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2025
2025x1
Egg Farming Family
Episode overview
For 50 years, a father has produced cheap eggs. His son uses a more humane method, which raises the cost to nearly $1 per egg. An egg-loving family struggles to pass the baton to the next generation.
2025x2
Seeds of Peace: Bright Young Minds on the Path to Nuclear Abolition
Episode overview
Some 500 Japanese high school students have called for nuclear-arms abolition as peace ambassadors over the past 25 years. We meet some of these young people striving for peace.
2025x3
Discharged by Death: Dark Records from a Japanese Mental Hospital
Episode overview
In February 2023, rampant patient abuse was uncovered at Takiyama Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Tokyo. But was the case an isolated incident, or does it reveal troubling truths .. show full overview
2025x4
Meals for One: Recipes to Soothe the Soul
Episode overview
After the death of her beloved husband, cooking expert Kurihara Harumi began looking for ways to deal with her grief. Now she works on "meals for one" recipes to help people cope with living alone.
2025x5
58 Stolen Years: Two Siblings on the Road to Freedom
Episode overview
Hakamada Iwao spent nearly fifty years on death row, in constant fear of execution. His sister Hideko devoted her life to proving his innocence. We follow their long battle for freedom.
2025x6
Kalakasan: Empowering Filipino Women in Japan
Episode overview
In Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, there is a place that Filipino women living in Japan call "our home." The support group "Kalakasan" means "strength" in Tagalog. Since its .. show full overview
2025x7
INNOVATIVE INVESTIGATIONS: Blind Spots in Climate Measures
Episode overview
Countries and businesses are scrambling to act as the world hurtles toward climate catastrophe. But there are problems with their methods. We look at blind spots in the fight against climate change.
2025x8
My Grandfather's Story: A Japanese Holdout in Indonesia
Episode overview
Mario traces the life of his grandfather, one of the "Japanese holdouts" that stayed in Indonesia after the Second World War. What did he do during that time, and why did he decide to stay?
2025x9
Indictment: Survivors of Sexual Violence in Kosovo 25 Years Later
Episode overview
Vasfije Krasniqi Goodman was the first woman to speak publicly about sexual violence during the Kosovo War. This documentary portrays the survivors' struggles and pursuit of justice 25 years later.
2025x10
72 Crucial Hours: Responding to the Noto Earthquake
Episode overview
New Year's Day 2024. Japan's Noto Peninsula was hit by a huge earthquake and tsunami. Many lives were lost. One year later, as they look to the future, survivors share stories of courage and grief.
2025x11
Flowers Still Bloom at Home: One Year after the Noto Earthquake
Episode overview
In 2024, Wakakuwa District of Wajima City was cut off from the rest of the Noto region by a powerful earthquake and torrential rains. Residents faced a difficult decision: to stay or leave.
2025x12
Raised in Hiroshima, Fought in Vietnam
Episode overview
Japanese American Takeshi Furumoto, born in an incarceration camp and raised in Hiroshima after the atomic bombing, fought in the Vietnam War. He travels in search of closure to his complicated past.
2025x13
Photographing the Edge: Life and Death at 8,000 Meters
Episode overview
Ishikawa Naoki has climbed all 14 of the world's highest summits. His camera has captured the raw beauty of the land and the people. This is a story of one man's pursuit of a life beyond the ordinary.
2025x14
Lot 1000: The Place and the People
Episode overview
Redevelopment plans mean that the last building in Lot 1000 in central Sapporo must be demolished. We learn about the past, present, and future of this spot, exploring its centuries-long history.
2025x15
ON THE EDGE: The Deadly Escape Game of Refugees
Episode overview
As the number of refugees in the world reaches unprecedented heights, smugglers have appeared claiming to transport them to safety, but instead they become pawns in a game with their lives at stake.
2025x16
Save and Be Saved: The Battle of Atomic Bomb Victims
Episode overview
A look at the history of Nihon Hidankyo - the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations - from the group's inception to its reception of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
2025x17
ON THE EDGE: Daughters of Ukraine: Women on the Front Line
Episode overview
The number of women in the Ukrainian military has soared since the start of the Russian invasion. We follow these soldiers as they face the enemy and their own growing sense of despair.
2025x18
Kyiv Express: Ukraine's Everlasting Night Train
Episode overview
An old folksong about a man who misses his true love reverberates along the platform, and the Kyiv Express departs on another 15-hour journey between Ukraine and Poland. The people .. show full overview
2025x19
Witnesses to the Cambodian Genocide
Episode overview
Fifty years after the Cambodian Genocide, survivors―both victims and those involved in the killings―reflect on how and why Cambodians turned against one another, and on the deep scars left behind.
2025x20
The Saga of Thalidomide Poisoning: The Lives of Thalidomiders: 60 Years On
Episode overview
60 years since the Thalidomide Incident, survivors' disabilities have grown more severe. One travels to Germany to learn about their campaigns, as Japan's thalidomiders search for a new path forward.
2025x21
"Will we be ready?": Lessons from the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake
Episode overview
Thirty years ago, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake left more than 6,400 people dead. Will we be ready when the next one strikes? We review NHK's footage from the disaster to see how far we've come.
2025x22
Wings Over Walls: Tearing Down the 20% Barrier
Episode overview
At the top-ranked University of Tokyo, where only 20% of students are female, many women have had their "wings" clipped. Through the university's history, we confront deep-rooted issues in Japanese society.
2025x23
Forging Links: A Story of Wajima Lacquerware Artisans
Episode overview
After a devastating earthquake, lacquerware artisans in Wajima struggle to recover. But they are determined to keep a 600-year-old tradition alive by reaffirming their bond in the creation of a bowl.
2025x24
Railway Journey Across the Taklamakan Desert
Episode overview
A winter journey on the newly built Taklamakan Desert railroad traces the path of the Silk Road. The line reveals the descendants of ancient cultures, and brings changes to local communities.
2025x25
Shinobu: Somebody Hear My Voice
Episode overview
Sakamoto Shinobu was poisoned by mercury while in her mother's womb and has been suffering from Minamata disease since birth. We look back on the life of 68-year-old Shinobu and listen to her message.
2025x26
NEO-JAPONISM: J-POP: Vocaloid Goes Global
Episode overview
Japan's Vocaloid culture is currently experiencing a boom in popularity worldwide. We examine why people are drawn to the voice synthesis technology and the artists that emerged from this culture.
2025x27
NEO-JAPONISM: FOOD: Globalized Japanese Cuisine
Episode overview
There are nearly 190,000 Japanese-style restaurants around the world and 90 percent are run by non-Japanese chefs. We look at how global cultures and trends are updating Japanese cuisine.
2025x28
NEO-JAPONISM: DESIGN: The Magic of Japanese Craftsmanship
Episode overview
Japanese design, known for its beauty and functionality, is highly regarded around the world. We explore the craftsmanship, the people who sustain it, and the philosophy at its core.
2025x29
KAMIKAZE: An Untold History Part 1
Episode overview
"Kamikaze," explosive-laden ramming attacks, were carried out during World War 2, sacrificing 4,000 lives. Why did the Japanese push forward with this method? We uncover the truth about .. show full overview
2025x30
KAMIKAZE: An Untold History Part 2
Episode overview
"Kamikaze," explosive-laden ramming attacks, were carried out during World War 2, sacrificing 4,000 lives. Why did the Japanese push forward with this method? We uncover the truth about .. show full overview
2025x31
Dance from the Darkness
Episode overview
The National Ballet of Ukraine performed a premiere firstly themed on 'war' in 2024. This is about the behind-the-scenes struggles faced by a choreographer active in Russia and a dancer bearing darkness.
2025x32
Quantum Entanglement - Einstein's Final Mystery
Episode overview
Is quantum entanglement real, or just a misunderstanding? The question confounded Einstein and ruined the lives of many physicists. This is the story of the 100-year mystery that changed physics.
2025x33
The Atomic Bomb on Trial
Episode overview
In 1963, a Japanese court ruled that the use of the atomic bomb violated international law. How did the case come about and what is its legacy? Families of the plaintiffs and their lawyer tell the story.
2025x34
Hiroshima Ground Zero: Eyewitness Accounts of 78 A-Bomb Survivors
Episode overview
When the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima, 78 people who were within 500 meters of the hypocenter survived. We visualize what happened at ground zero that day based on rare recordings of eyewitnesses.
2025x35
Picture Brides: Echoes from Beyond the Frontier
Episode overview
A hundred years ago, "picture brides" crossed the ocean to America with just one engagement photo. We have unearthed audio tapes in which they reflect on their lives! This is the story of three generations who found their place in America.
2025x36
Searching for the Japanese Midwife who Delivered Me
Episode overview
Chinese journalist Kou Aizhe spent 14 years searching for a Japanese midwife who delivered 10,000 infants in postwar China, with him among them. His work uncovered the tragic past of the heroic woman.
2025x37
Japan's Ongoing Challenges: Inside the Bond Issue Team
Episode overview
The Japanese Government has issued a large amount of bonds. With factors such as rising interest rates, it has entered a new phase. We take a closer look at the challenges of Japan's bond issue team.
2025x38
STATELESS: The Japanese Left Behind in the Philippines
Episode overview
After WWII, thousands of children born to Japanese fathers were left behind in the Philippines. Many became stateless. Eighty years on, 50 descendants are still fighting to be recognized as Japanese.
2025x39
Japan's Ongoing Challenges: A Testament to Japanese Diplomacy
Episode overview
This episode explores the vast diplomatic records of late political scientist Iokibe Makoto, including exchanges with prime ministers, which offer insights into navigating today's turbulent world.
2025x40
Letters on Hiroshima: Americans Who Wrote of the Atomic Bomb
Episode overview
Eighty years ago, upon facing the tremendous force of the atomic bomb, Truman, scientists, and citizens voiced their remorse and struggle in letters. What messages do these voices carry for us today?
2025x41
Hikikomori Pilgrimage
Episode overview
Five young men from around Japan, once withdrawn from society - a phenomenon known as hikikomori - embark on a 1,200-kilometer pilgrimage around the island of Shikoku, on a journey of self-discovery.
2025x42
One Man's Quest: Reviving Japan's Semiconductor Industry
Episode overview
A Japanese entrepreneur is on a mission: reviving Japan's semiconductor industry. With over ten billion dollars of tax money at stake, he races for rapid innovation.
2025x43
Living in the Grasslands
Episode overview
Can humans and nature coexist? Yuji, a pioneering pasture-based dairy farmer, spent his life answering that question, stewarding vast grasslands. As he battles cancer, he passes the baton to his son.