NHK Documentary - Season 12 / Year 2023

Hong Kong has undergone drastic social and political change in just a few short years, as China's central government tightens its grip on the territory. Under Beijing's "one country, two systems" policy, freedom of speech and assembly had been assured, yet such rights have now been severely curtailed. Ordinary Hong Kong citizens, who just a couple of years ago took to the streets in defense of freedom and democracy, now find themselves living in a greatly altered reality. As the tide of history turns in Hong Kong, we gauge the depths of the transformation affecting every aspect of society.

A dairy farming community in northern Japan is being stalked by an unseen peril: a giant brown bear that attacks cows in the dead of night, killing some and merely injuring others. For years it has eluded teams of researchers and capturers committed to bringing it down. But what is the true nature of the beast they're pursuing? Is it one bear or several? And how have human actions helped create this situation? We follow efforts to track down the animal and to understand what led to its behavior.

In 2022, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un kicked off his second decade in power with a record-breaking year of over 90 missile launches. The recent tests included hypersonic weapons and showcased the regime's latest ICBM, potentially bringing the entire US mainland within range. The diversity of missiles entering operational phase marks the fruition of intense military development under Kim Jong Un's rule. Since the breakdown of denuclearization talks with the US in 2019, his regime has adopted an increasingly hardline stance. Closed borders during the pandemic have made the secretive nation more inscrutable than ever, but internal North Korean documents obtained by NHK paint a picture of tightening controls and an increasingly radicalized ideology driving the regime's actions. As North Korea finds ways to bypass UN sanctions and renews ties with authoritarian allies, how can the world best engage with a state whose nuclear provocations present a growing threat to global security?

Children with certain developmental disabilities often have difficulty interacting with others or engaging in tasks they're not interested in. This can put a strain on families. But many of these kids shine when they're allowed to engage in activities they're passionate about. Researchers have learned that encouraging them to pursue their interests not only makes them happier as individuals. It can also lead to stronger connections with people around them and greater independence as adults.

Wildfires can be caused by natural factors such as lightning, but humans also play a large role. In California, which has witnessed some of the most widely publicized examples in recent years, a housing crisis is pushing more people into areas where fires are common. And firefighters are falling victim to PTSD, even suicide. But researchers have found that humans can play a greater role in prevention. Through ancient practices and improved technology, we can reduce the toll of these deadly events.

Ever since neuroscientist Onzo Ayako's mother Keiko was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease seven years ago, she has been balancing a double role of both caregiver and scientific observer. Faced with the prospect of losing the mother she knows, Ayako has kept a daily record of her behavior, as well as taking regular MRIs to track the physical changes in her mother's brain. With a special interest in complex emotions and brain function, Ayako hopes the insights she gains can one day help others living with dementia. Touching on the deepest questions of what makes a person who they are, we follow mother and daughter on their journey of reconnection and discovery amid the challenges.

Natural resource-scarce Japan has harnessed globalization as a cornerstone of its economic development ever since the end of World War II, bringing prosperity to its people in the process. Today, rising geopolitical tensions, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the escalating rivalry between the United States and China, are disrupting globally interconnected supply chains and markets, and ushering in a new era of protectionist policies. As the tides of globalization turn, we examine Japan's struggle to adapt in an increasingly unpredictable world.

The United Nations was born when the Great Powers assembled after World War II to craft a more peaceful world. Its most powerful body, the Security Council, has five permanent members who can veto proposals they disagree with. That has hindered efforts to bring an end to Russia's war against Ukraine. Some now question whether the Council can fulfill its role as "the world's peacekeeper." We look at the history of the UN and attempts by Japan to make the Security Council more effective.

When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the capital Kyiv was predicted to fall within 72 hours. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy risked his own life to stay put and resist, declaring his nation's resolve to defend its right to independence. Based on interviews with Zelenskyy's closest aides, official government releases and global media reports, we reconstruct the timeline of the critical first 72 hours of the invasion, uncovering fresh revelations about the events that set in motion a new era of global polarization and instability.

Ukraine's capital Kyiv had been expected to fall within 72 hours of a Russian invasion, but when the attack finally came, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was determined to stay and fight for his nation's survival. In Part 2 of our documentary, we continue to retrace the timeline of those critical first 72 hours. Drawing on interviews with the president's closest aides, official government releases and global media reports, we shed fresh light on events that have set in motion a new era of global polarization and instability.

In the coastal town of Ogatsu, the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami destroyed a cherished local institution: the community hospital. As the tsunami approached, staff members stood by their bedridden patients, struggling to protect them. All the patients and many of the staff members perished. What was life like there before that fateful day? How are the surviving relatives coping 12 years later? Should the workers have saved themselves? We look into the hearts of the people left behind who spoke with the media for the first time.

Twelve years have passed since the devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck northeast Japan. An enduring legacy of the disaster has been widespread population decline, with some 140,000 residents leaving affected areas in the years since. Amid this challenging environment, a few municipalities have been trialing fresh ideas in an effort to rebuild their communities. Using census data to map demographic change in the region, we identified the rural towns successfully attracting young people and new business. These emerging shoots of hope revealed by our disaster zone "recovery maps" may even hold valuable clues for addressing key demographic challenges faced by the country as a whole.

Three "lost" decades of economic stagnation since the collapse of Japan's bubble era have fundamentally altered the country's global image, and spawned the term "Cheap Japan." What will it take to truly revive Japan's economy once again? In a rapidly changing world, the question of how the globe's third largest economy can avoid being left behind is perhaps more pertinent than ever. Drawing on both expert guidance and in-depth analysis of a wide range of available data, we hunt for clues that might point the way to Japan's ever-elusive economic renaissance.

A pair of explorers enters an extraordinary gorge in the Himalayas to film an area where none has ever dared to venture. Extremely narrow at little over ten meters, but tremendously deep at over 200, the origins of the Seti Gorge are shrouded in mystery. Numerous waterfalls tumble into its abyss, and even for the experienced Japanese adventurers, the descent using a single rope tests their courage. Freezing winter temperatures, torrents of water – a gripping journey unfolds on camera. The latest research reveals the geological saga that created this massive gorge.

In Japan, it's common for high school and college students to take part-time jobs to earn extra money and gain work experience. But increasingly, young people are engaged in illegal jobs through the social media, including robbery and fraud. "Recruiters" lure them with promises of wealth. Sometimes, young prospects are threatened with harm to their families if they don't participate. What's behind this surge in juvenile criminality? And what can parents and others do to keep them from participating?

100 years have passed since the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. Although filmed records of its aftermath exist, the footage held flaws making it difficult to identify locations or times, obscuring the reality of how citizens of Tokyo faced this overwhelming disaster. To understand these details, we remastered the film into 8K resolution, and attempted to colorize it, while also making full use of audio accounts by survivors and a variety of scientific analyses by specialists. This program opens a new window into the events surrounding the disaster that had once been shrouded in mystery.

Even after the quake itself subsided, the tragedy of the Great Kanto Earthquake was only beginning. An unlikely "fire tornado" consumed a site where 40,000 evacuees had gathered, leaving few survivors. Meanwhile, emotionally exhausted people began to spread baseless rumors that fueled erratic behavior and violence against foreign residents. Part 2 of the documentary follows the timeline of the aftermath and beyond, applying the century-old vision of Tokyo to the modern era.

Stories of the people who built the first atomic weapons are well known. But what about those who provided the uranium? We look at a mysterious man who derived huge profits from the business of war.