The Wrong Side Of The Tracks

Following Taiki Masuda's arrest in April 2015, charged with violating the medical Practitioner's Act -- which prohibits any medical practices without a license -- for tattooing in Japan, the journalists and producers Hyoe Yamamoto and Deborah Barillas have been following his stroy. They're still shooting for their upcoming documentary "Criminal Engravement" which will record his fight for his rights to be afree tattooer in the birhtplace of Irezumi, the traditional Japanese tattoo.

What were your motivations when you started the film?

What attracted us in the beginning was the absurdity of the charges and situation. In our modern world, who would think that tattooing requires medical training and has to be done by a certified doctor? It sounded like a typically Japanese situation where true motivations and agendas are hidden under the pretence of legal technicality. And we were inspired that someone, a Japanese youth, is actually fighting against this bogus charge and taking a stand. What's really going on is a complex mixture of lack of tolerance and diversity, political power mongering, and the younger generation challenging the old establishment. So what we want to show is that it goes far beyond the issues surrounding tattoo and tattoo artists.

What did you know about the Japanese tattoo scene and what did you discover?

We didn't know a whole lot before we get into the production. First thing we discovered is the rich history and tradition of Japanese tattoo as well as the historical relationship between the state and tattoo in general. One of the first things people imagine when they hear tattoo is obviously yakuza, but that's just a tip of the iceberg.

Did you try to sell the film to Japanese media?