Please join us for this free public event on Water Protection in Okinawa on the New York University campus near Washington Square Park.

Nuchi nu Miji – Okinawa’s Water of Life portrays Okinawans’ struggle for justice in one of the worst environmental catastrophes in modern Japanese history. Since 2016, the drinking water for 450,000 residents, roughly one third of the population, has been contaminated with military PFAS “Forever Chemicals”­– but the Japanese and US governments have refused to resolve the problem. Featuring interviews, archive footage and documents obtained via the US Freedom of Information Act, “Nuchi nu Miji” uncovers the truth about what has been happening on Okinawa and reveals why so many residents feel abandoned by both Tokyo and Washington.

Shimabukuro Natsuko is a director with the Okinawan TV station, Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting Corporation. Her documentaries about the island’s history, politics, and environmental problems have won Japan’s top TV prizes, including the prestigious Galaxy Award. She is a member of Waseda University’s Institute for the Next Generation of Journalism and Media.

Jon Mitchell is a correspondent with Okinawa Times and the author of four books about Okinawa’s environment, including Poisoning the Pacific (Rowman & Littlefield), a winner in the 2021 US Society of Environmental Journalists’ book awards. He is a visiting researcher at Meiji Gakuin University’s International Peace Research Institute, Tokyo.

*All visitors and non-NYU attendees must present a government-issued ID to the Campus Safety Officer at the event’s entrance. Must comply with NYU’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements and be prepared to show proof of compliance if asked to do so.

*Portions of this event may be recorded for media purposes.