Queer Japan is a revelatory documentary from director Graham Kolbeins that peels back the orderly Japanese patina to reveal a vibrant social ecosystem fighting for equality. Nearly impenetrable at first pass, Kolbeins definitive film utilizes over 100 interviews reportedly shot over five years and bounces across different Japanese localities to encompass the diverse panorama that is the Queer community in modern-day Japan. Simple western terms like Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender are compared against the history of Japanese civilization to examine where things came from and where they are headed, resulting in something comprehensive and entirely satisfying.
The doc starts by introducing us to the Japanese Queer community icons of today and their take on the current state of affairs. Included are Butoh performer Atsushi Matsuda, transgender activist and author Tomato Hatakeno, HIV+ activist Hiroshi Hasegawa, drag queen Vivienne Sato, erotic manga artist Gengoroh Tagame, multimedia artist Nogi Sumiko, and activist Akira the Hustler, among others. All are fighting a culture shackled by order and tradition while asking for equality. This is a difficult fight with politicians like LDP Diet Member Mio Sugita calling LGBT+ couples “Unproductive” and stringent laws that demand clear cut gender definitions and roles.