Meet Rino Fujimoto: the artist-activist who helped bring Black Lives Matter to Japan.
She’s tired of silence and wants to turn social media activism into a global movement, one conversation at a time. The Japanese-American creator of @hanasou.jp talks racism in Japan, reconnecting with her heritage, and making art for justice.
On June 7th, over 2,000 people marched to support Black Lives Matter in Osaka, Japan. The march was televised around the world and inspired marches in Tokyo and beyond. But what most people didn’t see was the translating work and rallying effort behind the movement.
Five days before the Osaka march — in an apartment 6,800 miles away — eighteen-year-old Houstonian, Rino Fujimoto, founded @hanasou.jp (話そう), a social justice platform that offers resources in Japanese. Her first few Instagram posts translating basic Black Lives Matter terminology attracted the attention of Brianna Slaughter, one of the lead organizers of BLM Kansai. Despite being in different countries and time zones, Brianna and Rino started working closely to promote the protests in Japan and share resources to fuel the marches.
In the months since, Rino’s words have appeared on protest signs around the world. While 70% of her audience is in Japan, her informational graphics have traveled to Canada, Australia, and the UK with the help of the media and celebrities’ reposts. People are talking, now more than ever, in countries where topics of social justice issues have previously been taboo.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Rino (over Zoom, of course). Sixty posts and almost 10k followers later, Rino is still leaving a mark amidst the increasing “normalization” of our social media feeds, and her passion for igniting conversations has not dimmed.
Where did you get the idea to start @hanasou.jp, and what were your initial intentions for the account?
When the movement started gaining momentum in the US, I wanted to do research in Japanese, but there were barely any articles or social media accounts about the victims. I created this account using my bilingual and design skills to make up for the lack of resources. My real intention is to start conversations, which is basically the meaning of my account name. “Hanasou” means “let’s talk about…” I hoped my account could serve as a conversation opener and help the general population build understanding and get exposure to social issues.
You’re seeing the ripple effects of your content on mainly Japanese audiences. As you currently reside in Houston, how do cultural and geographical barriers impact your activism?
Well, first, it’s been hard because I take into account the time difference between Houston and Japan, so my sleep schedule has definitely shifted. After I come home from my job at Sweetgreen, I work on this account and sleep at four or five in the morning.
But I would say the biggest challenge is the fact that for a lot of people, it is their first time seeing and talking about these problems. Japan is a very homogenous and traditional country, so it’s hard for people there to conceptualize what racism and discrimination is. Obviously, I'm not Black, so I can't give my readers firsthand experiences, but I tell them, hey, since there are black voices saying that something is disrespectful about cultural appropriation, it is our job and responsibility as non-Black people to listen to those voices and act accordingly. There are a lot of Japanese people who think, “Oh, this is an American problem. This has nothing to do with me,” but I believe social injustice is a global problem. No matter where we live, we have the responsibility to take part in these movements.
How does posting about Black Lives Matter pave the way for other social justice movements in Japan?
I definitely want to continue posting about Black Lives Matter, but I'd also like to cover a variety of issues — from global ones to problems unique to Japan. Blackface, blackfishing, mockery, and blatant racism often go unchecked in Japan and its surrounding countries. Chinese people and Korean people in Japan get treated very differently, for example. My recent post on mixed-race child fetishization currently has the most shares on my account, and I think that’s because there are a lot more ‘haafu’ people (a title for mixed-race people) in Japan compared to Black people. When people relate to a topic more, they tend to share it more. I want to continue talking about issues in different affected communities (we call them “当事者”), listen to them, and be respectful.
What has the experience been like — playing a role in this huge global movement?
I've been able to voice my opinions and talk to a lot of other international creators over Zoom calls, and it's just great hearing someone else's perspective, especially if they're living in Japan. Some people have asked me how to create graphics and catch phrases in Japanese for the movement, and I recently saw some of my wordings shared on protest signs. I was like, wait, I've seen that somewhere before. It just makes me really happy, you know. People have told me how much this account has helped them talk to their co-workers or family about social justice issues. They say thanks for covering this topic, thanks for starting the conversation. I think that’s what keeps me going.
I also have a team of about 100 volunteers who help with my direct translation posts. They've become such a help because my Japanese isn't perfect sometimes. Getting proofread by other people is amazing, and I love how we've built a community.
There has been recent controversy on the role of aesthetics in social movements. What is your opinion on that, and how do you approach graphic design as a means for justice?
I came across another post talking about how the Black Lives Matter movement was only shared because of its aesthetic graphic design. That really hit home for me because I do try to make my posts as visually appealing as possible. It’s sad if people only look at your posts because it’s pretty, but I still think art is a good way for people to get a glimpse of some societal problems. Even so, it's important for creators like me, as well as people sharing content to recognize that the Black Lives Matter and other social justice movements are definitely not an aesthetic. They have actual content and meaning behind it. I handwrite my designs to give them a personal touch and make them easier for people to read and capture the moment.
Translating is a major part of what you do. I imagine it’s difficult explaining certain terms or concepts in Japanese. What is something that you pay particular attention to when you’re translating resources?
When translating, I make sure to capture the essence of the post or writing rather than directly translating it. I don’t want the original writers to be misinterpreted in any way. For my cultural appropriation post, “dreadlocks” is kind of an offensive word in America, and some people prefer not to use the term. But when I refer to “locks” in Japan, people aren’t familiar with the term or vocabulary, so it’s hard trying to incorporate correct terms in the movement. I want as many people to understand my content, but I also want to be correct and not use offensive terminology.
How does your identity as a Japanese-American fit into your activism?
I moved to America when I was two years old, but I went to Japanese school every Saturday for ten years. Weirdly enough, even though I’ve been in America for a long time, I still identify as Japanese and hang onto my culture. I wanted to start this account in both Japanese and English because I wanted to interact with the two sides of my identity.
I love reading the comment exchanges under my posts because it’s so interesting to see how people around the world think. One comment thread that stuck with me most is about the intellectual and cultural superiority that some Americans have when it comes to justice issues. I never want to impose that kind of attitude. I hope that my account has become a bridge between countries and cultures the same way it’s become a way for me to reconnect with mine. It doesn’t matter where you are from or how old you are — when it comes to movements like these, education and change is possible, more than ever before.
In what ways do you think creating @hanasou.jp has personally impacted your life?
My account has really helped me reconnect with my heritage. I can not only practice my Japanese by translating resources, but also talk with people living in Japan, which is very, very good for me. It has become a conversation-starter for my family, too, even though they might not agree with me all the time. I didn't think that this community and the conversations this account has fostered would get this big, but I'm very glad it happened.
After a long day working at Sweetgreen, a local salad restaurant, Rino would return home to her apartment and start brainstorming for her next post — on Japan time. When asked about the future, she discusses turning her account into a nonprofit, going to the University of Michigan to study public health, and possibly interning in various activist organizations in Japan.
And Rino’s advice to those who want to be more involved in the movement?
“Start conversations and educate not only the other person but also yourself on these topics,” she said. “And always, always listen to the voices of the 当事者 (the affected community).”
沈黙は共犯、無知は罪。変化は話すことから始まります。
Silence is complicit. Ignorance is also guilty. Change starts from talking.
___
Image Credit
Thumbnail: Rino Fujimoto
Photography: Samantha Milligan