NHK WORLD PRIME
6.4
2017
Documentary
NHK WORLD PRIME brings you a world of mainly documentaries, and more. Tune in to see special select programs on all sorts of topics and genres.
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Episode 28 : Stopping the Next Pandemic: The Virus Hunters' Mission - Part 2
December. 31,2022
COVID-19 brought the threat of unknown viruses to global attention. This documentary, a collaboration between Japanese and French broadcasters, explores what's necessary to prevent another pandemic. We follow experts known as "virus hunters," working all around the world in an effort to stop the next pandemic. In part two of a two-part series, we learn the importance of protecting biodiversity. This connects to a concept called "One Health," which involves treating human, animal and environmental health as a unified whole. We also investigate whether COVID-19 is being transmitted to animals in Japan, and hear about the risk of new infectious diseases within the country.
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Episode 26 : Stopping the Next Pandemic: The Virus Hunters' Mission - Part 1
December. 24,2022
COVID-19 brought the threat of unknown viruses to global attention. This documentary, an international co-production with France, explores what's necessary to prevent another pandemic. Scientists assert that pandemics are inevitable under an international capitalistic economy. The risk from zoonotic diseases — those passed from animals to humans, such as bird flu is particularly high. The program reports on experts known as "virus hunters," working all around the world. We see how deforestation and poaching are contributing to the spread of viruses.
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Episode 25 : Poet of the Piano Fuzjko Hemming: On a Journey to Chopin's Mallorca
December. 24,2022
Over 90 years old, Fuzjko Hemming still takes to the world's stages as a "pianist of the soul." But her life has not been without obstacles, such as severe hearing loss and a period of statelessness. Her favorite composer, "poet of the piano" Chopin was also beset by obstacles. Taking a winter sojourn to the Spanish island of Mallorca for his health, he wrote several masterpieces despite being told by doctors that he would die there. We follow Fuzjko as she traces Chopin's precious time in Mallorca.
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Episode 24 : OKINAWA'S RETURN: 50 YEARS ON - Islands at Odds with Peace & Security -
December. 17,2022
In May, people in Japan's southwestern islands of Okinawa marked 50 years since the American military rule came to an end. Though the fierce battle scars linger, the islanders are now caught up in the rising tensions between the US and China over Taiwan. And the nation's Self-Defense Forces are boosting their presence. We look at how the new geopolitical situation poses big security questions to the islands. And we follow young people there, who are joining the SDF, to gauge their swinging emotions.
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Episode 22 : JAPAN-NORTH KOREA SUMMIT: Behind the Curtain
November. 12,2022
The Japan-North Korea Summit 20 years ago took on the Japanese abduction issue and DPRK's nuclear threat. A Japanese diplomat quietly made it all happen. We follow these behind-the-curtain negotiations, sharing interviews with former US diplomats as well as an abductee's family member.
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Episode 21 : Mississippi Revealed
October. 29,2022
Journey with Cannon Hersey as he explores parallels between battles over voting rights today and the historic struggles of the 1964 Freedom Summer in Mississippi. With his grandfather, famed writer John Hersey's groundbreaking "A Life for a Vote" as a roadmap, Cannon reveals how black farmers cultivated freedom by tending the earth, and are still striving to overcome a legacy of systemic oppression.
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Episode 16 : Kyiv, the Resistance of Citizens
August. 13,2022
In March, the Russian army was closing in on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, and it was expected to fall in a short period of time. But in fact, many citizens chose to remain in their beloved city and provide resistance in whatever way they could. Despite daily missile attacks and the fear of an impending urban war, they were united in their efforts to protect their freedom and democracy. This documentary looks at the people of Kyiv through the eyes of a Ukrainian filmmaker.
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Episode 15 : Daily Life in Times of War
August. 06,2022
Even in the depths of war, people maintain their daily routines – cooking, dressing up, even falling in love. NHK has been asking viewers to share their experiences and turning them into animations. Now, young people in Japan are interviewing World War II survivors to learn what life was like back then, hoping to pass their stories down to future generations. What can they learn from the war 77 years ago? What can they do to ensure it doesn't happen again?
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Episode 8 : The Unknown Master of Restoration
March. 05,2022
Mayuyama Koji is an art restorer who works with antique dealers and museums nationwide. His unique skills allow him to flawlessly restore broken works to their former conditions, earning him the nickname "God Hand." The practice originated from his father in the postwar period, when many antiques would be repaired secretly through underground means. This documentary reveals the details of his techniques, as well as his mission not just to restore art, but to preserve it for generations to come.
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Episode 7 : Reviving Tezuma: Japan's Traditional Magic
February. 26,2022
Tezuma is a form of magic unique to Japan that uses tools and movements not seen in Western magic. Some of the captivating performances embody a Japanese outlook on life. Fujiyama Taijyu is one of the rare young successors of the art and has an impressive track record of becoming number 1 in Asia in an international magic competition. His wish is to show the entire world, the traditional Tezuma magic. In order to revive Tezuma, which took a backseat to Western magic after WWII, Fujiyama will be bringing back a long-lost performance. Come join us as we follow his challenge up the premiere.
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Episode 6 : Carbon Farming: A Climate Solution Under Our Feet
February. 19,2022
A powerful tool for curbing climate change is right beneath our feet ... soil! Carbon farming, also called regenerative agriculture, is a revolutionary method that traps carbon from the air into the ground to produce nutritious food. Instead of tilling and using agrochemicals, farmers let the natural ecosystem do the work. We visit pioneers of this method, including Gabe Brown in the US and Yoshida Toshimichi in Japan.
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Episode 5 : A Monk’s Lessons: Living Amid Death From COVID
February. 12,2022
Unable to properly bid farewell to deceased loved ones, especially during the COVID pandemic, many have sought solace at Mt. Osorezan, a Buddhist temple long viewed as a portal to the underworld. Minami Jikisai has been a monk there for 16 years. Fujita Ai cared for patients at their homes when hospitals were filled to capacity. Their deaths left her traumatized and searching for relief. How can we learn to accept death? This program will take you to a place where people go in search of answers.
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