ON a set outside Tokyo, Momoko Nishiyama sits with the drama's director and watches as a man undresses a woman, guiding the love scene as one of just two "intimacy coordinators" in Japan.
The country's film and television industry has been hit by a string of recent sexual abuse allegations that have led to apologies and movies being pulled.
But while Hollywood has embraced intimacy coordinators in the wake of the #MeToo movement, they are still relatively new in Japan, where public reaction to the latest scandals has been muted.
"In the United States, everyone knows what an intimacy coordinator is, but in Japan, I have to start by explaining what it is that I do, and that I'm not the director's enemy," Nishiyama told AFP.
The 43-year-old's recent projects include a TV series with multiple intimate scenes.
On set, she confers with the director and observes actors, advising them how to move and adjusting their outfits.
But her work starts well before anyone shouts "action", beginning with a close read of the script.
"I say to the director: 'Here it says A embraces B, will it go further than that?' or 'What clothes will the actors be wearing? How undressed will they get?'" Nishiyama explained.
She then meets privately with each actor to determine their boundaries.
"This is a scene without a bra. If we don't show your chest, are you okay with it?" is one question she might ask.
For 23-year-old actor Asuka Kawazu, Nishiyama offers reassurance.
"Her presence made discussions easier," she told AFP.
Without an intimacy coordinator, "a case could arise where we agree on something, but then when shooting we realise we're going much further than we had planned," she said.
- 'Lack of solidarity' -
Despite several high-profile allegations, the #MeToo movement was less pervasive in Japan than in some other developed countries.
But Nishiyama has seen demand for her services increase after multiple accusations of sexual harassment and abuse in her industry.
Some of the allegations prompted a group of directors including celebrated auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda to call for change, but the reaction from other professionals in the field was more subdued.
Miwa Nishikawa, who is part of the group, told AFP the directors "were shocked" both by the accusations and the industry's inaction.
"Unlike in the West or South Korea where the #MeToo movement took hold, the Japanese industry wasn't able to change."
"I think it shows a lack of solidarity between workers in the industry, where there is no organisation to unite and protect them," she said.
The group hoped its statement "would make it easier for people to speak out", said Nishikawa.
The directors back the use of intimacy coordinators, though Nishikawa cautions that won't be enough to end abuse off-set.
Still, their presence shows that "the safety and dignity of actors and staff" are more protected.
"That can create an atmosphere that discourages harassment."
She and her fellow directors also want sensitivity training and industry guidelines for casting and shooting, warning that otherwise "incidents and accidents" will keep happening.
- Modesty garments -
On set in Tokyo, director Kenji Kuwashima is happy having Nishiyama there, and sees her as "defending both parties".
"In the end, everyone wants the same thing: to make the best production possible," he told AFP.
"Until now, relations were much more top-down, with the director saying 'do this', but it's become more equal and both sides benefit."
When preparing to go on set, Nishiyama gathers props that help keep scenes realistic while protecting actors.
She's never without a range of silicone patches that prevent contact between intimate parts of the body, as well as "maebari" -- a made-to-measure modesty garment.
From a bag she pulls out a collection of underwear ranging from panties to thongs in different skin tone shades.
"I've always got about 30 with me," she said, laughing.
Nishiyama started her career as a production coordinator, mainly for Japanese shoots abroad, and took up her current role after an intensive online US training course.
The rising demand for her services suggests "things are changing, little by little", she said.
But she admits feeling "a little powerless" to hear that some industry players accused of abuse have continued to work unchallenged.
"There are people who want to change things, and there are more and more film sets with a healthy atmosphere. But I think that things must change more."
ETX Studio
Mon Feb 27 2023
![Japan's rare intimacy coordinators in demand after abuse scandals Japan's rare intimacy coordinators in demand after abuse scandals](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-02/51677494579_KAWASAKI.jpg)
Intimacy coordinator Momoko Nishiyama (R) and director Kenji Kuwashima watching a playback of a scene on the set of a TV drama in Kawasaki. - ETX Studio
![Perang berlarutan antara punca kelewatan penghantaran Black Hawk Perang berlarutan antara punca kelewatan penghantaran Black Hawk](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/51712121864_TBADLYZAHARIjp.jpg)
Perang berlarutan antara punca kelewatan penghantaran Black Hawk
Perkara itu dimaklumkan pihak Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn Bhd iaitu syarikat yang dipertanggungjawabkan dalam kontrak perolehan perkhidmatan sewaan helikopter berkenaan.
![Polis kesan remaja lelaki hilang sejak enam hari lepas Polis kesan remaja lelaki hilang sejak enam hari lepas](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721115027_MuhammadAdiLagik.jpg)
Polis kesan remaja lelaki hilang sejak enam hari lepas
Polis sedang berusaha mengesan seorang remaja lelaki yang dilaporkan hilang oleh keluarganya di Kuala Pilah sejak enam hari lepas.
[TERKINI] Sidang media khas FAM
FAM adakan satu sidang media khas petang nanti, difahamkan berkaitan rombakan. Kepimpinan tertinggi FAM atau barisan kejurulatihan skuad Harimau Malaya?
![Penampilan pertama Trump di konvensyen GOP selepas terselamat cubaan bunuh Penampilan pertama Trump di konvensyen GOP selepas terselamat cubaan bunuh](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721113188_DonaldTrump.jpg)
Penampilan pertama Trump di konvensyen GOP selepas terselamat cubaan bunuh
Donald Trump menghadiri Konvensyen Kebangsaan Republikan pada malam Isnin, penampilan umum pertamanya sejak terselamat daripada cubaan bunuh.
![Malaysia pantau perkembangan insiden tembakan di Masjid Muscat Malaysia pantau perkembangan insiden tembakan di Masjid Muscat](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/71715148599_wismaputra.jpg)
Malaysia pantau perkembangan insiden tembakan di Masjid Muscat
Wisma Putra melalui Kedutaan Besar Malaysia di Muscat, Oman sedang giat menyelaras usaha dengan pihak berkuasa tempatan untuk mendapatkan maklumat lanjut.
![Ini antara pencapaian Pan-gon bersama Harimau Malaya Ini antara pencapaian Pan-gon bersama Harimau Malaya](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721112073_PangonHarimauMal.jpg)
Ini antara pencapaian Pan-gon bersama Harimau Malaya
Kim Pan-gon memiliki rekod yang cukup baik bersama Malaysia, menjadi pengendali Harimau Malaya paling banyak mendapatkan keputusan yang positif sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini.
![Kementerian Komunikasi umum Pakej Rahmah Prabayar Siswa Kementerian Komunikasi umum Pakej Rahmah Prabayar Siswa](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721112865_FahmiFadzil.jpg)
Kementerian Komunikasi umum Pakej Rahmah Prabayar Siswa
Kementerian Komunikasi hari ini mengumumkan Pakej Rahmah Prabayar Siswa pada harga tidak melebihi RM30.
![Messi harap cepat pulih daripada kecederaan Messi harap cepat pulih daripada kecederaan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/51719647184_LionelMessi.jpg)
Messi harap cepat pulih daripada kecederaan
Kapten Argentina, Lionel Messi berharap agar beliau cepat pulih daripada kecederaan buku lali yang dialaminya perlawanan akhir Copa America.
![MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721105894_AhmadZahidHamidi.jpg)
MARA diminta terus teroka potensi industri halal global - Ahmad Zahid
MARA diminta untuk terus meneroka potensi antarabangsa dalam industri halal yang mempunyai prospek besar menerusi program Gate to Global (GTG).
Saya akan rindu bau durian - Kim Pan-gon
Menurut Kim Pan-gon, beliau akan tetap bangga dengan pasukan bola sepak Malaysia walaupun dimana beliau berada.
Katanya beliau akan merindui bau durian dan langit Malaysia. #AWANInews
Katanya beliau akan merindui bau durian dan langit Malaysia. #AWANInews
![Kevin Spacey bebas tuduhan serangan seksual Kevin Spacey bebas tuduhan serangan seksual](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-07/71690413907_KevinSpacey.jpg)
Kevin Spacey bebas tuduhan serangan seksual
Para juri di Mahkamah Southwark Crown mendapati Spacey tidak bersalah atas sembilan pertuduhan serangan seksual terhadap empat lelaki.