Where Has All the Pollution Gone?
dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda · 1991
The struggle for a healthy environment reveals the deep connection between human well-being and the actions of powerful institutions.
Plot
Where Has All The Pollution Gone? exposes air pollution caused by Japan’s largest Kawasaki Steel Corp. on a scale of ten times the size of Disneyland. Since the steelworks started running, almost every local resident has been suffering from severe asthma which resulted in a 17-year long court battle with the company. Filmmaker KORE-EDA Hirokazu traces one civil servant’s involvement in the growth of pollution administration that took place during the height of Japan’s economic surge in the 60s and discloses the connection between air pollution and state policy.
Why watch
"Where Has All the Pollution Gone?" is a poignant exploration of the human cost of industrial progress, weaving together personal narratives and systemic failures. This contemplative documentary not only lays bare the environmental crises wrought by corporate negligence but also invites viewers to reflect on the intersections between health, policy, and community resilience.