fitouts MatterA well-designed office can make all the difference in productivity, employee satisfaction, and client impressions. Businesses of all sizes are investing in updated office spaces to create environments that foster collaborat...

The A/B Testing Revolution: How AI Optimized Landing Pages Without Human Input

A/B testing was always integral to the web-based marketing world. Was there a button that converted better? Marketing could pit one against the other and see which option worked better. This was always through human observation, and over time, as d...

Using Countdown Timers in Email: Do They Really Increase Conversions?

In a world that's always on, where marketers are attempting to entice a subscriber and get them to convert on the same screen with one email, the power of urgency is sometimes the essential element needed. One of the most popular ways to create urg...

Types of Software Consultants

In today's technology-driven world, businesses often seek the expertise of software consultants to navigate complex software needs. There are several types of software consultants, including solution architects, project managers, and user experienc...

CWU Assistive Tech Hub is Changing Lives: Win a Free Rollator Walker This Easter!

🌟 Mobility. Independence. Community. All in One. This Easter, the CWU Assistive Tech Hub is pleased to support the Banyule community by giving away a rollator walker. The giveaway will take place during the Macleod Village Easter Egg Hunt & Ma...

LayBy Shopping