Japan’s Filmmaker Locked Up in Myanmar—Ten Years Behind Bars
What Went Down
Japanese documentary nerd Toru Kubota, only 26, got caught spilling his cameras during a protest in Yangon in July. The military‑run courts slapped him with a 10‑year prison sentence for messing with the country’s sedition laws and an old telecom ban. The whole thing feels like a bad episode of Law & Order: Myanmar Edition—only the judge’s gavel is way cooler.
Why the Bang‑Bang
- Sedition – 3 years. He allegedly “encouraged dissent” towards the junta. Sounds like the headline drummer’s handshake, but it’s a serious charge.
- Telecommunication violation – 7 years. The law’s name is a mouth‑watering longer version, but it basically says you can’t shout your ideas through phones in a “controlled” environment.
- Immigration glitch – another hearing set for October 12, as the court already shuffled a case through for him using the same “culture” of penalties.
What Japan Says
The foreign ministry has been calling out Myanmar for a long time, demanding that Kubota be released early. They’re basically shouting, “Give him a break, man!” in an international hallway of complaints. Despite no reply from the military spokesperson, the joke remains: the junta insists the courts are independent and that the whole process is fair. (Feel free to point that out if you’re up for an argument.)
Myanmar’s Current Turmoil
From a coup in 2021 to now, the military has shut down nearly everything. They’re seizing politicians, journalists, students, neighbors—and foreigners. It’s like a sitcom where everyone except the protagonists is stuck in a maze, with no exit. The second Japanese freelancer, after a nightmare of “false news” accusations, was released later due to “best‑friend‑business” vibes. Oh, the irony. The last open door was for a journalist who made a career out of press coverage of protests, and it’s now sealed.
Takeaway
In this law‑filled reality, filmmakers might want to double‑check their vacation plans before rolling camera gear into a place that will read a script like the one you just watched. If you’re looking for a wild adventure, it might be safer to stay in a theme park.
